The Seismic Efficiency of Space Body Impacts

Abstract

The numerical analysis of the propagation of shock waves initiated by either a space body striking the Earth’s surface, or underground explosions, allows us to compare the energies required to attain the same amplitudes of shock waves at impacts and explosions. Proceeding from this and based on the data of seismic efficiency of underground explosions, the authors have estimated the fraction of the kinetic energy of a space body transformed into the energy of seismic disturbances when the body strikes the Earth. This fraction is about 10^–3, which is an order of magnitude more than the most common estimates. Space bodies decelerating and collapsing in the atmosphere also generate seismic waves in the ground due to the impact of the air-shock wave on the Earth’s surface. In this case, the seismic efficiency is considerably lower, according to the calculations, it is about 10^–5.