[meteorite-list] Meteorites on the moon
From: Sterling K. Webb <sterling_k_webb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Sep 1 04:45:15 2006 Message-ID: <009401c6cda2$ed028840$1447e146_at_ATARIENGINE> Hi, Rob, List, The ratio of the areas of Earth:Moon is roughly 16:1, but the deflection caused by Earth's stronger gravitational reach makes the ratio of impacts about 18:1. The lunar impact rate is a more accurate measure of the meteroid flux in the vicinity of the Earth's orbit than the Earth's impact rate is, for that reason. Even lunar gravity has a "focusing" effect in attracting meteroids. The actual "space" flux of meteroids is calculated to be about 85% to 86% of the rate implied by the impact rate on the Earth. It's much harder to figure out an accurate rate of impacts on the Earth, though. As a result, we have no firm figure to multiply by 0.85. Sterling K. Webb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob McCafferty" <rob_mccafferty_at_yahoo.com> To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com> Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 3:01 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Meteorites on the moon > ...lunar impacts are rarer than Earth ones due to the > weak gravity of the moon and not just it's smaller > cross-section. > > Rob McC Received on Fri 01 Sep 2006 04:45:06 AM PDT |
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