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News Review Special EditionBack to the Contents of News Review Special Edition International Developments, October 1 - November 15, 2002Warning over Confusion Between Asteroid, Nuclear ExplosionsOn October 3, the US House of Representatives Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing to consider the issue of 'Near-Earth Object Threat' - in general terms, the threat of natural space objects such as asteroids striking the earth. In his opening statement to the Subcommittee, Brigadier General Simon P. Worden, Deputy Director for Operations in US Strategic Command, pointed to a related and perhaps greater danger, namely the possibility of mistaking the explosion of a near-earth object (NEO) with a nuclear weapon detonation. Worden stated: "Two and a half months ago, Pakistan and India were at full alert and poised for a large-scale war, which both sides appeared ready to escalate into nuclear war. The situation has defused - for now. Most of the world knew about this situation and watched and worried. But few know of an event over the Mediterranean on June 6th of this year that could have had a serious bearing on that outcome. US early warning satellites detected a flash that indicated an energy release comparable to the Hiroshima burst. We see about 30 such bursts per year, but this one was one of the largest we have ever seen. The event was caused by the impact of a small asteroid, probably about 5-10 meters in diameter, on the earth's atmosphere. Had you been situated on a vessel directly underneath, the intensely bright flash would have been followed by a shock wave that would have rattled the entire ship, and possibly caused minor damage. The event of this June received little or no notice as far as we can tell. However, if it had occurred at the same latitude just a few hours earlier, the result on human affairs might have been much worse. Imagine that the bright flash accompanied by a damaging shock wave had occurred over India or Pakistan. To our knowledge, neither of those nations have the sophisticated sensors that can determine the difference between a natural NEO impact and a nuclear detonation. The resulting panic in the nuclear-armed and hair-triggered opposing forces could have been the spark that ignited a nuclear horror we have avoided for over a half century. I've just relayed one aspect of NEOs that should worry us all. As more and more nations acquire nuclear weapons - nations without the sophisticated controls and capabilities built up by the United States over the 40 years of Cold War - we should ensure the 30-odd yearly impacts on the upper atmosphere are well understood by all to be just what they are." Reports: Statement of Brigadier General Simon P. Worden, Deputy Director for Operations, United States Strategic Command, before the House Science Committee Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, [hearing] on Near-Earth Object Threat, October 3, 2002, US House of Representatives' Science Committee transcript (http://www.house.gov); Small asteroid could be mistaken for nuclear blast, Reuters, October 3; Asteroid explosions may be confused with nuclear attacks, Air Force General says, Associated Press, October 3. © 2002 The Acronym Institute. |