posted on Feb, 15 2003 @ 08:28 AM
This asteriod is approximately equal to the "Dinosaur Killer" that impacted the Yucatan peninsula, and ended the Cretacious Period about 65 million
year ago. In the event of impact, energy is calculated to be 3.6e*02 megatons of TNT.
65 million years ago, the Dino Killer impacted just off the coast of the Yucatan. We have reason to believe that it hit water, blasting all water away
(creating a huge globe circling tsunami), impacted the sea floor, blasting up millions of tons of debris, and penetrated into the upper mantel.
Because the impact created a temporary void in the water space, the water then came rushing back into the crater in the sea floor, where it came in
direct contact not only with the impact heated material, but with free magma from the mantel. The water flashed into steam (millions of cubic feet of
it) creating another explosion of several hundred megatons size, blasting out a second tsunami.
If this asteroid hits, statistics indicate it will likely hit a large water body, either the Atlantic or Pacific, since they account for 2/3 of the
planets surface. Impact effects will likely be very similar to those noted above.
If such an impact occurs, the tsunami will circle the entire planet, wiping out anything and everyone near a coastal area. (The tidal wave scenes in
Deep Impact should be kept in mind, although it may be worse than depicted). Keep in mind, there will be at least 2 of these tsunamis, and likely many
*aftershock* tsunamis.... Considering that the vast majority of the population is near the coastal areas, severe loss of life is expected. Smaller
island nations (not just islands, I believe Australia and New Zealand would be totally decimated) are likely to suffer 100% fatalities. (Netchicken,
and anyone else in Australia/New Zealand, I highly recommend you and your families be in other countries in 2022).
To increase your chances of survival, be as high as possible. I dont mean in your backyard tree fort... I intend to be vacationing in Denver in
2022... if not in the Himalayas or on Kilamanjaro.