Momentum transfer coefficient constraints for the 2024 PDC25 Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Scenario

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Hauptverfasser: Schäfer, Christoph M., Malamud, Uri, Manoach, Tamir, Perets, Hagai B.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Schäfer, Christoph M.
Malamud, Uri
Manoach, Tamir
Perets, Hagai B.
author_facet Schäfer, Christoph M.
Malamud, Uri
Manoach, Tamir
Perets, Hagai B.
contents In Epoch 2 of the 2024 PDC25 Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Scenario, an asteroid is confirmed to be on a collision course with the Earth, and its size and surface composition have been well characterized via a flyby mission. A kinetic impactor deflection strategy is the most technologically mature path in order to mitigate this threat. Our goal is to constrain the possible range in momentum transfer coefficients, with implications for the number of impactors and the disruption risk. We conduct a series of numerical simulations, using a shock physics smoothed particle hydrodynamics code, in which we vary the impact velocity, cohesive properties and physical properties (mass / porosity) of the target asteroid. Given a judiciously chosen impactor mass, we show that the momentum transfer coefficient range is capable of a moderate-to-large enhancement of the asteroid deflection, yet keeps the disruption risk firmly at bay. These results are generally unique in having higher impact velocities compared to most previous studies.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_19000
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Momentum transfer coefficient constraints for the 2024 PDC25 Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Scenario
Schäfer, Christoph M.
Malamud, Uri
Manoach, Tamir
Perets, Hagai B.
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
In Epoch 2 of the 2024 PDC25 Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Scenario, an asteroid is confirmed to be on a collision course with the Earth, and its size and surface composition have been well characterized via a flyby mission. A kinetic impactor deflection strategy is the most technologically mature path in order to mitigate this threat. Our goal is to constrain the possible range in momentum transfer coefficients, with implications for the number of impactors and the disruption risk. We conduct a series of numerical simulations, using a shock physics smoothed particle hydrodynamics code, in which we vary the impact velocity, cohesive properties and physical properties (mass / porosity) of the target asteroid. Given a judiciously chosen impactor mass, we show that the momentum transfer coefficient range is capable of a moderate-to-large enhancement of the asteroid deflection, yet keeps the disruption risk firmly at bay. These results are generally unique in having higher impact velocities compared to most previous studies.
title Momentum transfer coefficient constraints for the 2024 PDC25 Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Scenario
topic Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.19000