Small Debris Research Articles

Characteristics of debris flow dynamics and prediction of the hazardous area in Bangou Village, Yanqing District, Beijing, China

Abstract Debris flow is one of the most common types of geological disasters in China. Owing to the influence of topography, geomorphology, geological conditions, human activity, and rainfall debris flow disasters frequently occur in the mountainous areas of Beijing. The research on debris flow in the Beijing area focuses on rainfall and risk evaluation, material sources, and early warning and prevention of debris flow. However, there are few studies on the development characteristics of single-gully debris flow and the prediction of hazardous areas in the Beijing area. Therefore, we chose the debris flow of Bangou Village in Yanqing District of Beijing as the research object. We analyzed the recharge conditions in the ditch domain and predicted the extent of the hazardous area around the gully, providing suggestions for control measures. The dynamic reserves of the loose deposits in the debris flow gully, currently in the development stage, were estimated as 15.48 × 104 m3, representing four supply sources: artificial deposits, alluvium and diluvium, residual slope deposits, and collapse. The peak flow is 24.49 m3/s for a 10-year rainfall event, 27.64 m3/s for a 20-year rainfall event, 31.79 m3/s for a 50-year rainfall event, and 34.93 m3/s for a 100-year rainfall event. The total amounts of solids washed out by a debris flow from the preceding events are 0.70 × 104 m3, 0.79 × 104 m3, 0.91 × 104 m3, and 1.00 × 104 m3, respectively. The size of the debris flow is small, with a maximum hazardous area of 0.2810 km2. We conclude that a small debris flow outbreak in the Bangou Village gully is possible. We expect that the results of this study will provide basic information and help improve debris flow research in Beijing.

On Ion-Acoustic Precursor Soliton Signatures of Orbital Debris in Low Earth Orbit

Nonlinear plasma solitons have been recently proposed as a possible, indirect way to detect dangerous small orbital debris in low Earth orbit. A kinetic simulation study of the interaction between small debris flowing through a plasma at hypersonic velocity is presented, with a particular focus on whether the debris–plasma interaction leads to the formation of ion-acoustic precursor solitons. By using an electrostatic kinetic model and in the absence of an external magnetic field, simulation results where the debris is treated as a Gaussian density source are compared with those where the debris–plasma interaction is modeled self-consistently, in both one and two dimensions. While ion-acoustic solitons are formed when the debris is treated as a Gaussian density source and the ions are cold, it is shown that self-consistent debris charging with similar parameters hinders the formation of precursor solitons. This indicates that self-consistent debris charging is key to quantitative predictions of soliton formation. Additionally, when the ion and electron temperatures are comparable, as typical of conditions in low Earth orbit, Landau damping physics also hinders the formation of ion-acoustic precursor solitons. These results suggest that it will be challenging to exploit ion-acoustic precursor solitons for orbital debris detection in low Earth orbit.

The MIRI Exoplanets Orbiting White dwarfs (MEOW) Survey: Mid-infrared Excess Reveals a Giant Planet Candidate around a Nearby White Dwarf

The MIRI Exoplanets Orbiting White dwarfs survey is a cycle 2 JWST program to search for exoplanets around dozens of nearby white dwarfs via infrared excess and direct imaging. In this Letter, we present the detection of mid-infrared excess at 18 and 21 μm toward the bright (V = 11.4) metal-polluted white dwarf WD 0310–688. The source of the IR excess is almost certainly within the system; the probability of background contamination is <0.1%. While the IR excess could be due to an unprecedentedly small and cold debris disk, it is best explained by a 3.0−1.9+5.5 M Jup cold (248 −61+84 K) giant planet orbiting the white dwarf within the forbidden zone (the region where planets are expected to be destroyed during the star’s red giant phase). We constrain the source of the IR excess to an orbital separation of 0.1–2 au, marking the first discovery of a white dwarf planet candidate within this range of separations. WD 0310–688 is a young remnant of an A- or late B-type star, and at just 10.4 pc, it is now the closest white dwarf with a known planet candidate. Future JWST observations could distinguish the two scenarios by either detecting or ruling out spectral features indicative of a planet atmosphere.

Penetration Thresholds of Porcine Limbs for Low Sectional Density Projectiles in High-Rate Impact.

