Hybrid computational methods for planetary ring dynamics: statistical data analysis and machine learning for predictive modeling of post-impact material

Abstract

Since the discovery of Neptune’s arcs in the Adams ring, several models have been proposed to explain these structures (e.g. Hubbard et al. (1986), Hedman et al. (2007b), and Lattari (2019)). However, further efforts are still needed to sufficiently resolve the arcs’ production mechanisms to explain their density, which is consistent with their brightness. Although collision models using N-body integrators provide partial insight, they often overlook critical internal physical properties of the colliding bodies. In contrast, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) models offer a more suitable approach because they account for mutual interactions and provide better computational resolution. Unfortunately, SPH simulations are computationally expensive and require significant runtime. This research project will use the SPH method, specifically via the miluphcuda code, to model collisions between macroscopic bodies in planetary rings, aiming to generate realistic data to explain the arcs’ structure. The code will be modified to improve usability, allowing a wider range of planetary ring studies. These simulations will be combined with N-body simulations to study ring stability and dynamics, integrating analytical models to estimate dust production rates and the lifespans of ring objects before catastrophic collisions. Building on previous results from hybrid methods that incorporate shock propagation, material modification, and gravitational reaccumulation, this project will also develop a machine-learningbased surrogate model for N-body simulations. This model will provide fast and reliable predictions for the masses and velocities resulting from collisions, as a function of the masses of the colliding bodies, the impact velocity and the angle. By combining both simulations with machine learning, the hybrid method significantly reduces computation time while maintaining a realistic representation of all processes in the dynamics of the planetary rings.