Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 316 2 iii Solution 2026-09-25
Let the belt contain bodies. Its total mass fixesFor equal mass density, an impactor of diameter supplies specific impact energyThus catastrophic disruption requires , whereThe impactor number density per diameter is . Neglecting gravitational focusing, the geometric collision cross-section is , so the exact catastrophic planetesimal collision rate in this model isEquivalently, with ,If , the steep distribution makes impactors just above dominate and their collision cross-section is approximately . HenceThis approximation also assumes a common and size-independent catastrophic disruption threshold .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 316 1 iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
For equal mass density, the specific impact energy isThus the smallest catastrophic impactor has , whereIntegrating the collision rate givesFor , the last term is the dominant lower-limit contribution, so the catastrophic planetesimal collision rate is
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 316 1 v Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Cratering impactors satisfy . For , they also satisfy , so . The fractional mass-loss rate is thenUsing the catastrophic planetesimal collision rate found above,