Mars and Phobos Impact Processes

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​ Image Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech

About

Does the use of current Solar System simulant materials affect our understanding and interpretation of the impact cratering processes occurring within the Mars system?

Initial attempts to overcome problems associated with investigating the cratering processes on other Solar System bodies looked at the use of space materials (e.g. meteorites, returned samples), however, these are only available in small supply and those that are available do not often represent the wide diversity seen across the Solar System. Laboratory analyses and remote sensing data from an ever-increasing population of target bodies, returned samples, and the increasing population of identified meteorite families means that for the first time laboratories are capable of producing high-fidelity simulant materials.

Research Topics

The M-PIP project covers three main areas:

  • Impact events on the Martian surface.
  • The transfer of material from Mars to Phobos.
  • Comparisons of cratering processes within differing planetary simulant materials

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The two-stage light-gas gun at the University of Kent has been operational for almost 30 years and is recognised as a Trans-National Access Facility by the Europlanet Pan-European research entity. Current external collaborators include groups in Germany, France, Italy, India, and two groups in the US.

 

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A range of simulant materials is utilised within M-PIP as both impactor and target material, as well as for other uses. The high-fidelity nature of the primarily utilised simulant provides a material close to that of the intended target providing insight into not just the cratering behaviour but the mechanical properties additionally.

 

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Analytical methods are employed within M-PIP to both understand the results of the impact process within ice-silicate mixture targets, and to investigate the physical nature of the simulant materials used within target mixtures. A range of both destructive and non-destructive analytical methods aims to deepen our understanding.

 

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