Defending planet Earth : near-Earth object surveys and hazard mitigation strategies / Committee to Review Near-Earth-Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies ; Space Studies Board ; Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, National Research Council of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee to Review Near-Earth-Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies.

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Space Studies Board.

National Research Council (U.S.). Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Near-Earth objects.

Asteroids--Collisions with Earth.

Asteroids.

Comets--Collisions with Earth.

Comets.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (152 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, c2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"The United States spends approximately $4 million each year searching for near-Earth objects (NEOs). The objective is to detect those that may collide with Earth. The majority of this funding supports the operation of several observatories that scan the sky searching for NEOs. This, however, is insufficient in detecting the majority of NEOs that may present a tangible threat to humanity. A significantly smaller amount of funding supports ways to protect the Earth from such a potential collision or "mitigation." In 2005, a Congressional mandate called for NASA to detect 90 percent of NEOs with diameters of 140 meters of greater by 2020. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies identifies the need for detection of objects as small as 30 to 50 meters as these can be highly destructive. The book explores four main types of mitigation including civil defense, "slow push" or "pull" methods, kinetic impactors and nuclear explosions. It also asserts that responding effectively to hazards posed by NEOs requires national and international cooperation. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies is a useful guide for scientists, astronomers, policy makers and engineers."--Publisher's description.

Contents:

""Front Matter""; ""Dedication""; ""Preface""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""Contents""; ""Summary""; ""1 Introduction""; ""2 Risk Analysis""; ""3 Survey and Detection of Near-Earth Objects""; ""4 Characterization""; ""5 Mitigation""; ""6 Research""; ""7 National and International Coordination and Collaboration""; ""8 Optimal Approaches""; ""Appendixes""; ""Appendix A: Independent Cost Assessment""; ""Appendix B: Letter of Request""; ""Appendix C: Committee, Panel, and Staff Biographical Information""; ""Appendix D: Minority Opinion Mark Boslough, Mitigation Panel Member""

""Appendix E: Glossary and Selected Acronyms""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9786612787324

9780309157216

0309157218

9781282787322

1282787322

9780309149693

030914969X

OCLC:

923281848