Terrestrial impact rates for the known population of Earth-crossing asteroids

Computer Science

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Near-Earth Objects: Impacts

Scientific paper

Impact probabilities on the Earth are calculated for all known asteroids using terrestrial eccentricities of 0.0 (circular heliocentric orbit), 0.0167 (the present value) and 0.0579 (the maximum value attained as our orbit evolves). Although the latter eccentricity leads to a greater number of asteroids having Earth-crossing orbits (i.e. present-day Amors having perihelia within 1.06 AU, plus presumably a yet-undiscovered population with aphelia currently just within our orbit), it is found that the impact rate is largely unaffected: the increase in the population selected is compensated by a decrease in the individual collision probabilities. Mean impact probabilities are also derived as a function of the asteroid size, or limiting magnitude. As is to be expected, the smaller objects have higher impact probabilities than the larger ones, due to discovery selection effects. Similarly the impact speeds are lower for the smaller asteroids because these selection effects lead to low-eccentricity, low-inclination orbits near Earth being favoured.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Terrestrial impact rates for the known population of Earth-crossing asteroids does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Terrestrial impact rates for the known population of Earth-crossing asteroids, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Terrestrial impact rates for the known population of Earth-crossing asteroids will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-737981

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.