Kinetic-Impact Asteroid Defense: Dependence on Porosity and Composition

In this work we study the deflection of hazardous near-earth asteroids using a kinetic impactor. The momentum delivered to the asteroid can be greater than the momentum of the impactor because of the reaction force produced by ablation from the impact crater. We use an adaptive-mesh hydrocode to study the momentum-enhancement factor, or beta, varying the assumptions regarding the equation of state, strength, and porosity of the target. Spall from the back side of the asteroid, which partly counters the favorable effect of ablation, is also included in the calculations. The efficiency is shown to be most strongly dependent on the asteroid's porosity, which unfortunately is the most difficult quantity to obtain via remote observations. This study is applied both to the proposed deflection of the 150-meter diameter moon of the binary asteroid 65803 Didymos by the AIDA/DART mission, and to the potential deflection of the 492-meter diameter asteroid 101955 Bennu, which has some possible Earth impacts late in the 22nd century, and is the target of the planned OSIRIS-Rex mission. Figures of merit from both these studies include the bulk momentum imparted to the asteroid and the degree to which the asteroid is disrupted. (LA-UR-15-26214)