Catastrophic disruptions revisited

Jul, 1999
16 pages
Published in:
  • Icarus 142 (1999) 5-20
e-Print:

Citations per year

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Abstract: (arXiv)
We use a smooth particle hydrodynamics method (SPH) to simulate colliding rocky and icy bodies from cm-scale to hundreds of km in diameter, in an effort to define self-consistently the threshold for catastrophic disruption. Unlike previous efforts, this analysis incorporates the combined effects of material strength (using a brittle fragmentation model) and self-gravitation, thereby providing results in the ``strength regime'' and the ``gravity regime'', and in between. In each case, the structural properties of the largest remnant are examined.