Posted on 08/24/2007 1:21:38 PM PDT by blam
Jupiter increases risk of comet strike on Earth
11:53 24 August 2007
NewScientist.com news service
David Shiga
Earth experienced an especially heavy bombardment of asteroids and comets early in the solar system's history (Illustration: Julian Baum)
Contrary to prevailing wisdom, Jupiter does not protect Earth from comet strikes. In fact, Earth would suffer fewer impacts without the influence of Jupiter's gravity, a new study says. It could have implications for determining which solar systems are most hospitable to life.
A 1994 study showed that replacing Jupiter with a much smaller planet like Uranus or Neptune would lead to 1000 times as many long-period comets hitting Earth. This led to speculation that complex life would have a hard time developing in solar systems without a Jupiter-like planet because of more intense bombardment by comets.
But a new study by Jonathan Horner and Barrie Jones of Open University in Milton Keynes, UK, shows that if there were no planet at all in Jupiter's orbit, Earth would actually be safer from impacts.
The contradictory results arise because Jupiter affects comets in two different, competing ways. Its gravity helps pull comets into the inner solar system, where they have a chance of hitting Earth, but can also clear away Earth-threatening comets by ejecting them from the solar system altogether, via a gravitational slingshot effect.
Tripled impacts
According to the new study, the worst scenario for Earth is when Jupiter is replaced by a planet with about the mass of Saturn. "[Such a planet] is fairly capable of putting things into an Earth-crossing orbit, but still has some difficulty ejecting them, so they will stay on an Earth-crossing orbit for a much longer time," Horner told New Scientist. The projected result was more than three times as
(Excerpt) Read more at space.newscientist.com ...
Catastrophism Ping.
Were all going to die!!!!!! Soon.
Damn Jovians!
Bushs’ fault
#####Jupiter Increases Risk Of Comet Strike On Earth#####
Then we’re all in agreement.....Jupiter must be destroyed!
OK, Jupiter is going on my list then.
Personally I suspect that Jupiter flings as many comets and asteroids away from the center of the solar system as it flings toward it.
I’m declaring this glass half full.
It’s a catsasstrophy in the making. Bush should order a pre-emptive strike on Jupiter. I never did trust those Jovians. Something about those three eyes looking at me I never did trust.
Conservation, it’s the only solution. We need to turn our economy over to government planners who will regulate consumption. Too much is at stake to even argue about this.
Hurry, buy some Jupiter credits from Algore!!!
Can we at least keep Europa?
Isn’t he a Methodist?
So, what do they want to do about it, destroy Jupiter?
Yeah, like that would solve the problem.
Scientist, can’t live with them, but could we try living without them?
“If there were no planet at all in Jupiter’s orbit, Earth would actually be safer from impacts.”
If there were no planet at all in the solar system, there would be far, far fewer impacts!
Can’t it just be deflated? I mean, being gas and all...
Typical of the Bush administration. After 6 1/2 years, he’s done absolutely nothing to implement the 1994 recommendation that Jupiter be replaced by a smaller gas giant planet. Just like with the Kyoto Protocols...
“Mr. President, the good news is we’ve destroyed Jupiter. The bad news is, we now have a thousand pieces of Jupiter on earth-intersecting trajectories.”
Just when I was coming to grips with the sun swelling up and consuming us, and now this!! I guess I’d better go home and finish off that carton of Blue Bell.
****WARNING! This comment has no real relevance to the subject of the thread WARNING!****
Well heck. We obviously need some legislation to protect us from such nastiness.
Maybe the UN could publish a notice condemning Israel for it’s obvious involvement in the plot.
Will Bushilter McHalibturton stoop to no low in his evil drive to wipe out Amerikkkan freedom to commit treason?
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