Jakarta –
Danger asteroid hit Earth Scientists continue to think about anticipation. More recently, a study in the United States carried out a simulation of the use of nuclear bombs to defend the Earth from the impact of a disastrous asteroid.
Although it sounds like a strategy from a science fiction movie, the use of nuclear energy has been proposed as a solution to protect our planet if a large and potentially dangerous asteroid or near-Earth object were discovered.
This event is rare and according to NASA, no celestial bodies have currently been observed that pose a significant risk of hitting Earth. However, this does not exclude the possibility of such impacts occurring in the future, especially since there are still some that remain undetected.
The impact of a large asteroid can cause devastation on a regional to global scale, depending on the amount of energy released. However, if you have enough warning time, you can use modern technology to prevent disaster.
One strategy is to detonate an atomic bomb to deflect the asteroid when it is millions of kilometers away so that it deviates from its path and does not hit Earth. It can also be used to destroy or shatter asteroids into smaller, less dangerous fragments.
These strategies have never been tested in real life, meaning researchers must rely on computer models to study their potential effectiveness. So far this simulation has not been carried out seriously.
Well, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California have developed a new modeling tool to evaluate the potential use of nuclear devices against asteroids, which was described in research published in the journal Planetary Science.
“If an asteroid approaches, decision makers will need accurate information about what options are available to them immediately,” physicist Mary Burkey, who led the research, told Newsweek on Friday (5/1/2023).
For this reason, a faster and more versatile nuclear simulation method is needed, including what the impact will be. Using the new model described in the paper, a scenario involving a nuclear impact on an asteroid can be run in less than a day with far fewer computing resources when a rapid response is needed.
“Including as much realistic detail as possible is critical to ensuring that our estimates of mission effectiveness are accurate. Therefore, when a planetary defense emergency arrives, we can provide rapid and reliable information to decision makers,” he added.
In urgent situations, as mentioned detikINET from Newsweek, information from this simulation can help prevent asteroid impacts, protect critical infrastructure and save as many lives as possible.
Watch video “Scientists in England begin examining samples from asteroid Bennu”
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2024-01-05 11:02:40
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