Asteroid Impact Hazards

Asteroid impact hazards - now ranked by severity. A recent study investigated seven known hazards related to the impact of asteroids, and then developed a model to rank of their severity of destruction.

Figure A: Modeled impact locations. Scale represents impact angle where 90 (red) equals vertical imapctor. Figure B: Loss ratios, both land- and water-based as a function of contributing hazard types and impactor size. Winds and shock-waves were found to pose the greatest threats to life resultant from impacting asteroids. after Rumpf et al. 2017, Asteroid impact effects and their immediate hazards for human populations. Geophysical Research Letters.