With similar prevalence to injuries from fires, stings, and natural disasters, soft tissue injuries may occur from fireworks, industrial accidents, or other explosives. Surgeons are less familiar with treating high-velocity penetration from small debris, which may increase the chance of infection and subsequent fatality. Penetration risk curves have been developed to predict V50, the velocity with 50% probability of penetration, for various sized projectiles. However, there has been limited research using nonmetallic materials to achieve lower density projectiles less than 1 g cm-2, such as sand or rocks. To emulate the size and density of these energized particles, 14 ball bearings of stainless steel, silicon nitride, or Delrin acetal plastic ranging from 1.59 mm (1/16") to 9.53 mm (3/8") with sectional densities between 0.3 g cm-2 and 5 g cm-2 were launched toward porcine legs at a range of velocities to determine the penetration thresholds. High-speed videography was captured laterally at 40 kHz and impact velocity was captured using a physics-based tracking software. A generalized linear model with repeated measures and a logit link function was used to predict probability of penetration for each projectile. A total of 600 impacts were conducted to achieve at least 15 penetrating impacts for each projectile over a range of velocities. Higher impact velocities were required to penetrate the skin as sectional density of the projectile decreased, and the relationship between velocity and sectional density exhibited an exponential relationship (V50, $ = 184.6*S{D^{ - 0.385}}$, R2 = 0.95) with substantial change for nonlinearity in sectional densities ranging from 0.3 g cm-2 to 1 g cm-2. Compared to previous studies, the empirical relationship was consistent in the linear region (2-5 g cm-2), and novel experimentation filled in the gaps for sectional densities less than 1 g cm-2, which expressed more nonlinearity than previously estimated. For low-density projectiles with diameters of 1.59 (1/16") or 3.18 (1/8"), 32 impacts were lodged into the epidermis but did not penetrate through the dermis; however, penetration was defined as displacement into or through the dermis. These experimental results may be used to develop and validate finite element simulations of low-density projectile impacts to address complex, multivariate loading conditions for the development of protective clothing to reduce wounding and subsequent infection rates.

A novel kit for enrichment of fecal helminth eggs.

We developed a new concentration kit, called the ParaEgg (PE), for easy detection trematode eggs from fecal samples in endemic areas of clonorchiasis and metagonimiasis in Korea. To create a standard of detection efficiency, 120 fecal samples were examined using the water-ether concentration method (WECM). The PE kit and Mini ParaSep (PS) kit were used to compare the detection sensitivity of 100 egg-positive and 20 egg-negative samples in WECM. Additionally, stool samples, which were intentionally spiked with 10, 20, and 30 Clonorchis sinensis eggs, were evaluated to assess the sensitivity in lowinfection cases. The PE and PS kits showed detection rates of 100% and 92%, respectively, from 100 egg-positive samples in WECM. Meanwhile, eggs were detected in 3 (PE) and 2 (PS) out of 20 egg-negative samples in WECM. The PE kit detected the highest number of eggs per gram of feces (727 on average), followed by the WECM (524) and PS kit (432). In fecal samples that were intentionally spiked with 10, 20, and 30 C. sinensis eggs, PE only detected eggs 2 out of 5 samples in 10 eggs spiked (40%), and the detection rates were 80% and 100%, respectively. The PE kit enabled a more accurate identification of trematode eggs because of the clearance of small fecal debris in the microscopic field. In conclusion, the PE kit is obviously helpful to detect and identify trematode eggs in stool examinations especially in endemic areas of clonorchiasis and metagonimiasis.

In-situ observations of resident space objects with the CHEOPS space telescope

The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) is a partnership between the European Space Agency and Switzerland with important contributions by 10 additional ESA member States. It is the first S-class mission in the ESA Science Programme. CHEOPS has been flying on a Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit since December 2019, collecting millions of short-exposure images in the visible domain to study exoplanet properties.A small yet increasing fraction of CHEOPS images show linear trails caused by resident space objects crossing the instrument field of view. CHEOPS’ orbit is indeed particularly favourable to serendipitously detect objects in its vicinity as the spacecraft rarely enters the Earth's shadow, sits at an altitude of 700 km, and observes with moderate phase angles relative to the Sun. This observing configuration is quite powerful, and it is complementary to optical observations from the ground.To characterize the population of satellites and orbital debris observed by CHEOPS, all and every science images acquired over the past 3 years have been scanned with a Hough transform algorithm to identify the characteristic linear features that these objects cause on the images. Thousands of trails have been detected. This statistically significant sample shows interesting trends and features such as an increased occurrence rate over the past years as well as the fingerprint of the Starlink constellation. The cross-matching of individual trails with catalogued objects is underway as we aim to measure their distance at the time of observation and deduce the apparent magnitude of the detected objects.As space agencies and private companies are developing new space-based surveillance and tracking activities to catalogue and characterize the distribution of small debris, the CHEOPS experience is timely and relevant. With the first CHEOPS mission extension currently running until the end of 2026, and a possible second extension until the end of 2029, the longer time coverage will make our dataset even more valuable to the community, especially for characterizing objects with recurrent crossings.

