Collisional evolution of the Earth's leftover population
Abstract
We study populations of minor bodies at the end of the main accretional period in the inner solar system when they undergo to disruptive collisional cascade. The final depletion of the population on highly-inclined orbits with a timescale on the order of 77 Ma would cause a late heavy bombardment. For numerical simulations we use an original code successfully tested to explore a collisional evolution of the Main Belt asteroids. Size-frequency distribution of the leftover population with the same strength scaling law as for the MB population demonstrates similar features in R-plots such as two humps. In the fist turn for 1 Ma a depression in population of the weakest bodies develops and it's position is defined by the chosen strength law and not dependant on the velocity of mutual collisions in the wide range. From this point of view the leftover population and the primordial Main Belt population are indistinguishable in crater records on the early lunar terrains.
- Publication:
-
35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004cosp...35.1169K