Sandia researchers model asteroid deflection with faster simulations

Sandia researchers have combined two simulation methods to calculate how X-ray bursts would deflect irregularly shaped asteroids, with an algorithm research leader Nathan Moore says is over 1,600 times faster than earlier models. The study, published in Icarus, incorporates realistic asteroid shapes alongside detailed physical calculations. The software models surface vaporization to calculate the resulting push and spin. For one simulated asteroid, changing the irradiation angle changed deflection velocity from 3.9 millimeters per second to 0.8 millimeters per second. The model requires accurate shape data and cannot yet accurately predict breakup of an entire asteroid.