Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/26996
Appears in Collections:Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: Detection of structure in asteroid analogue materials and Titan's regolith by a landing spacecraft
Author(s): Paton, Mark D
Green, Simon F
Ball, Andrew J
Zarnecki, John C
Hagermann, Axel
Keywords: Spacecraft
Impact
Huygens
Regolith
Penetrometer
Asteroid
Issue Date: 1-Aug-2016
Date Deposited: 12-Apr-2018
Citation: Paton MD, Green SF, Ball AJ, Zarnecki JC & Hagermann A (2016) Detection of structure in asteroid analogue materials and Titan's regolith by a landing spacecraft. Advances in Space Research, 58 (3), pp. 415-437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2016.04.026
Abstract: We compare measurements made by two impact penetrometers of different sizes and with different tip shapes to further understand penetrometer design for performing penetrometry on an asteroid. To this end we re-visit the interpretation of data from the Huygens' penetrometer, ACC-E, that impacted Titan's surface. In addition we investigate the potential of a spacecraft fitted with a penetrometer to bounce using a test rig, built at The Open University (UK).  Analysis of ACC-E laboratory data, obtained from impacts into ∼4 mm diameter gravel, was found to produce an unusual decrease in resistance with depth (force-depth gradient) which was also seen in the Huygens' ACC-E data from Titan and originally interpreted as a wet or moist sand. The downward trend could also be reproduced in a hybrid Discrete Element Model (DEM) if it was assumed that the near surface particles are more readily mobilised than those deeper in the target.  With regard to penetrometer design penetration resistance was found to be sensitive to the ratio of particle to tip diameter. A clear trend was observed with a conical tip penetrometer, X-PEN, of decreasing force-depth gradients with increasing particle sizes most likely due to a transformation from a bulk displacement of material by the penetrating tip to more local interactions. ACC-E, which has a hemispherical tip, was found to produce a wider range of force-depth gradients than X-PEN, which had a conical tip, possibly due to difficulties dislodging jammed particles. Both penetrometers were able to determine particle diameter and mass after post-processing of the data.  Laboratory simulations of landings with the test rig suggest that a large impact penetrometer under certain circumstances could absorb a significant amount of the elastic energy of the spacecraft possibly aiding landing. Alternatively a small impact penetrometer would allow the spacecraft to bounce freely off the surface to make a measurement at another location. © 2016 COSPAR.
DOI Link: 10.1016/j.asr.2016.04.026
Rights: Accepted refereed manuscript of: Paton MD, Green SF, Ball AJ, Zarnecki JC & Hagermann A (2016) Detection of structure in asteroid analogue materials and Titan's regolith by a landing spacecraft, Advances in Space Research, 58 (3), pp. 415-437. DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2016.04.026 © 2016, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Licence URL(s): http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
1-s2.0-S0273117716301612-main_Green.pdfFulltext - Accepted Version3.64 MBAdobe PDFView/Open



This item is protected by original copyright



A file in this item is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons

Items in the Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

The metadata of the records in the Repository are available under the CC0 public domain dedication: No Rights Reserved https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

If you believe that any material held in STORRE infringes copyright, please contact library@stir.ac.uk providing details and we will remove the Work from public display in STORRE and investigate your claim.