Physics – Optics
Scientific paper
Oct 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aipc.1278..502p&link_type=abstract
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON HIGH POWER LASER ABLATION 2010. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1278, pp. 502-508 (2010).
Physics
Optics
Laser Materials Processing, Nonlinear Optics, Sky Surveys, Asteroids, Spacecraft, Laser Materials, Other Nonlinear Optical Materials, Photorefractive And Semiconductor Materials, Astronomical Catalogs, Atlases, Sky Surveys, Databases, Retrieval Systems, Archives, Etc., Asteroids, Meteoroids, Spacecraft/Atmosphere Interactions
Scientific paper
It is now well-established that a Near-Earth Object (NEO) in the 5 to 10-km size range extinguished the dinosaurs. Although such events have an impact interval on the order of 100 M years, a method of rapid response to such a threat is crucial, since warning time is short. Objects in the 0.1 to 1 km size range may not be detected before approaching within 1 to 10 astronomical units (AU) of Earth and, since their approach velocity may be 30-60 km/s, that situation leaves 100-300 days to respond. Although the most frequently suggested response to such a threat is a standoff nuclear detonation, physically delivered to the NEO, this paper finds significant advantages in retargeting, probability of success and even precise target location are possible with a high power laser alternative. Assuming a momentum coupling coefficient Cm = 3.5 dyn-s/J and detection at 6.3 AU, a 770 kW repetitive pulse 355 nm laser (f = 1.7 ppm with 27 MJ, 10 ps pulses) will deflect a 200-m-diameter icy NEO sufficiently to avoid collision. The focusing mirror would need to be manufactured on the Moon.
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