The Material Point Method (MPM) for simulating hypervelocity impact on asteroids

TL;DR

This paper presents a validated application of the Material Point Method (MPM) for simulating hypervelocity impacts on asteroids, addressing complex physics and boundary conditions more effectively than traditional methods.

Contribution

It introduces and validates an innovative MPM framework with improved material models for asteroid impact simulations, expanding the capabilities of planetary impact modeling.

Findings

MPM accurately reproduces asteroid fragmentation patterns.

The framework is validated against laboratory experiments and SPH simulations.

MPM successfully simulates formation of large asteroid fragments.

Abstract

Shock-physics numerical codes are essential tools for describing the short but extreme fragmentation stage of the hypervelocity impact process on asteroids. However, accurately representing complex interior structures, surfaces, and contact mechanics in these events remains a significant challenge for traditional hydrocodes. This study introduces and validates an innovative yet underutilized technique, i.e., the Material Point Method (MPM), to simulate hyper-velocity impacts on asteroids. This approach offers new perspectives and solutions for capturing complex interfaces and handling the contact and boundary conditions in asteroid impact simulations. Our MPM implementation incorporates critical improvements to material models, including a pressure-dependent C^1 continuous yield criterion with quantifiable plastic strain, and a resolution-independent Grady-Kipp fragmentation model, to capture the complex physics of geological materials under extreme conditions. The framework is rigorously validated against laboratory impact experiments and benchmarked with smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations, confirming its robustness and precision. Crucially, when applied to asteroid-scale collisions, our model successfully reproduces the formation of large, coherent fragments analogous to (433) Eros. This work establishes MPM as a validated and powerful extension to the planetary scientist's toolkit, enabling the expansion of the parameter space and the treatment of complex contact and boundary conditions, which will enable more realistic simulations of asteroid evolution, family formation, and planetary defense scenarios.