You seem much more educated than myself on this, but, off the top of my head, I think there is one thing that would prevent that.....the earths gravity
Ray "chris sharp" wrote: > > Hello all from Terra Australis > > I recently downloaded an interesting article on impact > cratering, 130 > pages with lots of images and discussion on the current > science. > > <a href="http://mail.space.com//jump/http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/CB-954/CB-954.intro.html";>http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/CB-954/CB-954.intro.html</a> > > As all members realize Earth has been impacted many > times in the past > and this article points out that these impacts have > shaped the earth > and its biology much more than was realized in the > past. The article > points out most of the craters have been discovered in > the last 50 > years. > > I have a question for the list: > > Is it possible that a large body with cosmic velocity > could have a > "soft touchdown" on Earth? ie not come in 25km/s and be > explosively > disintegrated by the enormous kinetic energy that comes > with such a > large, high speed mass. > > I could imagine a situation where the relative > velocities between an > impactor and the Earth were <1 km/s so long as the > impactor approached > on the same track as the Earth's orbit around the sun. > > eg Earth's velocity vector is 30km/s, impactor's > velocity vector is > 30.5 km/s in the same direction as the Earths leading > to a net 0.5km/s > which would remain relatively constant as it "drifted" > in, leading to > a relatively "soft landing". > > One example might be the monolith Ayres Rock in Central > Australia. > > chris sharp > (not sure of the current exchange rate but its not > getting any better) > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________ > Meteorite-list mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <a href="http://mail.space.com//jump/http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list";>http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list</a> ___________________________________________________________________ Join the Space Program: Get FREE E-mail at http://www.space.com. ______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
