Scaling Relations for Radiation Effects Due to Impacts of Large Cosmic Objects

Abstract

Asteroids risk models require understanding how an asteroid (or a comet) entering into the atmosphere can harm people and infrastructure. Radiation produced due to the flight of a cosmic object in the atmosphere and due to an emission of a plume is one of the main dangerous consequences of a crater-forming impact. This thermal radiation can be strong enough to be dangerous to people, to ignite fires and even to melt rocks. The effects of the radiation may be estimated based on the data on nuclear explosions or based on the especially elaborated model. Numerical simulation of the impacts of large cosmic objects provides a basis for construction of scaling relations, which allow estimating easily the thermal exposure distribution on the surface and some other important parameters. These scaling relations are useful tool for rapid assessments of hazardous effects of thermal radiation. All scaling relations described in this article are implemented in the developed web-based Calculator for fast assessment of dangerous consequences from the impact of cosmic objects on the Earth.