Purdue Unveils 'Impact: Earth!' Asteroid Impact Effects Calculator/Simulator

With the constant talk about a possible Earth impact from a comet or asteroid, I came across a bit of news that is not only fascinating but also may prove to be quite helpful to all.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University on Wednesday (Nov. 3) unveiled ''Impact: Earth!'' a new website that allows anyone to calculate the potential damage a comet or asteroid would cause if it hit the Earth.

The interactive website is scientifically accurate enough to be used by homeland security and NASA, but user-friendly and visual enough for elementary school students, said Jay Melosh, the distinguished professor of earth and atmospheric sciences and physics at Purdue who led the creation of the impact effects calculator.

Now here are the instructions and link to how the "Impact Earth" calculator/simulator works.

Users first enter a few parameters such as the diameter of the impact object, its density, velocity, angle of entry and where it will hit the Earth.

The site then estimates the consequences of its impact, including the atmospheric blast wave, ground shaking, size of tsunami generated, fireball expansion, distribution of debris and size of the crater produced.

Purdue Newsroom

Purdue Impact Earth

The asteroid Apophis is suppose to approach very near the earth in 2036. Right now it is the only Near Earth Object that has ever even made it onto the Torino scale (Impact warning scale) Check for yourself what happens if our planet is a direct hit?

Thanks for your time,
Pax

Yep, I think I remember seeing that on the news. It's a very fascinating development. Purdue is actually about 10 min from here but I refuse to drive thru it lol Thanks for sharing!

reply to post by paxnatus


Now that is hella cool. S & F for you for finding and posting this. Can't wait to play around with it later.

That is a great site.
Thanks for finding and sharing.
3rd line just cuz.