Implementing Scalable Solutions for Space Debris Mitigation

Abstract: Collision of space debris present in the LEO (Low Earth Orbit) poses a serious threat to the current operational space missions as well as to the future utilization of the LEO space. These also result in major environmental impairment and significant economic losses due to damage to satellites and space stations. It thus becomes imperative to develop effective strategies and design and build systems which can aid in the removal of both small and large debris. This paper investigates the various existing space debris mitigation models such as ElectroDynamic Debris Eliminator (EDDE), ESA’s Space Harpoon, Laser Ablation, and JAXA’s Electrodynamic tether. A useful comparison is drawn amongst these different techniques while evaluating their efficiency within the framework of methods for space debris capture and removal. The advantages and drawbacks of these technologies are discussed through examples, previous and ongoing projects. The paper also aims to briefly introduce a novel concept for debris mitigation and to motivate more rigorous research in this area.

BYORP and Dissipation in Binary Asteroids: Lessons from DART

The near-Earth binary asteroid Didymos was the target of the planetary defense demonstration mission DART in 2022 September. The smaller binary component, Dimorphos, was impacted by the spacecraft in order to measure momentum transfer in kinetic impacts into rubble piles. DART and associated Earth-based observation campaigns have provided a wealth of scientific data on the Didymos–Dimorphos binary. DART revealed the largely oblate and ellipsoidal shape of Dimorphos before the impact, while the postimpact observations suggest that Dimorphos now has a prolate shape. Here we add those data points to the known properties of small binary asteroids and propose new paradigms of the radiative binary Yarkovsky–O’Keefe–Radzievskii–Paddack (BYORP) effect as well as tidal dissipation in small binaries. We find that relatively spheroidal bodies like Dimorphos made of small debris may experience a weaker and more size-dependent BYORP effect than previously thought. This could explain the observed values of period drift in several well-characterized binaries. We also propose that energy dissipation in small binaries is dominated by relatively brief episodes of large-scale movement of (likely surface) materials, rather than long-term steady-state tidal dissipation. We propose that one such episode was triggered on Dimorphos by the DART impact. Depending on the longevity of this high-dissipation regime, it is possible that Dimorphos will be more dynamically relaxed in time for the Hera mission than it was in the weeks following the impact.

Downed woody debris varies with climate and harvesting treatment in Douglas-fir forests of British Columbia, Canada

Downed woody debris is important for biodiversity, forest regeneration, and carbon, nutrient, and water cycling, and past studies have examined how the coarse fraction is affected by climate or harvesting. In a field study in Douglas-fir dominated forests, we expand existing knowledge by investigating the interacting effects of climate and harvesting on downed woody debris of all sizes. Across a 900-km long latitudinal gradient in British Columbia, we found that coarse woody debris (CWD, &amp;gt;7.5 cm diameter) in humid climates contained 700% greater carbon stocks, had 500% greater volume, and was more diverse than in arid climates. Pre- and post-harvest, small and fine woody debris comprised a higher proportion of total woody debris carbon stocks in arid than moist climates, especially after clearcutting and seed tree treatments. Harvesting generally decreased total CWD volume, but it was not depleted on any site. Harvesting substantially reduced the volume of large, highly decomposed CWD except at the two most arid sites, and losses of large CWD increased with increasing tree removal. These losses were accompanied by a pulse of fresh, small diameter CWD and SWD which are short-term organic nutrient sources but have less habitat value than larger pieces and contribute to fuel loads. Because CWD was less abundant in arid than humid mature forests, care must be taken on arid sites to avoid its depletion during harvesting, especially clearcutting, where future woody debris inputs will not occur for decades.

