(ORDO NEWS) — To date, scientists have discovered more than 800 asteroids of large diameter, whose orbits can intersect with the Earth. We can say that these 800 asteroids threaten us and there is a very good chance that one of these blocks may collide with our planet.
And every year there are very disappointing changes, because the number of cosmic bodies dangerous to us is increasing. By the way, it’s not that the number of meteorites in space is growing, it’s just that new technologies detect previously unnoticed objects.
Unfortunately, modern science does not allow to eliminate a meteorite that can directly crash into the Earth. However, modeling of the situation that will occur when a kilometer-long meteorite collides with the surface of the ocean has been done. This was done by scientists from Arizona, who are doing their research at the Institute of Planetary Sciences.
They imagined that an asteroid with a diameter of 1 km entered the atmosphere of the planet at a speed of 20 kilometers per second.
Modeling of such a situation showed that after the collision of such an asteroid with the ocean, a monstrous fountain with a diameter of a thousand kilometers will rise, the spray of the fountain will carry about 20 billion tons of water into the atmosphere and near-Earth outer space.
Naturally, giant tsunamis will appear, which, according to the researchers, will not cause much harm. Chlorine and bromine, which are found in large quantities in sea water, will destroy the Earth’s ozone layer.
And although the “ozone hole” above the fall will be small, it will gradually increase and thus disappear about 80% of the entire ozone layer. After that, all living organisms will be exposed to hard solar radiation, because the ozone layer – the main protector – will no longer exist.
Of course, people will be able to find some ways to protect themselves, but plants, animals and marine phytoplankton will be on the verge of extinction. Most likely, a similar catastrophe destroyed the dinosaurs millions of years ago, when a similar asteroid collided with the Earth.
What will happen if an asteroid with a diameter of not 1, but 10 kilometers crashes into the planet, the scientists did not begin to imagine, it is enough to mentally multiply all the above consequences by 10 times. Although, in principle, everything is clear here even without modeling – few people can survive.
And the old Earth itself will change beyond recognition. Fortunately, such accidents happen very, very rarely. But asteroids up to 200 meters in diameter can fall frequently. This is exactly what Norwegian scientists did: what consequences can a tsunami, formed after a collision of an asteroid and the Earth, cause?
Scientists have confirmed that the force of such a tsunami would be 200 to 300 times greater than the 2004 Asian tsunami. But they immediately calmed down: the tsunami from earthquakes is much longer, which means that our giant tsunami can disintegrate even before it reaches the continents.
Much more dangerous will be the hurricane winds and spray that will appear after the collision. Again, the simulations showed that the water masses would not only soar upward, but also rush in the transverse direction at a terrifying speed, sweeping away everything in its path.
There is also an assumption that the water that enters the atmosphere will return in the form of heavy rain, but scientists do not focus much attention on this fact. But why? Suddenly the water will pour and pour? Will not mankind have to be saved, like Noah, in the ark?
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