Numerical simulations of regolith sampling processes

Autor(en)
Christoph Schäfer, Samuel Scherrer, Robert Buchwaldt, Thomas Maindl
Abstrakt

We present recent improvements in the simulation of regolith sampling processes in microgravity using the numerical particle method smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH). We use an elastic-plastic soil constitutive model for large deformation and failure flows for dynamical behaviour of regolith. In the context of projected small body (asteroid or small moons) sample return missions, we investigate the efficiency and feasibility of a particular material sampling method: Brushes sweep material from the asteroid's surface into a collecting tray. We analyze the influence of different material parameters of regolith such as cohesion and angle of internal friction on the sampling rate. Furthermore, we study the sampling process in two environments by varying the surface gravity (Earth's and Phobos') and we apply different rotation rates for the brushes. We find good agreement of our sampling simulations on Earth with experiments and provide estimations for the influence of the material properties on the collecting rate.

Organisation(en)
Institut für Astrophysik
Externe Organisation(en)
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Airbus Deutschland
Journal
Planetary and Space Science
Band
141
Seiten
35 - 44
Anzahl der Seiten
10
ISSN
0032-0633
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2017.04.015
Publikationsdatum
07-2017
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ÖFOS 2012
103003 Astronomie, 103004 Astrophysik
Schlagwörter
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science
Link zum Portal
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/e66ced28-8148-4ece-b601-fd201a0875b0