Near-Earth object - an object of the Solar system , whose orbit passes in close proximity to the Earth . The perigee of all near-Earth objects is less than 1.3 a.u. [one]
Details
These objects include several thousand near-Earth asteroids , near-Earth comets , a certain number of AMS in the solar orbit [2] and meteoroids of sufficiently large sizes to track them before collisions with the Earth. At present, it is widely accepted that just such collisions had a significant role in the formation of the geological and biological history of the planet [3] . Interest in near-Earth objects began to increase since the 1980s , when awareness of the potential danger posed to Earth by some of the asteroids and comets increased, and their active movements are explored. A study of this issue showed that, due to the large territories, Russia, the United States and China are the most vulnerable in the event of a collision of the planet with meteorites [4] .
Near-Earth objects include such near-Earth asteroids whose orbits lie in the range between 0.983 and 1.3 AU. from the sun [5] . When near-Earth asteroids are discovered, they are confirmed by the Minor Planet Center for cataloging. The orbits of some near-Earth asteroids intersect with the Earth, so that they carry the threat of collision [6] . The United States , the European Union and other nations are currently actively seeking near-Earth objects [7] as part of the joint Spaceguard program.
In the USA, NASA has a congressional mandate to catalog all near-Earth objects that are at least 1 km across, since the impact of such objects in the event of a collision will be serious enough to cause catastrophic consequences. As of October 2008, 982 such near-Earth objects were discovered [8] . It was estimated that in 2006 20% of these sites were not found [7] . Work is underway to use Australia’s existing telescopes to cover about 30% of the sky that has not yet been covered by a surveillance program.
Potentially dangerous near-Earth objects are currently determined on the basis of the measured parameters of the objects and the assessment of their proximity to the Earth [9] . Most objects intersect the Earth’s orbit at a minimum distance of 0.05 AU. and an absolute magnitude of 22 or less (an approximate indicator of large sizes for potentially dangerous objects). Objects that cannot approach the Earth closer than 0.05 AU (about 7,480,000 km) or less than 150 m in diameter (absolute magnitude = 22.0 with an estimated albedo of 13%) do not belong to potentially dangerous near-Earth objects [10] . The NASA catalog of near-Earth objects includes distances to asteroids and comets measured at distances to the Moon [11] , such use has become more common units of measurement used by the media and the press when discussing these objects.
The degree of danger from near-Earth objects is different and is estimated according to the Turin scale and other methods, depending on their size, minimum distances of approach to the Earth and the probability of collision with it. Well-known relatively large asteroids (such as the 270-meter Apophis and the 270-meter 2007 TU 24 ) come closer to distances more than the moon , but in the event of a collision they can cause global catastrophes for mankind . Some small (a few meters in diameter) asteroids approach at small distances (for example, 2004 TS 26 to 6,150 km on October 9, 2008, 2004 FU 162 to 6,535 km on March 31, 2004, 2009 VA to 14,000 km on November 6, 2009) and collisions can cause consequences commensurate with an atomic explosion , which also took place during the Tunguska catastrophe of the meteoroid . Some of the small asteroids enter the Earth’s atmosphere by meteoroids (for example, meter 2008 TC 3 on October 7, 2008), which does not cause serious consequences.
Some of the near-Earth objects detected (for example, 2006 RH 120 , 6Q0B44E , 2010 AL 30 ) are suspected to be of artificial origin.
See also
- Near Earth Asteroid
- 6Q0B44E
- 2006 RH 120
- 2010 AL 30
- Asteroid Protection
- Palermo scale
- Rings of the earth
- Kordylevsky clouds
- Black Knight (unidentified object)
Notes
- ↑ Glossary of Astronomical Terms
- ↑ Near-Earth Object Groups
- ↑ Richard Monastersky. The Call of Catastrophes . Science News Online (March 1, 1997). Date of treatment October 23, 2007. Archived April 19, 2012.
- ↑ Krajik, K. (2007) Killer Space Rocks . Popular Science magazine, September. pg 72-73 .
- ↑ A. Morbidelli, WF Bottke Jr., Ch. Froeschlé, P. Michel. Origin and Evolution of Near-Earth Objects (Neopr.) // Asteroids III / WF Bottke Jr., A. Cellino, P. Paolicchi, and RP Binzel. - University of Arizona Press, 2002. - January. - S. 409-422 .
- ↑ Clark R. Chapman. The hazard of near-Earth asteroid impacts on earth (Eng.) // Earth and Planetary Science Letters : journal. - 2004 .-- May ( vol. 222 , no. 1 ). - P. 1-15 . - DOI : 10.1016 / j.epsl.2004.03.03.004 . - .
- ↑ 1 2 Shiga, David . New telescope will hunt dangerous asteroids , New Scientist (June 27, 2006). Date of treatment November 15, 2008.
- ↑ Unusual Minor Planets . Minor Planet Center (October 21, 2008). Date of treatment October 25, 2010. Archived on April 19, 2012.
- ↑ Potentially Hazard Asteroids . NASA / JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Date of treatment May 5, 2011. Archived October 12, 1999.
- ↑ Near-Earth Object Groups
- ↑ NEO Earth Close Approaches