Solar System Asteroid Belt Best Explained as Remnants of Planetary Formation Collisions, not Pristine, Remnant Planetesimals

Erosive Hit-and-Run Impact Events: Debris Unbound

Authors:

Sarid et al

Abstract:

Erosive collisions among planetary embryos in the inner solar system can lead to multiple remnant bodies, varied in mass, composition and residual velocity. Some of the smaller, unbound debris may become available to seed the main asteroid belt. The makeup of these collisionally produced bodies is different from the canonical chondritic composition, in terms of rock/iron ratio and may contain further shock-processed material. Having some of the material in the asteroid belt owe its origin from collisions of larger planetary bodies may help in explaining some of the diversity and oddities in composition of different asteroid groups.