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Detailed Reference Information |
Takata, T., Ahrens, T.J. and Harris, A.W. (1995). Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9: Fragment and progenitor impact energy. Geophysical Research Letters 22: doi: 10.1029/95GL02237. issn: 0094-8276. |
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Initial observational data from the impact of fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) are compared with smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) calculations to determine their pre-impact diameters and the equivalent diameter of the SL9 progenitor. Diameters (solid ice) of 2.0¿0.1, 2.0¿0.05, 2.1¿0.04 and 1.9¿0.05 km for fragments A, E, G1, and W are obtained from impact-induced plume heights from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data. Applying these values to scale apparent diameters for the balance of 18 SL fragments in Weaver et al.'s [1995> catalog of 22 objects yields a SL9 progenitor diameter of 5.0¿1.8 km. This corresponds to total impact energy of 1.2 (+1.8-0.8)¿1030 erg. Such an energetic event occurs on Jupiter and Earth at least every 4,900+4,700, -2,700, and ~0.5¿108 years, respectively. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1995 |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Planetology, Fluid Planets, Surfaces, Planetology, Comets and Small Bodies, Physics and chemistry of materials, Planetology, Fluid Planets, Interiors, Planetology, Fluid Planets, Atmospheres—composition and chemistry |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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