I'm writing a novel involving worm holes and asteroids/meteors

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical scenario of a novel involving wormholes and the impact of asteroids/meteors on Earth. Participants explore the timing, potential damage, and impact areas of these celestial objects, considering various speeds and sizes. The focus is on theoretical estimates and implications of such an event.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes that if the asteroids/meteors are traveling straight for Earth, the lowest speed would result in an arrival time of approximately 4 hours and 25 minutes, while the fastest would arrive in about 2.5 hours.
  • Another participant suggests that the average volume of the objects could be calculated, and they mention using the densities of titanium and diamond to estimate mass and potential damage.
  • There is a discussion about the potential impact area, with one participant estimating it could cover regions from 114°E to 93°W, affecting parts of South America, Africa, Europe, and the east coast of North America, while sparing the western parts of the USA and Canada.
  • Concerns are raised about secondary effects such as tsunamis and radioactivity from nuclear facilities due to the impacts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying estimates regarding the timing of impacts and potential damage areas, indicating that multiple competing views remain without a consensus on specific outcomes.

Contextual Notes

Assumptions about the travel paths and speeds of the asteroids/meteors are not fully resolved, and calculations depend on the fictional properties of the materials involved. The discussion also relies on hypothetical scenarios without definitive conclusions.

Haendelrsz
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Please Help! I'm writing a novel involving worm holes and asteroids/meteors

I thought it would be best to ask the experts in the field to make sure I don't get lynched when this book comes out.
Please help however you can. The date during this particular incident is Feb 14, 2016, 11:47 pm western time, the point of observation is Vancouver, B.C, Canada. A wormhole opens up exactly 270,000km away from Earth making the first quarter moon appear to have a hole in it. From this wormhole thousands of asteroids/meteors , varied in size from 1 square meter to 250 square meters, barrel towards Earth in varied speeds from 17km per second to 30km per second. The astral objects are comprised of a heavy (Fictional) titanium and diamond composite alloy. Please give me theories/estimates on where the damage/impact area might be as well as how long it may take these objects to pummel earth. I think its 2-3hrs from wormhole to Earth (impact/travel time).
 
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Well presuming that they are traveling straight for Earth the lowest speed will arrive in 15882.35 seconds (4 hours ~25 minutes) and the fastest will arrive in 9000 seconds (2 and a half hours). I can't tell you where they will land but if you google "moon position calculator" there are plenty of sites that might be able to tell you.

As for the damage I take it that you meant cubic rather than square metres? If so we can take an average volume of 125.5m3, an average speed of 23.5kmps and a mass of (assuming a 1:1 mix of http://www.google.com/search?q=titanium+density" for nearly ten seconds).

Working out the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TNT_equivalent" and simply chose an area of the world you are familiar with then select a demo nuclear bomb as close to that figure and see the devastation it would cause. Interestingly you also have an option of choosing an asteroid strike equivalent to that which killed the dinosaurs.

* Titanium density ~4507kg/m3
** Diamond density ~3500kg/m3
 
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Wow that's extremely helpful and informative, thanks for the corrections and info.
 


Haendelrsz said:
The date during this particular incident is Feb 14, 2016, 11:47 pm western time, the point of observation is Vancouver, B.C, Canada. A wormhole opens up exactly 270,000km away from Earth making the first quarter moon appear to have a hole in it.

According to http://www.largeformatphotography.info/sunmooncalc/ this is half an hour before moonset in Vancouver.

Haendelrsz said:
Please give me theories/estimates on where the damage/impact area might be

It would be at least 2 hours and 26 minutes until first impact and 4 hours and 20 minutes for the last one (assuming that all objects left the wormhole at the same time).

Haendelrsz said:
as well as how long it may take these objects to pummel earth. I think its 2-3hrs from wormhole to Earth (impact/travel time).

If I calculated correctly the potential impact area would reach from about 114°E to 93°W and include almost all latitudes. That means South America, Africa and Europe as well as the east coast of North America and the western part of Asia could be razed. The western parts of USA and Canada as well as East Asia and Australia would be spared by the primary effects of the impacts but there would be severals tsunamis in Atlantic and Indian Ocean, a lot of radioactivity from destroyed nuclear facilities and maybe an impact winter.
 
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