Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Larry Niven's "Neutron Star"

This 11/13/24 Jerusalem Post article discusses how an upcoming close approach to Earth by Asteroid Apophis will cause significant disruptions on it, including tidally-induced quakes that may resurface Apophis.  This is no surprise.  It will be approaching Roche's Limit which is 2.44 radii of a primary.  Roche figured out that a body with no internal strength (a liquid) will be torn apart by tidal forces at Roche's Limit.

The Larry Niven story referenced above is an entertaining way to understand how tidal forces tear objects apart.  Essentially,  different parts of an object (in Niven's story two explorers) are forced into slightly different orbits around a neutron star with catastrophic effects.

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