SPH–DEM modelling of hypervelocity impacts on rubble-pile asteroids

Abstract

ABSTRACT Investigating the hypervelocity impact process on rubble-pile asteroids is crucial for understanding the formation and evolution of small celestial bodies, and has important implications for planetary defence. In recent years, numerical simulations have been widely used to model asteroid impacts, as a complement to experimental and theoretical approaches. In particular, the hybrid SPH–DEM framework has been introduced to describe the multistage dynamics involving shock propagation and gravitational re-accumulation. However, the tension between modelling accuracy and computational costs poses significant challenges in rubble-pile impact simulations. In this study, we introduce two distinct particle configurations, i.e. multiple layers of similar-sized surface contact particles and a set of different-sized gravity particles, to efficiently describe the large irregular boulders during long-term evolution. Accordingly, the new transition algorithms are implemented to convert the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) results into the desired discrete-element method (DEM) configurations. With the proposed method, the complexity of contact computation is reduced from $\mathcal {O}(N)$ to $\mathcal {O}(N^{2/3})$, and the gravity computation is accelerated by about one hundred times while maintaining the same level of resolution. The method is then used to simulate the double asteroid redirection test impact on the rubble-pile asteroid Dimorphos. Our numerical simulations have reproduced the observation results regarding momentum transfer and mass ejection. Moreover, we predict that the impact event will form a final crater larger than 45–68 m in diameter and lead to global resurfacing of the target. The renewed surface and fresh interior will be accessible to the upcoming Hera mission, providing new perspectives on the formation and evolution of the rubble-pile binary asteroids.