It’s not every day we see a paper in the Open Access Journal of Astrophysics. But this is that day:
Guidos, J. Kolanz, L. Lazzati, D. Discrete element simulations of self-gravitating rubble pile collisions: the effects of non-uniform particle size and rotation 001c.143461
In this case, Guidos et al. use particle codes to test asteroid formation scenarios. These particle codes can also be used for galaxies, the protosolar disk, black holes, etc. making them a recurring tool in dynamical astronomy. And let’s not forget, within planetary defense, their use in impactor modeling. Here, the authors specifically try the case of large (~100 km) asteroids (or planetesimals), of which there were lots in the young Solar System. These then collided, giving us fewer to study. The survival and net properties of their end products should then test well against real asteroids today.