New evidence suggests that a comet, rather than an asteroid, may be responsible for the mysterious 1908 explosion, based on the analysis of water vapor in space shuttle exhaust plumes. Researchers argue that comets, which contain significant amounts of water ice, are more likely to have contributed to the atmospheric water vapor observed during the shuttle launches. The study indicates that the comet would have disintegrated at an altitude similar to where the shuttle exhaust was released, allowing water vapor to be injected into the atmosphere.The research highlights an unexpected phenomenon where this water vapor could travel vast distances quickly, prompting the need for a new model of upper-atmospheric physics. The proposed model involves counter-rotating eddies that can transport water vapor at speeds of nearly 300 feet per second. This raises questions about the potential for other gases or particles to be similarly injected or expelled from the atmosphere at high speeds, possibly linking it to volcanic eruptions as a comparable event.
