5 Conclusion
In this work, we demonstrate that the iSALE and CTH shock-physics codes
are an applicable tool to model impacts into Fe-Ni objects for what
concerns crater morphology. To improve our understanding of cratering in
Fe-Ni alloy compositions that overlap that of iron meteorites (a
possible major component of Psyche), we have performed 18 iSALE and 2
CTH simulations based on the set-up of hypervelocity impact experiments
performed at the NASA AMES Vertical Gun Range in Marchi et al (2020).
Observation and analysis show that the strength of Fe-Ni and iron
meteorite targets is dependent on target temperature. Moreover, crater
morphologies of these materials are characterized by sharp, raised rims
and deep cavities — these observations are in agreement with the
output of our numerical simulations. We find that both iSALE and CTH
reproduce crater sizes and depth to within 15% for Fe-Ni materials and
are adequate tools for studying crater morphology in Fe-Ni targets.
These tools provide a good base for simulating large-scale collisions on
Psyche, provided the relevant material parameters (including temperature
and dependence) are used.