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Directory:Near Earth Asteroid Reconnaissance Project (view source)
Revision as of 18:41, 16 November 2011
, 18:41, 16 November 2011→Rationale for the Project
==Research==
==Research==
===Rationale for the Project===
===Rationale for the Project===
The N.E.A.R. project was begun with the realization of the catastrophic result of the collision of a large object with the earth. An object which is 3 km in diameter, composed of material having a density of 5 g/cc (5000 kg/m^3), and traveling at 10 km/s, would possess a kinetic energy of ½ mv^2 = 3.5 x 10^21 joules. The TNT_equivalent|energy yield of the largest nuclear weapons is about 5 x 10^15 joules so that one large asteroid possesses the kinetic energy of approximately one million large nuclear weapons.
The N.E.A.R. project was begun with the realization of the catastrophic result of the collision of a large object with the earth. An object which is 3 km in diameter, composed of material having a density of 5 g/cc (5000 kg/m<sup>3</sup>), and traveling at 10 km/s, would possess a kinetic energy of ½ mv<sup>2</sup> = 3.5 x 10<sup>21</sup> joules. The TNT_equivalent|energy yield of the largest nuclear weapons is about 5 x 10<sup>15</sup> joules so that one large asteroid possesses the kinetic energy of approximately one million large nuclear weapons.
===Identification of Candidate Objects===
===Identification of Candidate Objects===