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SMART-1 end of life shallow regolith impact simulations

Burchell, Mark J., Cole, Mike J., Ramkissoon, N.K., Wozniakiewicz, Penelope J., Price, Mark C., Foing, B.H. (2015) SMART-1 end of life shallow regolith impact simulations. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 50 (8). pp. 1436-1448. ISSN 1086-9379. (doi:10.1111/maps.12479) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:51105)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://doi.org/10.1111/maps.12479

Abstract

The SMART-1 end-of-life impact with the lunar surface was simulated with impacts in a two stage light-gas gun onto inclined basalt targets with a shallow surface layer of sand. This simulated the probable impact site, where a loose regolith will have overlaid a well consolidated basaltic layer of rock. The impact angles used were at 5° and 10° from the horizontal. The impact speed was ~2 km s?1 and the projectiles were 2.03 mm diameter aluminum spheres. The sand depth was between approximately 0.8 and 1.8 times the projectile diameter, implying a loose lunar surface regolith of similar dimensions to the SMART-1 spacecraft. A crater in the basement rock itself was only observed in the impact at 10° incidence, and where the depth of loose surface material was less than the projectile diameter, in which case the basement rock also contained a small pit-like crater. In all cases, the projectile ricocheted away from the impact site at a shallow angle. This implies that at the SMART-1 impact site the crater will have a complicated structure, with exposed basement rock and some excavated rock displaced nearby, and the main spacecraft body itself will not be present at the main crater.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/maps.12479
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Mark Burchell
Date Deposited: 20 Oct 2015 12:29 UTC
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2024 10:37 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/51105 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Burchell, Mark J..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2680-8943
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Cole, Mike J..

Creator's ORCID:
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Wozniakiewicz, Penelope J..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1441-4883
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Price, Mark C..

Creator's ORCID:
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