Deimos’s Deep Past: New Simulations Point to an Ancient Asteroid Impact

New Nature Astronomy research using Bern SPH simulations suggests Deimos’ surface was sculpted by a roughly 320-meter asteroid impact at a 45-degree angle, producing a southern polar depression and a thick regolith layer; the study fuels ongoing debates about Mars’ moons’ origins (captured asteroids, split comets, or other scenarios) while noting that solar wind–driven electrostatic shocks could pose challenges for future missions.