[meteorite-list] Trajectories and billiards

From: E.P. Grondine <epgrondine_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 19:46:21 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <1361072781.12123.YahooMailClassic_at_web161306.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>

Hi all -

For some reason, everyone seems to think that 2012 DA14 had no debris floating around it, while every close up we've ever seen of any small body has shown debris on its surface and/or cratering.

Now if instead of using a point solution, which is adequate for most tracking purposes, one assumes instead that perhaps there may be some kind of below visibility debris field, then perhaps what may have occurred is something like billiards, where another object was knocked into an intercepting orbit.

In any case, the use of conditionals is advised in any statements at this point, even though a lot of people are asking for simple certainties.

E.P.
Received on Sat 16 Feb 2013 10:46:21 PM PST