Asteroid Surface Geophysics

TL;DR

This paper reviews current understanding of asteroid surface geophysics, highlighting processes, features, and the integration of observational, experimental, and numerical methods to interpret asteroid surface phenomena.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive summary of recent scientific knowledge, experimental techniques, and numerical simulations related to asteroid surface processes and features.

Findings

Asteroid surfaces preserve records of geophysical processes.

Micro-gravity influences the formation of unique surface features.

Integrated approaches enhance understanding and mission design.

Abstract

The regolith-covered surfaces of asteroids preserve records of geophysical processes that have occurred both at their surfaces and sometimes also in their interiors. As a result of the unique micro-gravity environment that these bodies posses, a complex and varied geophysics has given birth to fascinating features that we are just now beginning to understand. The processes that formed such features were first hypothesised through detailed spacecraft observations and have been further studied using theoretical, numerical and experimental methods that often combine several scientific disciplines. These multiple approaches are now merging towards a further understanding of the geophysical states of the surfaces of asteroids. In this chapter we provide a concise summary of what the scientific community has learned so far about the surfaces of these small planetary bodies and the processes that have shaped them. We also discuss the state of the art in terms of experimental techniques and numerical simulations that are currently being used to investigate regolith processes occurring on small-body surfaces and that are contributing to the interpretation of observations and the design of future space missions.