Impact Hazard Scale

Size of bodyHow Often?
once every		Energy
TNT		 Crater sizeConsequences
30 km109 yr 3x108 Mton 300 km
  • geologically significant impact
  • relax; not likely any more
    • 10 km107 yr 107 Mton 100 km
  • suspended dust for years
  • total darkness for a year
  • massive die-off of vegetation
  • mass extinction
  • i.e. K-T dinosaur extinction
  • we are overdue
    • 1 km100,000 yr 10,000 Mton10 km
  • suspended dust for months
  • lower global temperature
  • agricultural failure
  • ocean hit? Tsunami!
  • mass starvation
  • civilization threat
  • comparable to S-L 9 on Jupiter
    • 100 m1,000 yr 100 Mton1 km
  • damage to ozone layer
  • local incineration
  • local devastation
  • other severe local effects
  • societal chaos
    ...if populated area
    • 20 m50 yr 5 Mton0.2 km
  • local devastation
  • other severe local effects
  • similar to Tunguska