Asteroid Impact

Asteroid Impact
Author: Doug Henderson
Publisher: Dial
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2000
Genre: Asteroids
ISBN: 9780803725003

Text and illustrations explore the theory that the collision of an asteroid with the Earth ended the Cretaceous Period and caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Asteroid Collision

Asteroid Collision
Author: CAN BARTU H.
Publisher: CBF Publishing
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2024-01-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN:

In the vast expanse of the cosmos, celestial bodies journey through space, their paths occasionally crossing with our own planet Earth. Among these wanderers are asteroids, mysterious remnants of our solar system's formation that can pose potential threats to our world. Throughout history, Earth has endured the impact of asteroids, leaving lasting marks on our planet's landscape and shaping the course of evolution. Today, as we delve deeper into the realm of space exploration, understanding and mitigating the dangers posed by these wandering rocks have become crucial endeavors. "Asteroid Collision: Threats and Solutions" delves into the intriguing and thoughtprovoking realm of asteroids and the potential risks they pose to Earth. This book is an exploration into the fascinating world of space science, planetary defense, and humanity's quest to safeguard our planet and its inhabitants from potential impact events. As we traverse the pages of this book, we embark on a journey through the formation of our solar system and the genesis of these celestial hazards. We delve into the science behind asteroids, their classifications, and how their paths could intersect with ours. From the catastrophic impact events of the past to the future collision scenarios we may face, we delve into the science of asteroid impacts and their potential consequences. With an indepth analysis of asteroid detection and monitoring techniques, we unravel the cuttingedge technologies and space missions that pave the way for early warning systems and preparedness strategies. From telescopes that peer into the depths of space to spacecraft that journey to distant asteroids, we discover the ingenuity of human ingenuity in deciphering the secrets of the cosmos. The book examines the innovative strategies to divert and mitigate asteroid threats, from theoretical models to practical missions, revealing how science and technology join forces to protect our planet from potential cosmic calamities. It explores the international collaboration and global networks that unite nations in their shared responsibility to safeguard Earth from celestial impacts. As we gaze upward and outward, contemplating the mysteries of the universe, we also turn our attention to the ethical and legal considerations of planetary defense. Questions of responsibility, transparency, and international protocols are explored as we endeavor to create a unified front in safeguarding humanity's future. "Asteroid Collision: Threats and Solutions" is not just a book of knowledge; it is a call to action. It is an invitation to explore the unknown, to embrace the wonders of our universe, and to unite in protecting the fragile oasis we call home. Our collective journey to understand, prepare, and respond to potential asteroid threats symbolizes the human spirit of exploration and resilience. This book aims to inspire scientists, astronomers, policymakers, and the general public alike to engage in planetary defense efforts. It is a testament to the power of knowledge and collaboration, reminding us that together, we can navigate the challenges that lie beyond the stars. Let us embark on this cosmic voyage with curiosity and determination, driven by the desire to secure a safer future for our planet and generations yet to come. Welcome to "Asteroid Collision: Threats and Solutions."

Fire in the Sky

Fire in the Sky
Author: Gordon L. Dillow
Publisher: Scribner
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2020-08-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1501187759

This “accessible and always entertaining” (Booklist) combination of history, pop science, and in-depth reporting offers a fascinating account of the asteroids that hit Earth long ago and those streaming toward us now, as well as how prepared we are against asteroid-caused catastrophe. One of these days, warns Gordon Dillow, the Earth will be hit by a comet or asteroid of potentially catastrophic size. The only question is when. In the meantime, we need to get much better at finding objects hurtling our way, and if they’re large enough to penetrate the atmosphere without burning up, figure out what to do about them. We owe many of science’s most important discoveries to the famed Meteor Crater, a mile-wide dimple on the Colorado Plateau created by an asteroid hit 50,000 years ago. In his masterfully researched Fire in the Sky, Dillow unpacks what the Crater has to tell us. Prior to the early 1900s, the world believed that all craters—on the Earth and Moon—were formed by volcanic activity. Not so. The revelation that Meteor Crater and others like it were formed by impacts with space objects has led to a now accepted theory about what killed off the dinosaurs, and it has opened up a new field of asteroid observation that is brimming with urgency. Dillow looks at great asteroid hits of the past and modern-day asteroid hunters and defense planning experts, including America’s first Planetary Defense Officer. Satellite sensors confirm that a Hiroshima-scale blast occurs in the atmosphere every year, and a smaller, one-kiloton blast every month. While Dillow makes clear that the objects above can be deadly, he consistently inspires awe with his descriptions of their size, makeup, and origins. Both a riveting work of popular science and a warning to not take for granted the space objects hurtling overhead, Fire in the Sky is, ultimately, a testament to our universe’s celestial wonders.

