arXiv subjects

P. Michel

Publications and source records attributed to P. Michel.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

The homogeneous internal structure of CM-like asteroid (41) Daphne

Context. CM-like asteroids (Ch and Cgh classes) are a major population within the broader C-complex, encompassing about 10% of the mass of the main asteroid belt. Their internal structure has been predicted to be homogeneous, based on their compositional similarity as inferred from spectroscopy (Vernazza et al., 2016, AJ 152, 154) and numerical modeling of their early thermal evolution (Bland & Travis, 2017, Sci. Adv. 3, e1602514). Aims. Here we aim to test this hypothesis by deriving the density of the CM-like asteroid (41) Daphne from detailed modeling of its shape and the orbit of its small satellite. Methods. We observed Daphne and its satellite within our imaging survey with the Very Large Telescope extreme adaptive-optics SPHERE/ZIMPOL camera (ID 199.C-0074, PI P. Vernazza) and complemented this data set with earlier Keck/NIRC2 and VLT/NACO observations. We analyzed the dynamics of the satellite with our Genoid meta-heuristic algorithm. Combining our high-angular resolution images with optical lightcurves and stellar occultations, we determine the spin period, orientation, and 3-D shape, using our ADAM shape modeling algorithm. Results. The satellite orbits Daphne on an equatorial, quasi-circular, prograde orbit, like the satellites of many other large main-belt asteroids. The shape model of Daphne reveals several large flat areas that could be large impact craters. The mass determined from this orbit combined with the volume computed from the shape model implies a density for Daphne of 1.77+/-0.26 g/cm3 (3 σ). This density is consistent with a primordial CM-like homogeneous internal structure with some level of macroporosity (~17%). Conclusions. Based on our analysis of the density of Daphne and 75 other Ch/Cgh-type asteroids gathered from the literature, we conclude that the primordial internal structure of the CM parent bodies was homogeneous.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2018

(16) Psyche: A mesosiderite-like asteroid?

Asteroid (16) Psyche is the target of the NASA Psyche mission. It is considered one of the few main-belt bodies that could be an exposed proto-planetary metallic core and that would thus be related to iron meteorites. Such an association is however challenged by both its near- and mid-infrared spectral properties and the reported estimates of its density. Here, we aim to refine the density of (16) Psyche to set further constraints on its bulk composition and determine its potential meteoritic analog. We observed (16) Psyche with ESO VLT/SPHERE/ZIMPOL as part of our large program (ID 199.C-0074). We used the high angular resolution of these observations to refine Psyche's three-dimensional (3D) shape model and subsequently its density when combined with the most recent mass estimates. In addition, we searched for potential companions around the asteroid. We derived a bulk density of 3.99\,$\pm$\,0.26\,g$\cdot$cm$^{-3}$ for Psyche. While such density is incompatible at the 3-sigma level with any iron meteorites ($\sim$7.8\,g$\cdot$cm$^{-3}$), it appears fully consistent with that of stony-iron meteorites such as mesosiderites (density $\sim$4.25\,$\cdot$cm$^{-3}$). In addition, we found no satellite in our images and set an upper limit on the diameter of any non-detected satellite of 1460\,$\pm$\,200}\,m at 150\,km from Psyche (0.2\%\,$\times$\,R$_{Hill}$, the Hill radius) and 800\,$\pm$\,200\,m at 2,000\,km (3\%\,$\times$\,$R_{Hill}$). Considering that the visible and near-infrared spectral properties of mesosiderites are similar to those of Psyche, there is merit to a long-published initial hypothesis that Psyche could be a plausible candidate parent body for mesosiderites.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2016

Effect of Laser-Plasma Interactions on Inertial Fusion Hydrodynamics

The effects of laser-plasma interactions (LPI) on the dynamics of inertial confinement fusion hohlraums is investigated via a new approach that self-consistently couples reduced LPI models into radiation-hydrodynamics numerical codes. The interplay between hydrodynamics and LPI -- specifically stimulated Raman scatter (SRS) and crossed-beam energy transfer (CBET) -- mostly occurs via momentum and energy deposition into Langmuir and ion acoustic waves. This spatially redistributes energy coupling to the target, which affects the background plasma conditions and thus modifies laser propagation. This model shows reduced CBET, and significant laser energy depletion by Langmuir waves, which reduce the discrepancy between modeling and data from hohlraum experiments on wall x-ray emission and capsule implosion shape.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2013