Characterising fragmentation of compostable bioplastic: releasing microplastics or small bioplastic debris

BackgroundPlastic is generating global pollution and the replacement such as bioplastic has been developed to mitigate the pollution. To this end, the fate, transformation and pathway of bioplastics need more research. For example, the fragmentation of bioplastic can release small debris that can be categorised as microplastics, which is tested herein by taking an example of a compostable plastic that is used as a bin bag on our kitchen table to collect the food residues.ResultsFirst, we employ matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) to identify the main components of the bioplastic bag as polymer and starch. Next, we use Raman imaging to monitor the stability under laser illumination, in an oven at ~ 60 °C for ~ 2 weeks, or in the presence of tap water for half a year. Basically, the compostable plastic is stable under these conditions. Thirdly, however, once used as table-bin bag with involvement of food residues, within ~ 1 week, the bioplastic bag is broken and biodegraded to release debris. The derivate surface groups are effectively monitored and directly visualised via Raman imaging, and cross-checked with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The yielded small molecule such as formic acid is also identified, along with the released debris of microplastics, with the help of on-site extraction of the fragmented sample and imaging analysis algorithm of the hyper spectrum.ConclusionsAfter one week, the bag in the waste bin fragments, releasing a significant amount of debris. This could pose a functional issue if users intend to use the bag for at least a week, and could become a potential environmental problem if the waste is dispersed uncontrollably. In general, further research is needed to potentially distinguish the persistent conventional microplastics from the bioplastic fragments, to effectively mitigate the plastic pollution.Graphical

Ingestion of polyethylene terephthalate microplastic water contaminants by Xenopus laevis tadpoles negatively affects their resistance to ranavirus infection and antiviral immunity

Small plastic debris (0.1 μm–5 mm) or microplastics (MPs) have become major pollutants of aquatic ecosystems worldwide and studies suggest that MPs exposure can pose serious threats to human and wildlife health. However, to date the potential biological impacts of MPs accumulating in low amount in tissues during early life remains unclear. Here, for a more realistic assessment, we have used environmentally representative, mildly weathered, polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (PET MPs), cryomilled (1–100 μm) and fluorescently labelled. We leveraged the amphibian Xenopus laevis tadpoles as an animal model to define the biodistribution of PET MPs and determine whether exposure to PET MPs induce perturbations of antiviral immunity. Exposure to PET MPs for 1–14 days resulted in detectable PET MPs biodistribution in intestine, gills, liver, and kidney as determined by fluorescence microscopy on whole mount tissues. PET MPs accumulation rate in tissues was further evaluated via a novel in situ enzymatic digestion and subsequent filtration using silicon nanomembranes, which shows that PET MPs rapidly accumulate in tadpole intestine, liver and kidneys and persist over a week. Longer exposure (1 month) of tadpoles to relatively low concentration of PET MPs (25 μg/ml) significantly increased susceptibility to viral infection and altered innate antiviral immunity without inducing overt inflammation. This study provides evidence that exposure to MPs negatively impact immune defenses of aquatic vertebrates.

Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery for Lithiasis Using Suctioning Devices: A Shift in Paradigm?

New suction endoscopes, ureteral access sheaths (UAS) and catheters aim to improve the efficacy of flexible ureteroscopy and optimize its safety. Suction UAS with non-flexible tips have shown promising results, especially in maintaining low intrarenal pressure, but also in removing small debris and reducing the "snow globe" effect. In addition, suctioning UAS with a flexible tip offers the advantage of being able to be navigated through the pyelocaliceal system to where the laser lithotripsy is performed. It can also remove small stone fragments when the flexible ureteroscope is retracted, using the Venturi effect. Direct in-scope suction (DISS) involves aspirating dust and small stone debris through the working channel of a flexible ureteroscope, thus regulating intrarenal pressure and improving visibility. Steerable aspiration catheters are other devices designed to increase stone clearance of the pyelocaliceal system. They are inserted under fluoroscopic guidance into every calyx after retraction of the flexible ureteroscope, alternating irrigation and aspiration to remove dust and small gravels. Combining flexible-tip suction UAS and the DISS technique may offer some advantages worth evaluating. The advantage of using these instruments to achieve a low intrarenal pressure was demonstrated. The true practical impact on the long-term stone-free status is a matter requiring further studies.

