Impact Modelling

From AMCGMedia

An oblique collision of two planetesimals at 5 km/s, simulated using iSALE3D

Introduction

AMCG is actively developing numerical models for simulating impact processes. Numerical modelling is a vital component in the study of impact cratering; it enables confident extrapolation of impact phenomena beyond the laboratory scale and provides real physical insight into impact processes that cannot be simulated in any other way.

AMCG are developing new, sophisticated impact models using cutting-edge numerical technology and parallel computers:

• iSALE is a 2D finite-difference, multi-material shock physics code. It includes advanced physics-based constitutive and porous-compaction models specifically designed for impact simulations.

• iSALE3D is a 3D finite-difference, multi-material shock physics code. It includes an efficient "marching cube" algorithm for free-surface reconstruction and is parallelised using MPI.

• Impact modelling using Fluidity -- AMCG are also modifying Fluidity to simulate impacts by coupling compressible solid behaviour with its material tracking capabilities.

Why study impacts?

The collision of asteroids and comets with planets and moons has occurred throughout the 4.5 billion year history of our Solar System. These catastrophic events have shaped the surfaces, geology and histories of the planets since their formation.

Impact cratering is an important, but complex geologic process. Understanding how impact craters form and how they are affected by target properties helps to constrain the environmental consequences of impacts on Earth, and allows us to use extra-terrestrial observations of craters to learn about the near-subsurface of their host planets or satellites.

Opportunities

Details of projects for prospective PhD students can be found here