Numerical approaches to investigate small bodies’ properties in their structure and surface with case studies

Abstract

Asteroids, comets, and Kuiper-belt objects (aka. Small bodies) can tell us essential information to understand their evolutionary history and advance the history of our solar system. Since the currently available data on small bodies mostly come from ground-based observations and a few space exploration missions, it is a necessary process to infer small bodies’ properties based on limited data. In terms of scientific importance, this dissertation mainly focuses on developing numerical models to characterize small bodies’ properties on the surface and structure based on their complex dynamics and suggests diverse case studies showing how the numerical models are applied to asteroids and Kuiper-belt objects. The dissertation has case studies targeting (99942) Apophis, 1998 KY26, (16) Psyche, and (486958) Arrokoth.