Improved small foreign object debris detection network based on YOLOv5

Improved small foreign object debris detection network based on YOLOv5

Origin identification of sub-millimeter-sized debris from in-situ debris measurements

This study introduces a new method to estimate the orbital parameters (inclination, nodal precession rate, and right ascension of the ascending node) of the broken-up object using in-situ debris measurements. To reduce collision probability with tiny debris generated from breakups of satellites, it is required to identify the origin of breakups and predict the orbit of debris. In general, small debris cannot be tracked from the ground, thus an in-situ measurement is an effective method to detect sub-millimeter-sized debris. Previous studies developed a method to identify the location of breakup origin from an in-situ measurement, however, it can be applied to an ideal situation where the detection occurs at the intersection of the orbit planes. This study introduces a new method to estimate the orbital parameters by fitting the model of geocentric declination to the measurement data. This method can be applied to practical situations that cannot be validated in previous studies. This paper also adopts iteratively reweighted least squares to improve estimation accuracy and mitigate initial value dependencies.

Low-earth orbit small space debris active removal by space-based pulsed lasers

Low-earth orbit small space debris active removal by space-based pulsed lasers

What Do We Know About Plastic Pollution in Coastal/Marine Tourism? Documenting Its Present Research Status from 1999 to 2022

This study aims to present a comprehensive knowledge mapping of plastic pollution on coastal/marine tourism research. To achieve this objective, the present study employed a two-tier analysis, including a systematic review of literature and bibliometric analysis of 164 scholarly articles spanning 1999 to 2022. The results underline the multidisciplinary nature of this research domain, characterized by a significant upswing in publications. The dominant countries in this field are identified as Brazil, Australia, and the USA. A noteworthy collaboration dynamic between the Chinese Academy of Sciences, East China Normal University, and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences has emerged, signaling opportunities for enhanced cross-border cooperation. Jambeck, who provided data support for this research field, is found as the most cited author. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Environmental Pollution, and Science of the Total Environment are the most prolific journals discussing such topics. The primary research clusters in this field include seasonal comparison, Qinghai Lake, and small plastic debris. Additionally, scholars have recently focused on new topics such as seasonal comparison, case study, spatial pattern, and the Southern Baltic Sea in the last 3 years. This research also reports 10 articles with the highest citations and 10 highly cited papers. Not only this, the present study presents the inaugural bibliometric analysis on plastic pollution in coastal and marine tourism. To the authors’ knowledge, it stands as a pioneering investigation of its nature, offering a comprehensive view on the research domain by evaluating a time span exceeding two decades, with a specific emphasis on the literature pertaining to marine tourism.

Questions of fault liability: A case study analysis of in-orbit collisions with debris

In 1972, the international community established a regime of liability for damages occurring in outer space based on ‘fault’. Fifty years later, the congested and polluted reality of the space environment has limited dramatically its effectiveness. Only in very few instances, filing a claim under such regime can reasonably ensure compensation to an injured satellite operator. The present paper describes different study cases where resorting to a fault-based liability claim appears problematic. Based on real conjunction assessment alerts, the authors look into various hypothetical scenarios from the perspective of a fictitious satellite operator, whose spacecraft was damaged by an accidental collision in orbit. The aim is to analyse the effective observability over orbital collisions involving small satellites and space debris (attributable or not) and to evaluate the real chances of obtaining compensation, from the operational and legal points of view. At the centre of this study, therefore, is the evaluation, in fact and in law, of the solidity of a potential claim against the perpetrator of the harm. To that end, the discourse takes into consideration the legal difficulties that are generally connected to fault-based liabilities in international law.The definitional vagueness of the term ‘fault’, the necessity to identify a fault-standard, the proof of failure in the performance of a duty of care, are all elements to consider for filing a claim under the liability regime of 1972.However, next to them, the space environment poses additional hurdles with regard to facts and evidence. Satellite operators do not always have the technological instruments to retrieve all the information related to orbital events, such as collisions. Moreover, a complete observability over in-orbit events can be hard to reach for several classes of spacecraft (e.g. small, nano- or pico-satellites). This is especially troublesome for establishing one of the essential elements of ‘fault’: the so-called “chain of causation”. The authors will present their views on how the uncertainties posed by the liability regime of 1972 can be dealt with from a legal and from a technical perspective. In addition, several possible legal solutions and recommendations for the upcoming years of in-orbit operations and space traffic management will be proposed at the end.

