A Universal Scaling Framework for Granular Asteroid Strength and its Application to Bennu's Surface

A Universal Scaling Framework for Granular Asteroid Strength and its Application to Bennu's Surface | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article A Universal Scaling Framework for Granular Asteroid Strength and its Application to Bennu's Surface Paul Sánchez, Emilien Azema, Keanna Jardine, Christian Hoover, and 7 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7153830/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Granular asteroids can exhibit unexpected structural stability despite their low gravity and rapid spin rates. Understanding the physical mechanisms underlying their strength is crucial for predicting asteroid evolution and designing deflection strategies. Here, using three-dimensional particle dynamics simulations, we develop a scaling framework for the tensile strength of cohesive, self-gravitating regolith matrices, focusing on the combined effects of particle size and shape. Surprisingly, we find that the tensile strength of granular systems can be effectively described by a single parameter—either equivalent diameter or sphericity—despite the geometric complexity of the constituent particles. We then apply our model to the granular asteroid Bennu by using physical data from regolith samples returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission. We find a cohesive surface strength that is consistent with estimates (< 1 Pa) based on remote sensing and reconstruction of the sampling event. Our analysis suggests that a scarcity of dust in Bennu’s regolith drives its low surface strength. This work provides broad insights into how particle-level properties influence macroscopic stability, shedding light on the structural integrity and heterogeneity of granular asteroids. Physical sciences/Astronomy and planetary science/Planetary science/Asteroids, comets and Kuiper belt Physical sciences/Materials science/Soft materials Earth and environmental sciences/Planetary science/Asteroids, comets and Kuiper belt Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7153830","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":496030224,"identity":"bb6bfacf-0244-4cca-a18f-b53afa4a5030","order_by":0,"name":"Paul Sánchez","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3610-5480","institution":"University of Colorado Boulder","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Paul","middleName":"","lastName":"Sánchez","suffix":""},{"id":496030225,"identity":"bb1bc2b1-1ce5-4d24-b178-6c51c3ae7081","order_by":1,"name":"Emilien Azema","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8831-3842","institution":"Université de Montpellier - 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Understanding the physical mechanisms underlying their strength is crucial for predicting asteroid evolution and designing deflection strategies. Here, using three-dimensional particle dynamics simulations, we develop a scaling framework for the tensile strength of cohesive, self-gravitating regolith matrices, focusing on the combined effects of particle size and shape. Surprisingly, we find that the tensile strength of granular systems can be effectively described by a single parameter—either equivalent diameter or sphericity—despite the geometric complexity of the constituent particles. We then apply our model to the granular asteroid Bennu by using physical data from regolith samples returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission. We find a cohesive surface strength that is consistent with estimates (\u003c 1 Pa) based on remote sensing and reconstruction of the sampling event. Our analysis suggests that a scarcity of dust in Bennu’s regolith drives its low surface strength. 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