第2156期:Study Describe Detail on Asteroid’s Crash with Spacecraft

Scientists say new research confirms results of an earlier study suggesting the crash of a spacecraft into an asteroid changed the shape of the targeted object. 

科学家表示，新的研究证实了早期研究的结果，即航天器撞击小行星改变了目标物体的形状。 

The latest research follows another recent study examining the effects of the asteroid strike. NASA crashed its DART spacecraft into the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022 in an area about 11 million kilometers from Earth. 

这项最新研究是在最近另一项研究小行星撞击影响的研究之后进行的。 2022 年，美国宇航局 (NASA) 将其 DART 航天器撞向距离地球约 1100 万公里的小行星

Dimorphos。 

The experiment tested a method for changing the orbit of some asteroids to prevent them from possibly crashing into our planet in the future. 

该实验测试了一种改变一些小行星轨道的方法，以防止它们将来可能撞击我们的星球。 

NASA has said its studies of the crash showed it was successful because the force of the strike changed the asteroid’s orbit around a larger asteroid called Didymos. Data also showed the strike reduced the orbital period of Dimorphos by 33 minutes. 

美国宇航局表示，对这次撞击的研究表明这次撞击是成功的，因为撞击的力量改变了小行星围绕一颗名为“迪迪莫斯”的更大小行星的轨道。 数据还显示，这次撞击使 Dimorphos 的轨道周期缩短了 33 分钟。

The team that carried out the most recent research said that in addition to changing the asteroid’s orbit, it appears the crash also changed the shape of Dimorphos. 

进行最新研究的团队表示，除了改变了小行星的轨道之外，这次撞击似乎还改变了迪莫佛斯的形状。 

This confirms results of the earlier study, which concluded that the crash had likely “completely reshaped” Dimorphos and turned it into a relatively weak collection of “rubble.” The team carrying out that study used a computer simulation system to study the changes to Dimorphos. 

这证实了早期研究的结果，该研究得出的结论是，这次碰撞可能“彻底重塑”了 Dimorphos，并将其变成了相对脆弱的“瓦砾”集合。 进行该研究的团队使用计算机模拟系统来研究 Dimorphos 的变化。 

The new research suggests that while Dimorphos had a mostly round shape before the crash, it was reshaped by the strike into an object that looks more like a watermelon. The technical term for this kind of shape is triaxial ellipsoid, the scientists said. 

新的研究表明，虽然 Dimorphos 在坠机前的形状大部分是圆形的，但它在撞击后被重塑成看起来更像西瓜的物体。 科学家们说，这种形状的技术术语是三轴椭球。

Steve Chesley is a senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. He was the co-writer of a study describing the findings that recently appeared in the publication Planetary Science Journal. 

史蒂夫·切斯利 (Steve Chesley) 是美国宇航局加利福尼亚州喷气推进实验室 (JPL) 的高级研究科学家。 他是一项研究的合著者，该研究描述了最近发表在《行星科学杂志》上的研究结果。

Chesley told Reuters news agency the data studied for the latest research shows Dimorphos is currently a collection of non-solid debris including dust, rocks and other materials. This state means the asteroid’s “strength is quite low,” permitting Dimorphos to reshape more easily than a more solid object. 

切斯利告诉路透社，最新研究的数据显示，Dimorphos 目前是非固体碎片的集合，包括灰尘、岩石和其他材料。 这种状态意味着小行星的“强度相当低”，使得 Dimorphos 比更坚固的物体更容易重塑。 

The new study’s lead writer was Shantanu Naidu. He told Reuters the asteroid was able to completely reshape because the strike by the asteroid turned much of its material into rubble. 

这项新研究的主要作者是尚塔努·奈杜 (Shantanu Naidu)。 他告诉路透社，这颗小行星之所以能够完全重塑，是因为小行星的撞击将其大部分物质变成了碎石。 

The researchers based their findings on the shape and orbit of Dimorphos on observations from ground-based telescopes. They looked at how sunlight reflections off the surfaces of the two asteroids changed over time. They also used data from radio waves that hit the objects and images the DART spacecraft captured. 

研究人员根据地面望远镜的观测结果得出了 Dimorphos 的形状和轨道的结论。 他们观察了两颗小行星表面的阳光反射随时间的变化。 他们还使用了来自撞击物体的无线电波的数据以及 DART 航天器捕获的图像。 

Researchers have said they expect to learn more about the two asteroids in the future.

研究人员表示，他们希望将来能更多地了解这两颗小行星。 

The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft plans to launch in October and reach the asteroids by late 2026. ESA says Hera’s cameras and instruments will carry out detailed studies of Dimorphos and Didymos. During the operation, the spacecraft will aim to collect the most data yet on such an asteroid system. 

欧洲航天局的 Hera 航天器计划于 10 月发射，并于 2026 年底到达小行星。ESA 表示，Hera 的相机和仪器将对 Dimorphos 和 Didymos 进行详细研究。 在操作过程中，航天器的目标是收集有关此类小行星系统的最多数据。 

"We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of ESA's Hera spacecraft, when we will be able to compare our modeled shape with that obtained from Hera imagery,” Chesley said. He added, “We will also learn how much the orbit has changed since we last observed it in 2023." 

切斯利说：“我们正在焦急地等待欧空局赫拉航天器的到来，届时我们将能够将我们的模型形状与从赫拉图像中获得的形状进行比较。”他补充说，“我们还将了解自上次以来轨道发生了多少变化 2023 年观测到了这一现象。”