Development of a Numerical Simulation Method for Rocky Body Impacts and Theoretical Analysis of Asteroidal Shapes

This book describes numerical simulations of collisions between asteroids, based on a unique numerical code developed by the author. The code accurately solves the elastic dynamic equations and describes the effects of fracture and friction, which makes it possible to investigate the shapes of impact outcomes produced by asteroid collisions and subsequent gravitational accumulation of fragments.

The author parallelizes the code with high parallelization efficiency; accordingly, it can be used to conduct high-resolution simulations with the aid of supercomputers and clarify the shapes of small remnants produced through the catastrophic destruction of asteroids. The author demonstrates that flat asteroids can only be produced by impacts involving objects with similar mass and low velocity, which suggests that the flat asteroids in our solar system were created in the planet formation era and have kept their shapes until today. The author also shows that asteroid collisions under certain conditions can produce the extremely elongated shape of an interstellar minor body, 1I/’Oumuamua. In brief, the book offers a comprehensive investigation of asteroid impacts and shapes, making it a uniquely valuable resource.

Dr. Keisuke Sugiura is a postdoctoral researcher at Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology. His work mainly involves planetary system formation, especially collision physics of minor bodies. He recieved his Bachelor of Science from Nagoya University in 2014, and his Master and Doctor of Science from the Department of Physics, Nagoya University in 2016 and 2019, respectively. In March 2016, he was awarded the 2015 Dean Prize by the Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University.