Detection of sporadic impact flashes on the Moon: Implications for the luminous efficiency of hypervelocity impacts and derived terrestrial impact rates

Detection of sporadic impact flashes on the Moon : Implications for the luminous efficiency of hypervelocity impacts and derived terrestrial impact rates

Aceituno, F.J. (author): Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía CSIC, Granada

Aceituno, J. (author): Centro Astronómico Hispano-Alemán de Calar Alto, Almería

Santos-Sanz, P. (author): Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía CSIC, Granada

Trigo-Rodríguez, J.M. (author): Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (CSIC) Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciencies, Bellaterra, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciencies, Bellaterra

Llorca, J. (author): Institut de Tècniques Energètiques, Univ. Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciencies, Bellaterra

Martin-Torres, Javier (author): Analytical Services and Materials Inc., Hampton

Montañés-Rodríguez, P. (author): Big Bear Solar Observatory, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark

Pallé, E. (author): Big Bear Solar Observatory, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark

(creator_code:org_t)

Elsevier BV, 2006
2006
English.
In: Icarus. - : Elsevier BV. - 0019-1035 .- 1090-2643. ; 184:2, s. 319-326

Related links:: https://urn.kb.se/re...; show more...; https://doi.org/10.1...; show less...

Abstract Subject headings

We present the first redundant detection of sporadic impact flashes on the Moon from a systematic survey performed between 2001 and 2004. Our wide-field lunar monitoring allows us to estimate the impact rate of large meteoroids on the Moon as a function of the luminous energy received on Earth. It also shows that some historical well-documented mysterious lunar events fit in a clear impact context. Using these data and traditional values of the luminous efficiency for this kind of event we obtain that the impact rate on Earth of large meteoroids (0.1–10 m) would be at least one order of magnitude larger than currently thought. This discrepancy indicates that the luminous efficiency of the hypervelocity impacts is higher than 10−2, much larger than the common belief, or the latest impact fluxes are somewhat too low, or, most likely, a combination of both. Our nominal analysis implies that on Earth, collisions of bodies with masses larger than 1 kg can be as frequent as 80,000 per year and blasts larger than 15-kton could be as frequent as one per year, but this is highly dependent on the exact choice of the luminous efficiency value. As a direct application of our results, we expect that the impact flash of the SMART-1 spacecraft should be detectable from Earth with medium-sized telescopes.

By the author/editor: Ortiz, J.L.; Aceituno, F.J.; Quesada, J.A.; Aceituno, J.; Fernández, M.; Santos-Sanz, P.; show more...; Trigo-Rodríguez, ...; Llorca, J.; Martin-Torres, J ...; Montañés-Rodrígu ...; Pallé, E.; show less...

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