Laboratory experiments with self-cohesive powders: Application to the morphology of regolith on small asteroids

A series of experiments have been conducted to study the failure behavior of columns and piles comprised of cohesive fine powders in 1 ​g as a proxy for those which might occur in the agglomerated asteroid structure composed of cm-m size pebbles and boulders in a microgravity environment. Initially symmetrical piles of fine powders, under gravitation or centrifugal stress, develop features similar to those observed on asteroids, such as slide...