Can We Use Nuclear Weapons to Stop a Comet Impact?

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In summary, the world may eventually face the threat of a large comet impact and our only recourse would be to nuke it. However, recent studies have shown that this may not be a viable solution as the comet could reassemble itself due to its own gravity. Instead, diverting the comet from its path may be a better option. To determine the necessary size for a thermonuclear device, two questions must be answered regarding the expansion velocity of vaporized water ice in space and the volume/mass of water ice that would be vaporized per Mt of yield. This information must be communicated simply to politicians in order to explain the potential dangers and solutions.
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GaiaShield
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Sooner-or-later, at random, the world will be faced with the threat of a large Comet impact. Our only recourse will be to Nuke it.

In order to know how large the thermonuclear device needs to be to either deflect or destroy it there are two questions:
- What is the expansion velocity of vaporized water ice in Space?
- Per Mt of yield (net) what volume/mass of water ice would be vaporized?

KISS please. I need to explain this to politicians...
 
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  • #2
GaiaShield said:
Our only recourse will be to Nuke it.
Recent studies actually show that this is not an option. It will reassemble itself under its own gravity.

The paper is here. If you do not have access, you can read the press release.
 
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Orodruin said:
Recent studies actually show that this is not an option. It will reassemble itself under its own gravity.

The paper is here. If you do not have access, you can read the press release.

Orodruin,

Caught it when it was posted. That effect was to my point. If the expansion velocity is to low any fragments would not reach escape velocity of the target object and fall back to its center of gravity . Same could be said for vaporized mass although it would still generate thrust. Also this was a kinetic impact on an incredibly large asteroid with a very high escape velocity. Far to large for us puny humans to be expected to defend against... without antimatter devices.
 
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Diverting the comet (or anything else) from its path appears to be a better solution.
 
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GaiaShield said:
Our only recourse will be to Nuke it.

Clearly to make a statement like that you must have considered all the issues. Why not use those thoughts as a basis for your discussion with politicians?
 
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1. Can nuclear weapons be used to stop a comet impact?

Yes, nuclear weapons have been proposed as a potential method to stop or divert a comet that is on a collision course with Earth. However, there are many factors to consider and it is not a guaranteed solution.

2. How would nuclear weapons be used to stop a comet impact?

The idea is to detonate a nuclear weapon near the comet, which would create a shockwave that could potentially alter the comet's trajectory. This would require precise timing and placement of the nuclear explosion.

3. What are the potential risks of using nuclear weapons to stop a comet impact?

There are several potential risks to consider, including the possibility of fragmenting the comet into smaller pieces that could still pose a threat, creating radioactive fallout, and damaging the Earth's atmosphere or environment.

4. Are there alternative methods to stop a comet impact?

Yes, there are other proposed methods for stopping or diverting a comet, such as using spacecraft to nudge the comet off its trajectory or using lasers to vaporize the surface of the comet and create a jet of gas that could alter its path.

5. Has a nuclear weapon ever been used to stop a comet impact?

No, a nuclear weapon has never been used to stop a comet impact. This idea has only been proposed and has not been tested or implemented in any real-life scenario.

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