How to determine if an asteroid will burn up or hit Earth?

In summary, the conversation was about creating an interactive simulation to determine if an asteroid will hit the surface of the Earth. The simulation would have 2 sliders to control the speed and mass of the asteroid and output a "yes" or "no" if it hits. The topic also discussed the mathematical formulas and variables involved in determining if an asteroid will burn up or hit the ground, including density and velocity. The conversation also referenced a previous simulation created by Purdue University and shared a link to an article explaining the calculations and formulas used.
  • #1
justiny92
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I want to make a interactive simulation that shows whether or not an asteroid will hit the surface of the Earth. It would have 2 sliders for you to control the speed and mass of the asteroid. The simulation will output "yes" or "no" if the asteroid hits the surface.

Is there a mathematical formula to determine if an asteroid is fast enough or big enough to pass through Earth's atmosphere without burning up? Is there a way to simplify this with some assumptions?

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
hi there

justiny92 said:
I want to make a interactive simulation that shows whether or not an asteroid will hit the surface of the Earth.

you have labelled your thread with an "I" undergraduate level, what research have you done for yourself so far ?
justiny92 said:
Is there a mathematical formula to determine if an asteroid is fast enough or big enough to pass through Earth's atmosphere without burning up?

speed isn't going to vary overly much with around 45km / sec being the avg.
What is more important and you didn't account for is it's density. you can have two 10m diameter rocks, one is very dense nickel/iron and one is stony
The nickel/iron WILL make it to the ground and for the most part stay intact till impact.
But the stony rock of the same size is more likely to break up / explode in the atmosphere and hit the ground in many smaller pieces.

Ant nickel/iron object of around 5m or more will make it to the ground, the atmosphere can't stop it
 
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  • #3
justiny92 said:
I want to make a interactive simulation that shows whether or not an asteroid will hit the surface of the Earth. It would have 2 sliders for you to control the speed and mass of the asteroid. The simulation will output "yes" or "no" if the asteroid hits the surface.

Is there a mathematical formula to determine if an asteroid is fast enough or big enough to pass through Earth's atmosphere without burning up? Is there a way to simplify this with some assumptions?

Thanks!
Purdue University made such a simulation a while back: Impact Earth!
So I'm sure there are mathematical formulas to determine such things.
But, they used 4 variables(diameter, angle of entry, density, velocity), so a two slider control would have to set two variables as constants.

Regardless of which two variables you choose, I think it would be a fun project.

ps. I only know this, as we discussed this earlier: Impact: Earth! A meteor/comet impact simulator
 
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  • #4
you have labelled your thread with an "I" undergraduate level, what research have you done for yourself so far ?
I have tried to do research myself and have only found given scenarios but no formulas to calculate my own. I am currently taking an introduction to astronomy course and this subject is outside the curriculum.
speed isn't going to vary overly much with around 45km / sec being the avg.
What is more important and you didn't account for is it's density. you can have two 10m diameter rocks, one is very dense nickel/iron and one is stony
The nickel/iron WILL make it to the ground and for the most part stay intact till impact.
But the stony rock of the same size is more likely to break up / explode in the atmosphere and hit the ground in many smaller pieces.

Ant nickel/iron object of around 5m or more will make it to the ground, the atmosphere can't stop it

I figured it would be more complicated than I hoped. Thanks for pointing out the density parameter. I will either make it constant or add it as a variable if I have time. Is there a calculation I can do to prove these sized rocks would either burn or hit the ground?
 
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  • #5
OmCheeto said:
Purdue University made such a simulation a while back: Impact Earth!
So I'm sure there are mathematical formulas to determine such things.
But, they used 4 variables(diameter, angle of entry, density, velocity), so a two slider control would have to set two variables as constants.

Regardless of which two variables you choose, I think it would be a fun project.

ps. I only know this, as we discussed this earlier: Impact: Earth! A meteor/comet impact simulator

Thank you for this share! It's as fun as it is interesting. I found their article explaining the calculations and formulas they used for the simulation. If you or anyone would like to see it too, I shared it below. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do!

http://impact.ese.ic.ac.uk/ImpactEffects/effects.pdf
 
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1. How do scientists determine the trajectory of an asteroid?

Scientists use telescopes and radar systems to track the movement of an asteroid. By measuring its speed and direction, they can calculate its trajectory and predict where it will be in the future.

2. What factors contribute to an asteroid burning up in Earth's atmosphere?

The size, composition, and speed of an asteroid all play a role in whether it will burn up in Earth's atmosphere. Smaller, rocky asteroids are more likely to burn up completely, while larger, metallic ones may break apart and leave fragments that could still impact Earth.

3. How can scientists tell if an asteroid will hit Earth?

Scientists use mathematical models and simulations to predict the path of an asteroid and determine if it will collide with Earth. They also take into account factors such as the asteroid's size, speed, and composition to make more accurate predictions.

4. What measures are in place to prevent an asteroid impact?

Scientists and space agencies are constantly monitoring asteroids and have systems in place to track and detect potential threats. If an asteroid is predicted to hit Earth, there are plans in place to potentially deflect or destroy it before impact.

5. How likely is it that an asteroid will hit Earth?

The chances of a large asteroid hitting Earth are relatively low, but the consequences could be catastrophic. Scientists estimate that a major asteroid impact occurs once every 100,000 years, but they continue to study and monitor potential threats to reduce this risk even further.

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