U.N. urged to take action on asteroid threat

Reuters ^ | 02/20/07

[RightWhale]

Kinetic energy is misunderestimated by common sense. The effect of impact would depend on net speed. If it hits at the maximum speed meteors are capable of, much of the material would be ionized. The flash of light would be like the sun and might endure for hours. At lower speed the material would be vaporized rather than ionized. In no case would more than a fraction of a percent of the mass be converted to energy.

[epluribus_2]

The Intra Governmental Panel on Asteroids has concluded most conclusively their conclusion that male humans, specifically non-urban, north americans who do not work in trade unions or (other) government jobs and are not vegetarians are exerting an unnatural graviational pull with their SUVs and large lawn care and snow removal equipment that is 88% certain to be why the asteroids will soon destroy all civilized european and nonaligned societies. The sky is falling, the sky is falling.

[LIConFem]

I knew it!! "Rich" white guys are messin' up the whole solar system!!

[colorado tanker]

First we'd better send UN inspectors to the asteroid to see if it poses an "imminent" threat or if this is just more Bush lies.

[xcamel]

dupe:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787225/posts

[Vaquero]

yes...yes thats it....give them a make believe rocket ship to play with..let say in Switzerland and let them play buck rogers...

[Busywhiskers]

How bout we just pass a law against asteroids hitting the earth and call it good.

[rellimpank]

--the "matter" of the asteroid remains "matter" since there is no nuclear reaction involved--the kinetic energy of the meteor is expended as heat and sound and in a massive explosion upon impact---

[pieceofthepuzzle]

I don't know enough about the topic to comment about the legitimacy of the asteroid concern, but Rusty Schweickart leans left, as does his wife. Whether or not his political leanings affect his objectivity on this particular topic is unclear. It would seem to me that these types of issues should be studied in depth by the relevant scientific communities, but bringing in a political body, like the UN, in at this point makes no sense, in my opinion.

[Cincinatus]

it doesn't matter the angle or material. When the object hits, its matter is turned to energy; it explodes.

It's a bit more complicated than that. First, no "matter is turned into energy" (ala nuclear fission) -- the kinetic energy of the impacting object (asteroid) is converted into work, excavating a hole in the ground. Second, it's true that most impacts at an angle make a round hole, but if the incidence angle is less than about 5 degrees, you get elliptical craters. Lower than 1 degree and all kinds of weird effects occur -- projectile decapitation, multiple skip impacts, etc.

The composition of the impactor body also has an effect if there is a signifcant variation in density. Dense impactors (like iron meteorites) penetrate deeply into the Earth, excavating with great efficiency and making a large, deep hole. However, fluffy, ice bodies (like cometary cores) might actually "explode" in the atmosphere before they hit, having the effect of an airburst nuclear device, creating wide area of devastation.

[KarlInOhio]

I recall the opposite being taught- that it doesn't matter the angle or material. When the object hits, its matter is turned to energy; it explodes.

A greater angle from vertical means that the meteor has to pass through more atmosphere and more is ablated before it hits the ground.

The material matters because a less dense meteor will have a smaller mass for a given size. A 140-meter styrofoam packing peanut is less worrisome that a 140-meter iron meteor.

[RightWhale]

For the most part. Some mass is lost.

[antiRepublicrat]

U.N. urged to take action on asteroid threat

I guess this means the UN will put up an observation post and say "please don't hit us" if an asteroid comes at us. And if it hits in a Muslim country, they'll pass a resolution blaming Israel.

[SueRae]

My sentiments exactly - and I did enjoy that movie.

[caver]

"is expected to uncover hundreds, if not thousands of threatening space rocks in the near future"

If they can't get the global warming hoax to fly, then they'll switch to killer asteroids.

[RightWhale]

bringing in a political body, like the UN

It is typical of the Liberal Left, who need a name of their own some day, to appeal to a higher power than their own Gov't. But, the UN isn't yet a higher power.

[Our man in washington]

If the U.N. is put in charge, they will set a huge bureaucracy, have endless meetings, bicker about the shape of tables, and blame the U.S. If the asteroid misses (which it probably will) they will then claim it was their work that did it and we should trust them to run future events.

Now that's dangerous.

[traditional1]

"The UN can't even wipe its own ass "

LOL

"and, therein lies the rub....."

[presidio9]

I guess this means the UN will put up an observation post and say "please don't hit us" if an asteroid comes at us. And if it hits in a Muslim country, they'll pass a resolution blaming Israel.

And if all else fails, they'll put on their trusty blue helmets and be safe while the sky is falling all around them.

[traditional1]

"If the U.N. is put in charge, they will set a huge bureaucracy, have endless meetings, bicker about the shape of tables, and blame the U.S."

Maybe an "asteroids for food" scam????