Boulder Stranding in Ejecta Launched by an Impact Generated Seismic Pulse

Esteban Wright; Alice C. Quillen; Juliana South; Randal C. Nelson; Paul Sanchez; Larkin Martini; Stephen Schwartz; Miki Nakajima; Erik Asphaug

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2019.113424

arXiv · 1812.01670

Boulder Stranding in Ejecta Launched by an Impact Generated Seismic Pulse

Esteban Wright·Alice C. Quillen·Juliana South·Randal C. Nelson·Paul Sanchez·Larkin Martini·Stephen Schwartz·Miki Nakajima·Erik Asphaug

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Abstract

We consider how an impact generated seismic pulse affects the surface of an asteroid distant from the impact site. With laboratory experiments on dry polydisperse gravel mixtures, we track the trajectories of particles ejected from the surface by a single strong upward propagating pressure pulse. High speed video images show that ejecta trajectories are independent of particle size, and collisions primarily take place upon landing. When they land particles are ballistically sorted, as proposed by Shinbrot et al. (2017), leaving larger particles on the surface and smaller particles more widely dispersed. A single strong pulse can leave previously buried boulders stranded on the surface. Boulder stranding due to an impact excited seismic pulse is an additional mechanism that could leave large boulders present on the surface of rubble asteroids such as 162173 Ryugu, 101955 Bennu and 25143 Itokawa.

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Esteban Wright, Alice C. Quillen, Juliana South, Randal C. Nelson, Paul Sanchez, Larkin Martini, Stephen Schwartz, Miki Nakajima, Erik Asphaug. 2018-12-04. Boulder Stranding in Ejecta Launched by an Impact Generated Seismic Pulse. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2019.113424

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