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

In summary, the novel involves a wormhole opening 270,000km away from Earth, causing thousands of asteroids/meteors to barrel towards Earth at speeds ranging from 17-30km per second. Made of a fictional titanium and diamond composite alloy, these objects would reach Earth in 2-3 hours, potentially causing severe damage and impact across a wide area of the world. The impact area would span from 114°E to 93°W and include most latitudes, with potential effects such as tsunamis, radioactivity, and an impact winter.
  • #1
Haendelrsz
2
0
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).
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2


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
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #3


Wow that's extremely helpful and informative, thanks for the corrections and info.
 
  • #4


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.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #5


First of all, I commend you for incorporating real scientific concepts like wormholes and asteroids/meteors into your novel. It shows a dedication to accuracy and adds an interesting layer to your story.

Now, onto your question. I cannot guarantee that my response will align perfectly with your fictional scenario, but I will do my best to provide some insights and theories based on current scientific understanding.

Let's start with the wormhole. In theory, a wormhole is a tunnel through space-time that connects two distant points in the universe. It is a hypothetical concept that has not been proven to exist, but it is a popular topic in science fiction. If a wormhole were to open up 270,000km away from Earth, it would be considered relatively close in astronomical terms. However, the effects of a wormhole opening up in our solar system are not well understood, since we have never observed one in real life. It is possible that the gravitational pull of the wormhole could disrupt the orbits of nearby objects, including the moon. This could explain why the first quarter moon appears to have a hole in it.

Now, onto the asteroids/meteors. The speed at which these objects are traveling is within the range of typical asteroid/meteor speeds. However, the composition of the objects, being made of titanium and diamond, is highly unusual. Typically, asteroids and meteors are composed of rock and metal. The impact of these objects on Earth would depend on their size and speed, as well as the angle at which they enter the atmosphere. A 250 square meter object made of titanium and diamond would likely cause significant damage upon impact, potentially creating a crater several kilometers wide. Smaller objects may not cause as much damage, but they could still have a significant impact if they were to hit a densely populated area.

In terms of the impact area and travel time, it is difficult to estimate without knowing the exact trajectory of the objects. However, if we assume that the wormhole is stationary and the objects are traveling in a straight line towards Earth, it is possible that the impact area could be anywhere within a few hundred kilometers from the wormhole. As for the travel time, it would likely take less than 2-3 hours for the objects to reach Earth, as they are traveling at high speeds.

Overall, the scenario you have described is certainly intriguing and would make for a thrilling story. However, as a scientist, I must caution that the
 

1. How do worm holes work?

Worm holes are hypothetical tunnels through space-time that allow for shortcuts between two distant points in the universe. They are theorized to be created by highly concentrated matter, such as black holes, and are thought to exist in the fabric of space-time.

2. Can worm holes really exist?

Worm holes are currently only a theoretical concept and have not been proven to exist in reality. However, some scientific theories and equations, such as Einstein's general theory of relativity, suggest that worm holes could potentially exist.

3. How would traveling through a worm hole affect time?

According to Einstein's general theory of relativity, time is affected by gravity. Therefore, traveling through a worm hole could potentially cause time dilation, where time moves slower or faster depending on the intensity of the gravitational pull. This means that time could pass differently for someone traveling through a worm hole compared to someone staying in their original location.

4. What is the difference between an asteroid and a meteor?

An asteroid is a small, rocky object that orbits the sun. A meteor is a smaller piece of debris that has broken off from an asteroid and enters Earth's atmosphere, creating a streak of light in the sky. Once it enters the Earth's atmosphere, it is referred to as a meteoroid, and if it survives and lands on Earth's surface, it is called a meteorite.

5. Can an asteroid or meteor cause damage to Earth?

Yes, depending on the size and composition, an asteroid or meteor can cause damage to Earth upon impact. The larger the object and the faster it is traveling, the more destructive the impact can be. However, most smaller objects, like meteoroids, burn up in the Earth's atmosphere and do not cause any harm.

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top