Gas permeability and mechanical properties of dust grain aggregates at hyper- and zero-gravity

Abstract

Particle-particle and particle-gas processes significantly impact planetary precursors such as dust aggregates and planetesimals. We investigate gas permeability ($κ$) in 12 granular samples, mimicking planetesimal dust regoliths. Using parabolic flights, this study assesses how gravitational compression -- and lack thereof -- influences gas permeation, impacting the equilibrium state of low-gravity objects. Transitioning between micro- and hyper-gravity induces granular sedimentation dynamics, revealing collective dust-grain aerodynamics. Our experiments measure $κ$ across Knudsen number (Kn) ranges, reflecting transitional flow. Using mass and momentum conservation, we derive $κ$ and calculate pressure gradients within the granular matrix. Key findings: 1. As confinement pressure increases with gravitational load and mass flow, $κ$ and average pore space decrease. This implies that a planetesimal's unique dust-compaction history limits sub-surface volatile outflows. 2. The derived pressure gradient enables tensile strength determination for asteroid regolith simulants with cohesion. This offers a unique approach to studying dust-layer properties when suspended in confinement pressures comparable to the equilibrium state on planetesimals surfaces, which will be valuable for modelling their collisional evolution. 3. We observe a dynamical flow symmetry breaking when granular material moves against the pressure gradient. This occurs even at low Reynolds numbers, suggesting that Stokes numbers for drifting dust aggregates near the Stokes-Epstein transition require a drag force modification based on permeability.