GPU-parallelized discrete element framework for global regolith migration on irregular asteroid surfaces

• GPU-parallelized DEM framework for simulating regolith movement on irregular asteroid surfaces; • The framework incorporates the irregular gravitational field of asteroids, inter-particle interactions, particle–surface interactions with realistic asteroid topography; • Global-scale regolith migration simulations on irregular asteroids with realistic particle sizes and high-resolution topography using RTX 5090 GPU. Asteroid surfaces are commonly covered by regolith composed of unconsolidated granular material. Driven by microgravity and complex terrain, the regolith particles exhibits unpredictable flow characteristics, which presents major challenges for designing exploration missions and understanding asteroid evolutionary processes. To meet the specific needs of regolith modeling, this study advances an existing CPU–GPU hybrid discrete element method (DEM) by developing a highly specialized GPU-parallelized DEM for irregular asteroids. By substantially enhancing computational performance, this model overcomes traditional limitations that restrict DEM simulations to local scales, finally achieving true global-scale modeling of regolith dynamics. The validity and applicability of the code to real asteroid scenarios are confirmed through rigorous benchmark tests—namely, particle–particle collisions, particle–wall impacts, and the spin-up driven regolith evolution on asteroid 2008 EV5. Overall, our simulations demonstrate that the framework can securely handle actual particle sizes and realistic terrain, successfully reproducing key processes observed during space missions, such as grain-size segregation and mass shedding triggered by surface landslides.