The Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact plumes on Jupiter: Implications for threat to satellites in low-Earth orbit
Computational simulations of the impacts of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) fragments on Jupiter have provided a framework for interpreting the observations. A reasonably consistent picture has emerged, along with a more detailed understanding of atmospheric collisional processes. Several aspects of Earth-impact hazards can be re-evaluated with knowledge gained from observations and from simulations of SL9. In particular, the threat of impact-generated plumes to satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) should be recognized. Preliminary 2-D computational simulations suggest that impacts of a size that recur about once per century generate plumes that rise to nearly 1000 kilometers over an area thousands of kilometers in diameter. Detailed modeling of such plumes should be carried out to quantify this threat to satellites in the near-Earth environment. Careful observations of high-energy atmospheric entry events should be made using both satellite and ground-based instruments to provide validation for these computational models.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 100126
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-95-1669C; CONF-9505266-1; ON: DE95016084; TRN: 95:006607
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Planetary defense workshop, Livermore, CA (United States), 22-26 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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