Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Rule of Thumb for hypervelocity impacts

Somehow, that doesn't sound right.

You would think crater size would vary with the size of the impactor AND the square of it's velocity, i.e., kinetic energy transfer. Another thing, craters are almost always roundish, not the elliptical shape you would expect from a more typical non-orthogonal approach. This suggests the crater is caused by the deep subsurface expansion of vaporized material generated by the impact, not the initial mechanical effect itself. For example, an artillery shell packed with explosives will always leave a circular crater, regardless of what angle it penetrates the surface at.

Log in or register to post.

The whole thread (16 posts)