regolithlike

Regolithlike is an adjective used to describe materials, surfaces, or landscapes that resemble regolith—the loose, unconsolidated layer of rock fragments, dust, and soil that covers solid bedrock on many planetary bodies as well as on Earth in some environments. Regolithlike materials share the characteristic features of regolith, notably being unconsolidated and granular, with a mix of particle sizes and limited cementation.

Typical regolithlike properties include high porosity, low cohesion between grains, and a tendency toward granular flow under shear. Particle shapes are often angular due to fragmentation by impacts or weathering, and fine dust can be abundant, contributing to electrostatic adhesion in vacuum conditions.

On the Moon, Mars, and small bodies like asteroids, regolith forms through long-term space weathering and micrometeoroid bombardment. In Earth contexts, regolithlike descriptors are used for soils or sediments that resemble extraterrestrial regolith in texture or mechanics, or for synthetic materials designed to mimic regolith for testing.

In research and exploration, regolithlike materials are important as planetary regolith simulants used to test landing propulsion, excavation equipment, mobility systems, and habitability studies. Well-known simulants include lunar regolith simulants and asteroid regolith analogs, which are engineered to approximate density, particle size distribution, and cohesive properties of real regolith.

See also regolith and regolith simulants.