Catastrophic disruptions revisited

Abstract

We use a smooth particle hydrodynamics method (SPH) to simulate colliding rocky and icy bodies from cm-scale to hundreds of km in diameter, in an effort to define self-consistently the threshold for catastrophic disruption. Unlike previous efforts, this analysis incorporates the combined effects of material strength (using a brittle fragmentation model) and self-gravitation, thereby providing results in the ``strength regime'' and the ``gravity regime'', and in between. In each case, the structural properties of the largest remnant are examined.Comment: To appear in Icaru