Asteroid Impact Risk

Asteroid Impact Risk
Author: Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 137
Release: 2022-03-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030951243

This book describes the complexity of impact hazards associated with asteroids and comets. The challenge in this regard lies in the heterogeneous nature of these bodies that endanger our planet, which is why we are conducting new experiments to better understand their unique physicochemical properties. Several generations of astronomers have tracked and mapped the orbits of asteroids and comets over the past few centuries, and telescopic surveys have only begun to discover “new” interstellar objects. In addition, cutting-edge software allow our computers to combine the orbits of these elusive bodies to study how they evolve over time and seek to match asteroid complexes as fragments of asteroidal and cometary disruptions. Impact hazards represent one of the greatest threats to the survival of human beings in the medium term. Geological studies show that the stratigraphic record holds clear geological evidence of these rare but transcendental encounters in the history of life on our planet. The study and quantification of past catastrophes can give us clues to face future challenges in the form of potential impacts. Further, it would be illogical to assume that Earth’s interaction with space is limited to major impacts. Every night, Earth is struck by millions of particles, and dozens of meteor showers occur around the globe every year. The study of lake and ocean sediments reveals the magnitude of the continuous contribution of interplanetary matter reaching Earth: roughly 100,000 tons per year. Accordingly, the goal of this book is to underscore the need for society-wide awareness of the dangers associated with asteroid and comet impacts, on the basis of scientific evidence and with no intention of sparking alarmism. After all, we ourselves may only be the fruit of an opportunity given to mammals sixty-five million years ago to evolve after the conflagration that would be the downfall of the dinosaurs. If we have learned to read Earth’s geological history, we should consider ourselves a very fortunate species, and its teachings should equip us to face this problem. The also book emphasizes the role of space missions to gain insights on these bodies, particularly describing the relevance of the DART (NASA) and Hera (ESA) missions to deflect and study Dimorphos, respectively, the small satellite of the Didymos binary asteroid.

Cosmic Impact

Cosmic Impact
Author: Andrew May
Publisher: Icon Books
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2019-02-07
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1785784943

As end-of-the-world scenarios go, an apocalyptic collision with an asteroid or comet is the new kid on the block, gaining respectability only in the last decade of the 20th century with the realisation that the dinosaurs had been wiped out by just such an impact. Now the science community is making up for lost time, with worldwide efforts to track the thousands of potentially hazardous near-Earth objects, and plans for high-tech hardware that could deflect an incoming object from a collision course – a procedure depicted, with little regard for scientific accuracy, in several Hollywood movies. Astrophysicist and science writer Andrew May disentangles fact from fiction in this fast-moving and entertaining account, covering the nature and history of comets and asteroids, the reason why some orbits are more hazardous than others, the devastating local and global effects that an impact event would produce, and – more optimistically – the way future space missions could avert a catastrophe.

Worlds in Collision

Worlds in Collision
Author:
Publisher: Paradigma Ltd
Total Pages: 437
Release:
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1906833710

With this book Immanuel Velikovsky first presented the revolutionary results of his 10-year-long interdisciplinary research to the public, founded modern catastrophism - based on eyewitness reports by our ancestors - shook the doctrine of uniformity of geology as well as Darwin's theory of evolution, put our view of the history of our solar system, of the Earth and of humanity on a completely new basis - and caused an uproar that is still going on today. Worlds in Collision - written in a brilliant, easily understandable and entertaining style and full to the brim with precise information - can be considered one of the most important and most challenging books in the history of science. Not without reason was this book found open on Einstein's desk after his death. For all those who have ever wondered about the evolution of the earth, the history of mankind, traditions, religions, mythology or just the world as it is today, Worlds in Collision is an absolute MUST-READ!

