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Comet
Fragments
Comet fragments ranges in size from ten meters (1,000
centimeters) in diameter
with a mass of 10 9
grams (1,000 metric tons) to a millimeter in
diameter with a mass of one milligram. The fragments
are similar to meteors
except the fragments are composed of antimatter.
Their kinetic energy, mass (density 2 grams/cm3),
diameters, & matter-antimatter energy are:
Kinetic Energy
(30 km/sec) |
Mass
(grams) |
Diameter
(centimeters) |
Matter-Antimatter Energy |
| 4.5 x 10
21
ergs |
10 9
g (10 3
MT) |
10 3
cm
(10 m) |
9 x 10 29
ergs |
| 4.5 x 10
18
ergs |
10
6
g (MT) |
10 2
cm
(m) |
9 x 10 26
ergs |
| 4.5 x 10
15 ergs |
10 3
g ( kg) |
10 cm |
9 x 10 23
ergs |
| 4.5 x 10
12
ergs |
1 g |
cm |
9 x 10 20
ergs |
|
4.5 x 10 9
ergs |
10 -3
g |
10 -1
cm |
9 x 10 17
ergs |
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The energy released from matter &
antimatter collisions is 200 million times larger than
the Kinetic Energy
of the particles [2 times (Speed of light divided by 30 kilometers/sec) 2
].
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Comet fragments are created when interstellar dust
particles hit with the comet's nucleus. If a small
asteroids collides with the nucleus,
the
resulting explosion may split the comet into fragments.
Recently a small asteroid collided with
the Comet
LINEAR 1999 S4 and split the comet into dozens of fragments. The
range of fragment sizes from the breakup of the comet
are listed in the above table.
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