Small planetary objects (dwarf planets, asteroids, Kuiper-belt objects, and comets) are thought to be remnants, left over from the early stages of planet formation. These objects play a key role in the formation and evolution of planets and hold important clues to the physical processes involved. However, the origins and evolution of these small objects are not well understood. Several hypotheses have been suggested for their formation, including the gravitational collapse of pebble clouds and the collisional fragmentation of larger bodies. After their formation, these bodies could have been subjected to a wide range of processes, including, dynamical scattering, physical collisions, accretion, disruption, and erosion.
This project aims at studying the key aspects of the formation and evolution of small planetary objects in our Solar System by a combined theoretical-experimental approach. We measure the mechanical and collisional properties of analogue materials (e.g. tensile strength, fragmentation etc.) by performing dedicated lab-experiments. The results are then used by theoretical hydro-dynamical to explore the collisions, the merging, and the tidal disruption of small planetary objects. In addition, we explore the long-term dynamical and thermophysical evolution by computer simulations.
