Computer simulations of comet- and asteroidlike bodies passing through the Venusian atmosphere: Preliminary results on atmospheric and ground shock effects

We have completed computer simulations that model shock effects in the venusian atmosphere caused during the passage of two cometlike bodies 100 m and 1000 m in diameter and an asteroidlike body 10 km in diameter. Our objective is to examine hypervelocity-generated shock effects in the venusian atmosphere for bodies of different types and sizes in order to understand the following: (1) their deceleration and depth of penetration through the atmosphere; and (2) the onset of possible ground-surface shock effects such as splotches, craters, and ejecta formations. The three bodies were chosen to include both a range of general conditions applicable to Venus as well as three specific cases of current interest. These calculations use a new multiphase computer code (DICE-MAZ) designed by California Research & Technology for shock-dynamics simulations in complex environments. The code was tested and calibrated in large-scale explosion, cratering, and ejecta research. It treats a wide range of different multiphase conditions, including material types (vapor, melt, solid), particle-size distributions, and shock-induced dynamic changes in velocities, pressures, temperatures (internal energies), densities, and other related parameters, all of which were recorded in our calculations.