NEO Impact Hazard

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NEO Impact Hazard

• by
• Petra Fedorová

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NEO

• Near-Earth Object
• an asteroid or comet whose orbit brings it
  close to the Earth this includes an object that
  will come close to the Earth at some point in its
  future orbital evolution. NEOs generally result
  from objects that have experienced gravitational
  perturbations from nearby planets, moving them
  into orbits that allow them to come near to the
  Earth.

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NEOs in numbers

• Perihelion lt 1,3 AU
• 10th April 2008
• Discovered 5403
• Larger than 1km 741
• PHAs 937
• PHA Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

Manicouagan Crater, Canada
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Tunguska, 1908

• Explosion 12.5 MT of TNT
• Altitude 8 km

• Diameter 60m
• Damage 2000 km2

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Chicxulub, 65 MYrs ago

• Crater diameter 180km
• Depth 900m
• Comet size 16km
• Caused K-T extinction

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250 MYrs ago, Pangea

• Asteroid size 6-12km
• The cause of large volcanic activity (Siberian
  Lava Traps) leading to P-T extinction (90 of
  marine species 70 of land vertebrates)

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Conclusion

• Low probability of a large event
• High risk when ignored
• Space Age technology finally enables effective
  prevention
• 21st century is when everything changes and
  weve got to be ready.

Cpt. Jack Harkness, Torchwood