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> Using computer models, scientists simulated a 4,000-foot asteroid smashing into a 15.5-mile asteroid at 11,200 miles per hour. The biggest known potentially
by yaacov 8y ago
> Using computer models, scientists simulated a 4,000-foot asteroid smashing into a 15.5-mile asteroid at 11,200 miles per hour.
The biggest known potentially hazardous asteroid is only 7 km in diameter. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/(53319)_1999_JM8 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/(53319)_1999_JM8).
> The study has limitations. Both asteroids are modeled as simple, nonrotating chunks of rock, whereas real asteroids are far more variable. In addition, the larger asteroid, despite featuring a starting collection of cracks, did not have a history of multiple impacts as true asteroids would.
Sounds like this model was designed to generate sensationalized headlines like this one.
- simion314 8y agoModels are not reality, you exclude some details from the model, can you expand on your criticism and explain why the missing details would have different impact on the result?
- goodcodeguy 8y agoBased on this I am guessing they didn’t simulate the gravitational effect of any surrounding bodies. If the asteroid core is the only object giving off a gravitational force of course all of the fragments would reform around it. This simulation just feels very incomplete and provides no real actionable results.
- gus_massa 8y agoMy guess is that without rotation ... Why the model doesn't have rotation????? It doesn't sound too complicated to simulate. My guess is that without rotation, the tidal forces of the other bodies that are far away are small enough to be ignored. In a perfectly even gravitational field, all the parts of the comment has the same acceleration from the other bodies and it can be canceled. (Like the "zero gravity" effect in the ISS.) So only the forces between the fragments of the asteroid are relevant. Anyway, the Shoemaker–Levy 9 comet suffered some disruption due to gravitational tidal forces because it passed too close to Jupiter, and the fragments formed a line instead of a ball. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Shoemaker–Levy_9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Shoemaker–Levy_9