Possible explanation of total ablation of the 1908 Tunguska asteroid
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Troitsk Inst. for Innovation and Fusion Research, Troitsk (Russian Federation)
Damage to the Earth`s surface from colliding asteroids and comets is of great concern, and the first conference on this subject, ``Space Protection of the Earth,`` took place September 26--30, 1995 (Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk region, Russia). The explosion over Tunguska, Central Siberia, in 1908 is believed to be due to breakup of a stony asteroids. However, because no significant fragments have been located in the area of the explosion, the nature of the object over Tunguska remains to be determined. Recent theoretical models and results of experiments performed to evaluate material erosion in high-heat-load environments are used to analyze the interaction between the Tunguska object and Earth`s atmosphere. Models and laboratory experimental data that indicate the possibility of full destruction of such large-sized asteroid objects are presented.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 656731
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/TD/CP--96061; CONF-9708170--; ON: DE98057795
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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