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Modelling the impact of DART on the asteroid Dimorphos reveals its rubble-pile structure

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The successful impact of NASA’s DART on Dimorphos, the moon of asteroid Didymos, has been analysed using advanced numerical simulations. The results reveal the asteroid’s low surface cohesion and rubble-pile structure, similar to what has been observed on asteroids Ryugu and Bennu.

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Fig. 1: Observation and simulation of DART’s impact on Dimorphos.

References

  1. Daly, R. T. et al. Successful kinetic impact into an asteroid for planetary defence. Nature 616, 443–447 (2023). This paper reports the DART spacecraft’s impact into Dimorphos and reconstructs the impact event.

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  2. Cheng, A. F. et al. Momentum transfer from the DART mission kinetic impact on asteroid Dimorphos. Nature 616, 457–460 (2023). This paper reports the determination of the momentum transferred to Dimorphos by the DART impact.

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Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Raducan, S. D. et al. Physical properties of asteroid Dimorphos as derived from the DART impact. Nat. Astron. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02200-3 (2024).

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Modelling the impact of DART on the asteroid Dimorphos reveals its rubble-pile structure. Nat Astron 8, 411–412 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02208-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02208-9

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