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Lunar regolith is quite sharp, so abrasive it can cut kevlar.

This is because there is no flowing water or substantial atmosphere to erode the material and smoothen it out, so meteorite impacts break it up even more, and it stays sharp like broken glass.

What about mars? The martian atmosphere is somewhat substantial, at almost 0.7% of the earth's in terms of pressure, and there is quite a bit of wind too.

How sharp are rocks and the regolith on Mars?

Please compare it to the earth and the moon in your answer.

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  • $\begingroup$ You sure the data from the various landers doesn't include this info? $\endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    Jul 24, 2020 at 10:54
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    $\begingroup$ I am honestly curious - how is this measured? Are there units of sharpness? +1 just to find that out. $\endgroup$
    – Organic Marble
    Jul 24, 2020 at 21:52
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    $\begingroup$ @OrganicMarble maybe have a scale of a few materials ordered by toughness, and see where they stop getting cut? $\endgroup$
    – Speedphoenix
    Jul 24, 2020 at 22:59
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    $\begingroup$ @OrganicMarble "sharpness" is quite simply the measured angle of surface irregularities, just as one would evaluate a knife blade. Oh, and with an evaluation of any 'roundedness" along each edge. $\endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    Jul 27, 2020 at 13:25
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    $\begingroup$ @OrganicMarble radians and nanofurlongs :-) $\endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    Jul 27, 2020 at 14:25

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