ANALYSIS OF THE FORMATION OF METEOR CRATER, ARIZONA: A PRELIMINARY REPORT.

Abstract

A theoretical study is made of the cratering process accompanying the impact of a 12,000 ton iron projectile on a semi-infinite half space of soft rock at a velocity of 30 km/sec. The constituents and velocity approximate those involved in the formation of Meteor Crater, Arizona. The assumption is made that the process is hydrodynamic in nature, since the pressures generated so far exceed the strengths of the materials. At these high pressures, the compressibilities of the materials must be taken into account with the result that shocks are generated. The motion is solved by numerical means, and graphs showing details of the motion are presented. The conclusion in this preliminary report is that the meteorite had a mass of between 30,000 and 194,000 tons, the range being due to the uncertainty in the impact velocity. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 06, 1961
Accession Number
AD0636174

Entities

People

  • R. L. Bjork

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ballistics
  • Compressive Properties
  • Cratering
  • Craters
  • High Pressure
  • Impact Point
  • Materials
  • Meteorites
  • Meteors
  • Physical Properties
  • Projectiles
  • Shock
  • Terminal Ballistics
  • Uncertainty

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Orbital Debris