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Yes. This doesn't pass the smell test. I first suspected the article produces a garbled version of the research, but the abstract says the same too: http://arx
by Gravityloss 14y ago
Yes. This doesn't pass the smell test. I first suspected the article produces a garbled version of the research, but the abstract says the same too:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1212.3273 http://arxiv.org/abs/1212.3273
" In particular, for energies of one megaton or larger we find near one impact every three years for Mars, an interesting and concerning result for future Mars explorations. The corresponding calculations for our planet give a probability of one impact per 15 years"
- tomrod 14y agoDoesn't pass my smell test either. I suspect perhaps there are some jiggered parameters in the model.
- debacle 14y agoPerhaps the "1 megaton" nomer is for what encounters our atmosphere, not necessarily what impacts our surface.
- troels 14y agoThat might be the case, but then it's not really something to be worried about, is it? I mean, then they're basically saying that astronauts on Mars will see shooting stars a bit more often than on Earth.
- debacle 14y agoIt is, because on Mars there isn't an atmosphere there to burn up that 1 megaton asteroid into something more innocuous.
- danielweber 14y agoJust to be clear, Mars does have an atmosphere. It's pretty thin, but it's real enough to provide protection against micrometeorites and some of the radiation. It ain't gonna stop a school-bus sized meteorite, though.