Advancements in Nuclear Deflection Simulations for Asteroid Threats

Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a modeling tool that simulates the effects of a nuclear explosion on an asteroid. While nuking a larger asteroid would only break it into pieces, the tool explores the technique of nuclear ablation, where the blast's radiation vaporizes part of the asteroid's surface, generating an explosive thrust and a change in velocity. This could potentially be used as a deflection device to redirect or disrupt an asteroid heading towards Earth. The model considers a wide range of asteroid properties and could provide valuable insights for future planetary defense strategies.