Raman backscatter as a remote laser power sensor in high-energy-density plasmas

Stimulated Raman backscatter (SRS) is used as a remote sensor to quantify the instantaneous laser power after transfer from outer to inner cones that cross in a National Ignition Facility (NIF) gas-filled hohlraum plasma. By matching SRS between a shot reducing outer vs a shot reducing inner power we infer that ~half of the incident outer-cone power is transferred to inner cones, for the specific time and wavelength configuration studied. This is the first instantaneous non-disruptive measure of power transfer in an indirect drive NIF experiment using optical measurements.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2013

Granular Shear Flow in Varying Gravitational Environments

Despite their very low surface gravities, asteroids exhibit a number of different geological processes involving granular matter. Understanding the response of this granular material subject to external forces in microgravity conditions is vital to the design of a successful asteroid sub-surface sampling mechanism, and in the interpretation of the fascinating geology on an asteroid. We have designed and flown a Taylor-Couette shear cell to investigate granular flow due to rotational shear forces under the conditions of parabolic flight microgravity. The experiments occur under weak compression. First, we present the technical details of the experimental design with particular emphasis on how the equipment has been specifically designed for the parabolic flight environment. Then, we investigate how a steady state granular flow induced by rotational shear forces differs in varying gravitational environments. We find that the effect of constant shearing on the granular material, in a direction perpendicular to the effective acceleration, does not seem to be strongly influenced by gravity. This means that shear bands can form in the presence of a weak gravitational field just as on Earth.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2013

Simulating regoliths in microgravity

Despite their very low surface gravities, the surfaces of asteroids and comets are covered by granular materials - regolith - that can range from a fine dust to a gravel-like structure of varying depths. Understanding the dynamics of granular materials is, therefore, vital for the interpretation of the surface geology of these small bodies and is also critical for the design and/or operations of any device planned to interact with their surfaces. We present the first measurements of transient weakening of granular material after shear reversal in microgravity as well as a summary of experimental results recently published in other journals, which may have important implications for small-body surfaces. Our results suggest that the force contact network within a granular material may be weaker in microgravity, although the influence of any change in the contact network is felt by the granular material over much larger distances. This could mean that small body surfaces are even more unstable than previously imagined. However, our results also indicate that the consequences of, e.g., a meteorite impact or a spacecraft landing, may be very different depending on the impact angle and location, and depending on the prior history of the small body surface.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

Granular Convection in Microgravity

We investigate the role of gravity on convection in a dense granular shear flow. Using a microgravity modified Taylor-Couette shear cell under the conditions of parabolic flight microgravity, we demonstrate experimentally that secondary, convective-like flows in a sheared granular material are close to zero in microgravity and enhanced under high-gravity conditions, though the primary flow fields are unaffected by gravity. We suggest that gravity tunes the frictional particle-particle and particle-wall interactions, which have been proposed to drive the secondary flow. In addition, the degree of plastic deformation increases with increasing gravitational forces, supporting the notion that friction is the ultimate cause.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2012

The pK0Σ+ final state in proton-proton collisions

This paper reports results from a study of the reaction pp->pK0Σ+ at beam momenta of p_{beam} = 2950, 3059, and 3200 MeV/c (excess energies of ε= 126, 161, and 206 MeV). Total cross sections were determined for all energies; a set of differential cross sections (Dalitz plots; invariant mass spectra of all two-body subsystems; angular distributions of all final state particles; distributions in helicity and Jackson frames) are presented for ε= 161 MeV. The total cross sections are proportional to the volume of available three-body phase-space indicating that the transition matrix element does not change significantly in this range of excess energies. It is concluded from the differential data that the reaction proceeds dominantly via the N(1710)P_{11} and/or N(1720)P_{13} resonance(s); N(1650)S_{11} and Δ(1600)P_{33} could also contribute.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2010

