MadSci Network: Earth Sciences
Query:

Re: Could asteroids be lava bombs from other world volcanic eruptions?

Date: Sun Dec 3 19:42:09 2000
Posted By: Max Wahrhaftig, None
Area of science: Earth Sciences
ID: 974818655.Es
Message:

They could not.  Debris from planets are highly unlikely to reach space, 
though they can.  Remember that in order for something to escape the 
gravity of a planet, it must be propelled with tremendous energy.  Even 
after our giant space shuttles use up tons and tons of fuel to go into 
space, they are still within the Earth's gravity and orbit it.  Have you 
ever seen what it looks like when a volcano erupts?  The magma literally 
seeps out of the Earth's surface, and flows slowly down the mountain.  The 
energy put into moving that liquid rock is just enough to get it out from 
under the crust- nowhere near the propulsion needed to even get it into 
the air.  However, it has occurred that "lava bombs," clumps of magma that 
are actually explosively propelled from the volcano, but they are never 
large enough nor go high enough to reach space.  (thanks to John Christie, 
for that last information)


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