Upcoming Astrodynamic Paper on NEO Nuclear Subsurface Explosion

Preliminary Program
(draft dated 14 April 2010)
Kyle T. Alfriend Astrodynamics Symposium
17-19 May 2010, Monterey, California

May 18, 2010
Session 2: Tuesday Afternoon
Chair: Dr. Chris Sabol
Air Force Research Laboratory

13:15
AAS 10 - 308

Earth-Impact Modeling and Analysis of a Near-Earth Object Fragmented and Dispersed by Nuclear Subsurface Explosions

Bong Wie, Iowa State University, David Dearborn, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

This paper describes the orbital dispersion modeling, analysis and simulation of a near-Earth object (NEO) fragmented and dispersed by nuclear subsurface explosions. It is shown that various fundamental approaches of Keplerian orbital dynamics can be effectively used for the orbital dispersion analysis of fragmented NEOs. It is also shown that under certain conditions, proper disruption (i.e., fragmentation and large dispersion) using a nuclear subsurface explosion even with shallow burial (< 5 m) is a feasible strategy providing considerable mitigation if all other approaches failed.

Link: Preliminary Program (Kyle T. Alfriend Astrodynamics Symposium, 17-19 May 2010, Monterey, California)