Scientists found methods to deflect asteroids, which are dangerous to our Earth. They found a nuclear explosion method to deflect an asteroid. This new method can save the Earth from potential asteroid impacts.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, conducted this experiment. To vaporize the asteroid’s surface, they harnessed the power of X-rays from a nuclear blast. This method uses X-ray to heat the surface of the asteroid and create and expand into the adjacent vacuum. After hitting the X-ray of the asteroid, momentum builds, which changes the direction of the asteroid to the opposite direction.
The Need for Asteroid Deflection
We are aware of asteroids hitting Earth in history. The Dinosaurs population was wiped out due to the impact of big asteroids 66 million years ago. However, asteroids hitting Earth are surprisingly common; according to NASA, approximately 48.5 tonnes of meteoric material enter our atmosphere daily from these meteoric material meteor showers born out.
The Experiment
Scientists carried out this experiment at Sandia National Laboratories; they bombarded X-rays by targeting two 12mm mock-up asteroids in a vacuum, and they were successful in that experiment. One rock sample consisted of quartz, and the other was made from fused silica.
The X-ray pulses heated the surface of the simulated asteroids, causing a vapor plume that generated momentum for the quartz and silica targets. The X-ray pulse deflected the rocks and moved them at a velocity of about 70 meters per second.
Researchers used this data in simulations to assess how this method of asteroid deflection could scale. The findings suggest that near-Earth objects with a diameter of around 4 kilometers could be deflected with this nuclear impactor method.
The nuclear option is very useful for the deflection of larger asteroids in a short period of time. Scientists have confidence that this method can deflect asteroids up to 2.5 miles wide, although this isn’t a rigid limit. This can also deflect larger asteroids too if we have enough time.
Dr. Nathan Moore, the first author of the study, and his team plan to conduct further experimental tests to refine the X-ray deflection technique. Their goal is to enhance the method’s effectiveness through additional laboratory experiments.