Production of Lambda and Sigma^0 hyperons in proton-proton collisions

This paper reports results on simultaneous measurements of the reaction channels pp -> pK+Λand pp -> pK+Σ^0 at excess energies of 204, 239, and 284 MeV (Λ) and 127, 162, and 207 MeV (Σ^0). Total and differential cross sections are given for both reactions. It is concluded from the measured total cross sections that the high energy limit of the cross section ratio is almost reached at an excess energy of only about 200 MeV. From the differential distributions observed in the overall CMS as well as in the Jackson and helicity frames, a significant contribution of interfering nucleon resonances to the Λproduction mechanism is concluded while resonant Σ^0-production seems to be of lesser importance and takes place only through specific partial waves of the entrance channel. The data also indicate that kaon exchange plays a minor role in the case of Λ- but an important role for Σ^0-production. Thus the peculiar energy dependence of the Λ-to-Σ^0 cross section ratio appears in a new light as its explanation requires more than mere differences between the pΛand the pΣ^0 final state interaction. The data provide a benchmark for theoretical models already available or yet to come.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2010

Influence of N*-resonances on hyperon production in the channel pp->K+ Lambda p at 2.95, 3.20 and 3.30 GeV/c beam momentum

Hyperon production in the threshold region was studied in the reaction pp -> K+Lp using the time-of-flight spectrometer COSY-TOF. Exclusive data, covering the full phase-space, were taken at the three different beam momenta of p_beam=2.95, 3.20 and 3.30 GeV/c, corresponding to excess energies of epsilon=204, 285 and 316 MeV, respectively. Total cross-sections were deduced for the three beam momenta to be 23.9+/-0.8 +/-2.0 ub, 28.4+/-1.3 +/-2.2 ub and 35.0+/-1.3 +/-3.0 ub. Differential observables including Dalitz plots were obtained. The analysis of the Dalitz plots reveals a strong influence of the N(1650)-resonance at p_beam=2.95 GeV/c, whereas for the higher momenta an increasing relative contribution of the N(1710)- and/or of the N(1720)-resonance was observed. In addition, the pL-final-state interaction turned out to have a significant influence on the Dalitz plot distribution.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2010

Systematic study of the pp -> pp omega reaction

A systematic study of the production of omega-mesons in proton-proton-collisions was carried out in a kinematically complete experiment at three excess energies(epsilon= 92, 128, 173MeV). Both protons were detected using the large-acceptance COSY-TOF spectrometer at an external beam line at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The total cross section, angular distributions of both omega-mesons and protons were measured and presented in various reference frames such as the overall CMS, helicity and Jackson frame. In addition, the orientation of the omega-spin and invariant mass spectra were determined. We observe omega-production to take place dominantly in Ss and Sp final states at epsilon = 92, 128 MeV and, additionally, in Sd at epsilon= 173 MeV. No obvious indication of resonant omega-production via N^*-resonances was found, as proton angular distributions are almost isotropic and invariant mass spectra are compatible with phase space distributions. A dominant role of ^3P_1 and ^1S_0 initial partial waves for omega-production was concluded from the orientation of the decay plane of the omega-meson. Although the Jackson angle distributions in the omega-p-Jackson frame are anisotropic we argue that this is not an indication of a resonance but rather a kinematical effect reflecting the anisotropy of the omega angular distribution. The helicity angle distribution in the omega-p-helicity frame shows an anisotropy which probably reflects effects of the omega angular momenta in the final state; this observable may be, in addition to the orientation of the omega decay plane, the most sensitive one to judge the validity of theoretical descriptions of the production process.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2008

Numerical simulations of impacts involving porous bodies: I. Implementing sub-resolution porosity in a 3D SPH Hydrocode

In this paper, we extend our Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) impact code to include the effect of porosity at a sub-resolution scale by adapting the so-called $P-alpha$ model. Many small bodies in the different populations of asteroids and comets are believed to contain a high degree of porosity and the determination of both their collisional evolution and the outcome of their disruption requires that the effect of porosity is taken into account in the computation of those processes. Here, we present our model and show how porosity interfaces with the elastic-perfectly plastic material description and the brittle fracture model generally used to simulate the fragmentation of non-porous rocky bodies. We investigate various compaction models and discuss their suitability to simulate the compaction of (highly) porous material. Then, we perform simple test cases where we compare results of the simulations to the theoretical solutions. We also present a Deep Impact-like simulation to show the effect of porosity on the outcome of an impact. Detailed validation tests will be presented in a next paper by comparison with high-velocity laboratory experiments on porous materials (Jutzi et al., in preparation). Once validated at small scales, our new impact code can then be used at larger scales to study impacts and collisions involving brittle solids including porosity, such as the parent bodies of C-type asteroid families or cometary materials, both in the strength- and in the gravity-dominated regime.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Comparison of Isoscalar Vector Meson Production Cross Sections in Proton-Proton Collisions

