[meteorite-list] Re: Asteroid Gets Initial Elevated Risk Rating, ...(Asteroid 2004 MN4)

From: Paul H <bristolia_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Dec 24 23:54:11 2004
Message-ID: <20041225045409.78144.qmail_at_web50609.mail.yahoo.com>

Ron Baalke quoted:

Asteroid gets initial elevated risk
rating, but impact unlikely
By JOHN ANTCZAK, Associated Press
December 23, 2004

...text deleted...

Asteroid 2004 MN4, believed to be about 1,300 feet
long, potentially could impact Earth in 2029, based
on a limited number of initial sightings, said
Donald Yeomans, manager of the Near Earth Object
Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena."

I went to http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/impacteffects/ ,
and did some calculations.

Assuming an average projectile velocity of 17 km/s,
and 45 degree entry angle, the result for the impact
of a dense rock object of this size in sedimentary
rock is:

"Transient Crater Diameter: 4.95 km = 3.07 miles
Transient Crater Depth: 1.75 km = 1.09 miles

Final Crater Diameter: 6.13 km = 3.8 miles
Final Crater Depth: 0.511 km = 0.317 miles"

In case of an iron projectile, in sedimentary rock,
the result is:

"Transient Crater Diameter: 7.08 km = 4.4 miles
Transient Crater Depth: 2.5 km = 1.56 miles

Final Crater Diameter: 9.19 km = 5.71 miles
Final Crater Depth: 0.577 km = 0.358 miles"

If this hits land, someone will definitely have a bad
day and one hell of tourist attraction afterward.

Given its small "footprint", if the rock could be
directed to a specific piece of property, I image,
a lot of states could find a 80 square area they
would sacrifice as ground zero for its landing given
the unlimited tourist potential such a crater would
have.

Is there any way to figure out what sort of tsunami
a rock this size would cause?

Best Regards,

Paul
Baton Rouge, LA



                
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Received on Fri 24 Dec 2004 11:54:09 PM PST