MIT group looks at better asteroid deflection

[notFritzArgelander]

https://scitechdaily.com/mit-engineers- ... q_CnN4OnIg

[AntennaGuy]

So, what if one could only partially deflect an asteroid, e.g., one could modify its trajectory to prevent it from directly striking a major population center, but perhaps not get it to miss Earth entirely. Where would be the best place (in terms of causing the least deaths, if we for now assume that to be the preferred figure of merit) for it to hit? Would a remote area of the Pacific (such as used for old nuclear tests) be a good choice? Or how about deep in Antarctica? Seems like some geological impact modeling could be appropriate to figuring this out. I'd like to think someone is working on that problem, too.

[GCoyote]

Well you figure 70% of impacts will be in the ocean without human intervention. But you also have to consider that human populations are concentrated near the coasts. The 2004 tsunami is an indication of what that would look like.

I really appreciate the idea of multiple small impactors, using updated information to steer the target rather than hoping for a perfect shot on the first try.

[helicon]

All in all if there was an impact of any size there would be a bright flash of light followed by shock waves tearing up the crust and hurling magma everywhere, followed by a loud "boom". Don't think we'd make it. With a smaller impact I'd expect a tsunami. I'm only about 4 miles from the Bay but at about 1200 ft. in elevation, so I might be able to ride it out. But the destruction below would be almost incomprehensible.

[GCoyote]

All in all if there was an impact of any size there would be a bright flash of light followed by shock waves tearing up the crust and hurling magma everywhere, followed by a loud "boom". Don't think we'd make it. With a smaller impact I'd expect a tsunami. I'm only about 4 miles from the Bay but at about 1200 ft. in elevation, so I might be able to ride it out. But the destruction below would be almost incomprehensible.

I'm sure you've seen this but for anyone else who might be interested: https://impact.ese.ic.ac.uk/ImpactEarth/ImpactEffects/

[notFritzArgelander]

All in all if there was an impact of any size there would be a bright flash of light followed by shock waves tearing up the crust and hurling magma everywhere, followed by a loud "boom". Don't think we'd make it. With a smaller impact I'd expect a tsunami. I'm only about 4 miles from the Bay but at about 1200 ft. in elevation, so I might be able to ride it out. But the destruction below would be almost incomprehensible.

I'm sure you've seen this but for anyone else who might be interested: https://impact.ese.ic.ac.uk/ImpactEarth/ImpactEffects/

That's a handy calculator!

[helicon]

Cool. I try not to think too much about this topic. I suppose it's much more likely that the "big one" will hit the San Andreas fault.