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Meteorite impact ejecta - Dependence of mass and energy lost on planetary escape velocityThe amounts of material and energy which escape a planet in a meteorite impact event is calculated as functions of impact and escape velocities. Results are obtained from the computed flow induced by the impact of iron and gabbroic anorthosite spheres onto a half-space of anorthosite at impact velocities of 5 to 45 km/sec. The impact-induced flows were determined by a numerical method using the mass, momentum, and energy conservation relations in finite-difference approximation, within an Eulerian computational grid. The impact velocities at which ejecta losses equal meteorite mass gains are found to be approximately 20, 35, and 45 km/sec for anorthosite objects and approximately 25, 35, and 40 km/sec for iron objects striking anorthosite surfaces for the gravity fields of the moon, Mercury and Mars.
Document ID
19780033827
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Okeefe, J. D.
(California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; TRW, Inc. Redondo Beach, Calif., United States)
Ahrens, T. J.
(California Institute of Technology Pasadena, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
December 23, 1977
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 198
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
78A17736
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7129
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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