Raman imaging to identify microplastics released from toothbrushes: algorithms and particle analysis

Microplastics are small plastic fragments that are of increasing concern due to their potential impacts on the environment and human health. The source of microplastics is not completely clear and might originate in daily lives such as from toothbrushes. When toothbrushes are used to clean teeth, small plastic debris and fragments can be potentially released into mouths directly or environment indirectly. This study aims to examine the release of microplastics from toothbrushes, using Raman imaging to identify and visualise the plastic debris with an increased signal-noise ratio via hyper-spectrum analysis. Using algorithms to convert the hyper-spectrum to an image, the plastic can be distinguished from the co-formulated titanium oxide particles that are not uniformly distributed along the plastics. The non-uniform distribution can lead to the bias results if a single spectrum analysis is conducted at one position rather than imaging analysis to scan an area. The potential false image originating from the off-focal position for the confocal Raman is overcome using the terrain map to guide the Raman imaging. The imaging analysis balancing between the low magnification to capture the overview and the high magnification to test the details is also discussed. While the release amount of microplastics from the toothbrush is estimated at thousands daily with the expected variation, the results of this study have confirmed the release of microplastics in daily lives. The imaging analysis approach along with algorithm can help to identify the chemical elements of microplastics from the complex background, which can benefit the further research on microplastics towards risk assessment and remediation.

Analisis Pelayanan Personel AMC Dalam Menjaga Keselamatan Penerbangan Sisi Udara Di Bandar Udara Jenderal Ahmad Yani Semarang

Apron Movement Control (AMC) officers still frequently find plastic, small screws besides bird carcasses, snails, attacks by small birds and other animals. This researcher aims to find out the analysis of AMC personnel services in maintaining flight safety at General Ahmad Yani Airport in Semarang. To find out what obstacles AMC personnel face in maintaining flight safety at General Ahmad Yani Airport in Semarang and how to overcome them. This study uses a qualitative method. The tools used were the researchers themselves, with the results of observations, in the Apron Movement Control (AMC) unit, interviews and documents as supporting documents to answer the formulation of research questions, the researchers conducted a 3-stage analysis consisting of data reduction, data presentation and Conclusion/Verification. The results of this study indicate that 1) The service of Apron Movement Control (AMC) officers has a very important service in ensuring flight security and safety. This can be seen from the Apron Movement Control (AMC) officers at Jenderal Ahmad Yani Airport in Semarang who always carry out their responsibilities by referring to the SOP, before the plane lands or takes off, the AMC officers already check it first. 2) Obstacles faced by Apron Movement Control (AMC) officers. Foreign Object Debris (FOD) was found in the form of aircraft components or other components, machine tools such as small equipment and special equipment, small debris such as sand, loose rock, Small wood, plastic, besides bird carcasses, snails, attacks by small birds and wild animals are Foreign Object Debris (FOD) located at Jenderal Ahmad Yani Airport, Semarang

Zr-based metallic glasses Hugoniot under laser shock compression and spall strength evolution with the strain rate (> 107 s-1)

We investigate the mechanical response of Zr50Cu40Al10 and Zr60Cu30Al10 metallic glasses under laser shock compression to reproduce hypervelocity impact conditions such as high longitudinal stresses and high strain rates in an unknown range of 106−107s−1. Hugoniot curves and strength parameters (spall strength and strain rate) are obtained from free surface velocity profiles and compared with previous studies on the mechanical behaviour of Zr-based metallic glasses under plate impact experiments. We established Hugoniot curves for both compositions up to 100 GPa, corresponding to a particle velocity of 1.8 km/s, and consistent with literature up to 75 GPa. Concerning the strength parameters, we studied the evolution of the spall strength with the strain rate and obtained data unreached up to now from 1.7×106s−1 to 2.7×107s−1. This range of data correspond to strain rates of hypervelocity impacts of small debris (≈0.1−1mm) on space infrastructure shields. Moreover, we highlight a strong dependency of the spall strength with the strain rate starting from 2×106s−1. Indeed, the spall strength increases from 2.6 GPa, close to its quasi-static tensile strength value, up to 13.6 GPa.