The reaction $ pp\to pp\bf ω$ was investigated with the TOF spectrometer, which is an external experiment at the accelerator COSY (Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany). Total as well as differential cross sections were determined at an excess energy of $93 MeV$ ($p_{beam}=2950 MeV/c$). Using the total cross section of $(9.0\pm 0.7 \pm1.1) μb$ for the reaction $ pp\to ppω$ determined here and existing data for the reaction $pp\to pp\bf ϕ$, the ratio $\mathcal{R}_{ϕ/ω}=σ_ϕ/σ_ω$ turns out to be significantly larger than expected by the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka (OZI) rule. The uncertainty of this ratio is considerably smaller than in previous determinations. The differential distributions show that the $ω$ production is still dominated by S-wave production at this excess energy, however higher partial waves clearly contribute. A comparison of the measured angular distributions for $ω$ production to published distributions for $ϕ$ production at $83 MeV$ shows that the data are consistent with an identical production mechanism for both vector mesons.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2004

Gravitational instability and clustering in a disk of planetesimals

For a long time, gravitational instability in the disk of planetesimals has been suspected to be the main engine responsible for the beginning of dust growth, its advantage being that it provides for rapid growth. Its real importance in planetary formation is still debated, mainly because the potential presence of turbulence can prevent the settling of particles into a gravitationally unstable layer. However, several mechanisms could yield strongly inhomogeneous distributions of solids in the disk: radial drift, trapping in vortices, perturbations by other massive bodies, etc. In this paper we present a numerical study of a gravitationally unstable layer. This allows us to go beyond the classical analytical study of linear perturbations, exploring a highly non-linear regime. A hierarchical growth of structure in the presence of dissipation (gas drag) can yield large, virialized clusters of planetesimals, the first time such clusters have been observed in the context of planetesimal disks.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Evidence for a narrow resonance at 1530 MeV/c2 in the K0 p - system of the reaction pp --> Sigma+ K0 p from the COSY-TOF experiment

The hadronic reaction pp --> Sigma+ K0 p was measured exclusively at a beam momentum of 2.95 GeV/c using the TOF detector at the COSY storage ring. A narrow peak was observed in the invariant mass spectrum of the K0 p subsystem at 1530 +- 5 MeV/c2 with a significance of 4 - 6 standard deviations, depending on background assumptions. The upper limit of 18 +- 4 MeV/c2 (FWHM) for its width is given by the experimental resolution. The corresponding total cross section is estimated to be about 0.4 +- 0.1(stat) +- 0.1(syst) microbarn. Since a resonance in this subsystem must have strangeness S = + 1 we claim it to be the Theta+ state for which very recently evidence was found in various experiments.

hep-ex↗

arXiv1998

1620 Geographos and 433 Eros: Shaped by Planetary Tides?

Until recently, most asteroids were thought to be solid bodies whose shapes were determined largely by collisions with other asteroids. It now seems that many asteroids are little more than rubble piles, held together by self-gravity; this means that their shapes may be strongly distorted by tides during close encounters with planets. Here we report on numerical simulations of encounters between a ellipsoid-shaped rubble-pile asteroid and the Earth. After an encounter, many of the simulated asteroids develop the same rotation rate and distinctive shape (i.e., highly elongated with a single convex side, tapered ends, and small protuberances swept back against the rotation direction) as 1620 Geographos. Since our numerical studies show that these events occur with some frequency, we suggest that Geographos may be a tidally distorted object. In addition, our work shows that 433 Eros, which will be visited by the NEAR spacecraft in 1999, is much like Geographos, which suggests that it too may have been molded by tides in the past.

astro-ph↗