Computing Projectile Size from Crater Diameter

Crater Descriptor

Enter the crater diameter in km

Projectile Descriptor

Enter the projectile density in kg/m³

Or specific options
Pull down for options 1000 kg/m^3 for ice 1500 kg/m^3 for porous rock 3000 kg/m^3 for dense rock 8000 kg/m^3 for iron

Impact Conditions

Enter the impact velocity in km/se

Or specific options
Pull down for options 17 km/sec for Earth and Moon asteroidal impacts 50 km/sec for Earth and Moon cometary impacts 72 km/sec for retrograde impactors at Earth (Leonids) 7 km/sec for Martian asteroidal impacts 45 km/sec for Martian cometary impacts 5 km/sec typical asteroid belt impact

Enter the impact angle in degrees

The impact angle is measured between the approach trajectory and a plane tangent to the surface. This angle is 90 degrees for a vertical impact.

Target Descriptors

Enter the target density in kg/m³

Or specific options
Pull down for options 1000 kg/m^3 for ice 1500 kg/m^3 for porous rock 3000 kg/m^3 for dense rock 8000 kg/m^3 for iron

Enter the acceleration of gravity in m/sec²

Or specific options
Pull down for options 3.7 m/sec^2 for Mercury 8.9 m/sec^2 for Venus 9.8 m/sec^2 for Earth 1.6 m/sec^2 for the Moon 3.7 m/sec^2 for Mars 1.8 m/sec^2 for Io 1.3 m/sec^2 for Europa 1.4 m/sec^2 for Ganymede 1.2 m/sec for Callisto 1.4 m/sec for Titan