Asteroid Hunters

Asteroid Hunters
Author: Carrie Nugent
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2017-03-14
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1501120085

One of the top scientists in the field of asteroid hunting explains how, for the first time, humanity could have the knowledge to prevent a devastating asteroid impact. --

Defending Planet Earth

Defending Planet Earth
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 152
Release: 2010-07-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309149681

The United States spends approximately $4 million each year searching for near-Earth objects (NEOs). The objective is to detect those that may collide with Earth. The majority of this funding supports the operation of several observatories that scan the sky searching for NEOs. This, however, is insufficient in detecting the majority of NEOs that may present a tangible threat to humanity. A significantly smaller amount of funding supports ways to protect the Earth from such a potential collision or "mitigation." In 2005, a Congressional mandate called for NASA to detect 90 percent of NEOs with diameters of 140 meters of greater by 2020. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies identifies the need for detection of objects as small as 30 to 50 meters as these can be highly destructive. The book explores four main types of mitigation including civil defense, "slow push" or "pull" methods, kinetic impactors and nuclear explosions. It also asserts that responding effectively to hazards posed by NEOs requires national and international cooperation. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies is a useful guide for scientists, astronomers, policy makers and engineers.

Asteroids III

Asteroids III
Author: William F. Bottke
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Total Pages: 812
Release: 2002-12-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0816546517

Two hundred years after the first asteroid was discovered, asteroids can no longer be considered mere points of light in the sky. Spacecraft missions, advanced Earth-based observation techniques, and state-of-the-art numerical models are continually revealing the detailed shapes, structures, geological properties, and orbital characteristics of these smaller denizens of our solar system. This volume brings together the latest information obtained by spacecraft combined with astronomical observations and theoretical modeling, to present our best current understanding of asteroids and the clues they reveal for the origin an,d evolution of the solar system. This collective knowledge, prepared by a team of more than one hundred international authorities on asteroids, includes new insights into asteroid-meteorite connections, possible relationships with comets, and the hazards posed by asteroids colliding with Earth. The book's contents include reports on surveys based on remote observation and summaries of physical properties; results of in situ exploration; studies of dynamical, collisional, cosmochemical, and weathering evolutionary processes; and discussions of asteroid families and the relationships between asteroids and other solar system bodies. Two previous Space Science Series volumes have established standards for research into asteroids. Asteroids III carries that tradition forward in a book that will stand as the definitive source on its subject for the next decade.

Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids

Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids
Author: Tom Gehrels
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Total Pages: 1340
Release: 1994
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780816515059

In 1993, the U.S. Department of Defense declassified information dealing with frequent explosions in the upper atmosphere caused by meteoric impact. It is estimated that impacts have occurred of a magnitude equivalent to the atomic bomb detonated at Hiroshima. Not all such space voyagers meet their end in the atmosphere, however; huge craters attest to the bombardment of earth over millions of years, and a major impact may have resulted in the extinction of dinosaurs. An impact in Siberia near the beginning of this century proves that such events are not confined to geologic time. Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids marks a significant step in the attempt to come to grips with the threats posed by such phenomena. It brings together more than one hundred scientists from around the world, who draw on observational and theoretical research to focus on the technical problems related to all aspects of dealing with these hazards: searching for and identifying hazardous comets and asteroids; describing their statistics and characteristics; intercepting and altering the orbits of dangerous objects; and applying existent technologies—rocket boosters, rendezvous and soft-landing techniques, instrumentation—to such missions. The book considers defensive options for diverting or disrupting an approaching body, including solar sails, kinetic-energy impacts, nuclear explosives, robotic mass drivers, and various propulsion systems. A cataclysmic impact posing a threat to life on Earth is a possibility that tomorrow's technology is capable of averting. This book examines in depth the reality of the threat and proposes practical measures that can be initiated now should we ever need to deal with it.