Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2023
Volume 68, Number 6
Minneapolis, Minnesota (Apr 15-18)
Virtual (Apr 24-26); Time Zone: Central Time
Session K07: Defending Earth from AsteroidsInvited Undergrad Friendly
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Sponsoring Units: FPS Chair: Joel Primack, University of California, Santa Cruz Room: MG Salon G - 3rd Floor |
Sunday, April 16, 2023 3:45PM - 4:21PM |
K07.00001: Achieving Early Warning for Near-Earth Object Threats Invited Speaker: Steve R Chesley The hazard posed by Near-Earth Object (NEO) impacts on Earth is an extreme case of a low-likelihood, high consequence event. And yet, this is perhaps the only example of a natural disaster that can be wholly preventable, given appropriate preparation. For this problem the preparation must include both an early warning system and the ability to react in a timely manner to avert the impact. This presentation will focus on the former, starting with a background on the NEO hazard problem, including a primer on NEOs, and a discussion of how often NEOs strike the Earth and what the associated consequences could be. We will then review current and planned efforts to detect and recognize threatening objects as early as possible in order to be able to react in time to prevent any impending collisions. Finally, we will review a few examples of past potential (and actual) impact warnings. |
Sunday, April 16, 2023 4:21PM - 4:57PM |
K07.00002: Planetary Defense in the Age of DART Invited Speaker: Brent Barbee Planetary Defense is the applied science of defending against hazardous asteroid or comet impacts on Earth. It involves a multidisciplinary approach to detecting, tracking, and cataloging such objects; assessing their potential to impact the Earth and cause harm; developing space flight systems to rapidly reconnoiter potentially hazardous objects and prevent Earth impacts when possible; and creating infrastructure both nationally and internationally for effectively executing Planetary Defense, to include emergency disaster response on the ground in the aftermath of an impact. |
Sunday, April 16, 2023 4:57PM - 5:33PM |
K07.00003: The Nuclear Option for Planetary Defense: Some Legal Impediments Invited Speaker: David A Koplow The task of diverting a potentially hazardous asteroid is, of course, overwhelmingly a problem for science and technology, but there are some interesting, intricate legal issues as well. In this session, the key planetary defense questions arising from international law will be presented and parsed, and potential solutions explored. Some of the most profound legal hurdles arise from the potential application of a nuclear explosive device in space; three prominent, widely-adhered-to treaties restrict any such operation. Other unresolved impediments arise from the stringent international legal regime applying strict financial liability for damage, if something goes wrong. International lawyers have addressed these issues and treaty texts, and proposed some not-fully-satisfactory options to be considered in this session. |
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