[meteorite-list] Differentiating comet impact from asteroid impact in planetary imagery

[E.P. Grondine]

Hi all - 

In the recent past (say the last 13,000 years) it
appears that the Earth was pelted by pieces of Comet
Encke. 

The question at hand for me is whether this represents
an unusual situation or the normal situation.

Re: crater chains, Gran is clearly right, we know that
asteroids fragment, and have paired.

But as a general principle, don't comets impact at
higher speeds than asteroids? Without spectroscopic
imagery of great detail, or ground samples from the
Moon, could not the craters themselves reflect those
higher speeds?

E.P. Grondine
Man and Impact in the Americas




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