Air jet impact craters on granular surfaces: a universal scaling

TL;DR

This study uncovers a universal scaling law for air jet impact craters on granular surfaces, aiding in safer planetary landings by understanding crater morphology and revealing a new subsurface cratering phenomenon.

Contribution

The paper introduces a universal scaling law for crater aspect ratio based on experimental data, linking multiple physical parameters, and reports a novel drop-shaped subsurface cratering phenomenon.

Findings

Universal scaling law for crater aspect ratio.

Crossover of length scales governing crater morphology.

Discovery of a drop-shaped subsurface cratering phenomenon.

Abstract

Craters form as the lander's exhaust interacts with the planetary surfaces. Understanding this phenomenon is imperative to ensure safe landings. We investigate crater morphology, where a turbulent air jet impinges on the granular surfaces. To reveal the fundamental aspect of this phenomenon, systematic experiments are performed with various air jet velocities, nozzle positions, and grain properties. The resultant crater morphology is characterized by an aspect ratio. We find a universal scaling law in which the aspect ratio is scaled by the dimensionless variable consisting of air velocity at the nozzle, speed of sound in air, nozzle diameter, nozzle tip distance from the surface, grain diameter, the density of grains, and density of air. The obtained scaling reveals the crossover of the length scales governing crater aspect ratio, providing a useful guideline for ensuring safe landings. Moreover, we report a novel drop shaped subsurface cratering phenomenon.