A research study analyzes the characteristics of Apophis, the asteroid that will approach Earth in 2029

The study was done by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and the University of Paulista State University of Brazil.

The Apophis asteroid was discovered in 2004 and has been monitored since then due to its classification as a potentially hazardous asteroid, as it was estimated that it would have a 2% chance of hitting Earth. According to the latest measurements, Apophis will reach its closest trajectory to Earth on the 13th of April, 2029.

The study looked at the physical characteristics of the body and the possible effects on Earth. Gabriel Borderes-Motta, a researcher at UC3M's Department of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering, says that collision is not the only possibility in approach events. The shape of the body can be changed by the interaction between a planet and a body such as Apophis. The last two possibilities are what happens to the possible stones on the surface and the asteroid's trajectory.

How to use an asteroid to experiment.

It is difficult to experiment with space materials in research in the space sector. The field of mathematics and physics takes the greatest number of variables into account for many investigations.

The research team responsible for this study has analyzed both the physical aspects of the asteroid, as well as the factors that can influence its trajectory and its slope angle.

The team used a disk of 15,000 particles of different sizes in the close environment of Apophis to carry out a set of numerical simulations. The goal was to try to predict how the particles will react to different situations and how these assumptions may affect the behavior of Apophis.

The first set of simulations only considered the effects of Apophis on the earth over a period of 30 years. The second set of simulations included solar radiation pressure. The asteroid had different densities in three different cases. Gabriel Borderes-Motta says that in each case the starting point was a different particle density.

The simulations showed that the slope angle of the asteroid was greater at low densities than it was at high densities. In a scenario where Apophis has a low density, most of the loose stones would be removed from its surface. The results show that Apophis' approach could cause some damage to the asteroid's surface.

The team hopes that the approach to Earth in 2029 will be an opportunity to improve the 3D model used to run space simulations, as well as to allow them to more accurately investigate and predict the effects on Apophis's surface. The increase in knowledge about asteroids would allow us to be better prepared in the event that new bodies pass close to Earth.

The research was published in a journal.

More information: G Valvano et al, APOPHIS – effects of the 2029 Earth's encounter on the surface and nearby dynamics, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2021). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stab3299 Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Citation: A research study analyzes the characteristics of Apophis, the asteroid that will approach Earth in 2029 (2022, March 22) retrieved 22 March 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-03-characteristics-apophis-asteroid-approach-earth.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.