1 00:00:16,630 --> 00:00:14,549 i'd like to welcome everybody to 2 00:00:18,230 --> 00:00:16,640 nasa's guided space flight center 3 00:00:20,790 --> 00:00:18,240 we're holding this uh special briefing 4 00:00:22,710 --> 00:00:20,800 today to discuss the largest fragment of 5 00:00:23,910 --> 00:00:22,720 comet shoemaker levy to strike jupiter 6 00:00:26,150 --> 00:00:23,920 so far 7 00:00:27,830 --> 00:00:26,160 that fragment fragment g 8 00:00:30,070 --> 00:00:27,840 struck the planet early this morning and 9 00:00:31,189 --> 00:00:30,080 has produced some pretty exciting uh 10 00:00:33,590 --> 00:00:31,199 results 11 00:00:35,510 --> 00:00:33,600 with us here are gene shoemaker 12 00:00:36,310 --> 00:00:35,520 co-discoverer of the comet 13 00:00:38,709 --> 00:00:36,320 and 14 00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:38,719 with him heidi hamill of mit 15 00:00:41,590 --> 00:00:39,680 gene 16 00:00:43,590 --> 00:00:41,600 thanks mike 17 00:00:46,069 --> 00:00:43,600 we're really here to hear from heidi 18 00:00:46,950 --> 00:00:46,079 who's got some spectacular stuff to show 19 00:00:50,630 --> 00:00:46,960 you 20 00:00:52,549 --> 00:00:50,640 the principal investigator the leader of 21 00:00:55,029 --> 00:00:52,559 the imaging team 22 00:00:57,029 --> 00:00:55,039 on hubble for these observations so 23 00:00:58,709 --> 00:00:57,039 she's re reporting for 24 00:00:59,750 --> 00:00:58,719 for the team for these very exciting 25 00:01:01,270 --> 00:00:59,760 results 26 00:01:05,109 --> 00:01:01,280 thanks gene 27 00:01:07,270 --> 00:01:05,119 it was just 12 hours ago that g hit 28 00:01:09,109 --> 00:01:07,280 so we've been working very hard in the 29 00:01:10,550 --> 00:01:09,119 last half day to be to be able to bring 30 00:01:12,550 --> 00:01:10,560 you these images 31 00:01:14,469 --> 00:01:12,560 and i'm sure that in a few days we'll 32 00:01:16,390 --> 00:01:14,479 have a lot more to show you right now we 33 00:01:18,630 --> 00:01:16,400 just have black and white pictures no 34 00:01:20,950 --> 00:01:18,640 color just hang on 35 00:01:23,510 --> 00:01:20,960 so i'll just uh cut straight to it and 36 00:01:25,910 --> 00:01:23,520 show you some of the images we were 37 00:01:27,510 --> 00:01:25,920 lucky enough to be observing right when 38 00:01:29,270 --> 00:01:27,520 this thing happened 39 00:01:31,429 --> 00:01:29,280 we have one image before the sequence 40 00:01:33,990 --> 00:01:31,439 which shows nothing then you can see a 41 00:01:36,069 --> 00:01:34,000 tiny tip of the fireball 42 00:01:39,590 --> 00:01:36,079 and just a few minutes later five 43 00:01:41,270 --> 00:01:39,600 minutes later the the plume is growing 44 00:01:42,390 --> 00:01:41,280 three minutes later it's grown even 45 00:01:44,230 --> 00:01:42,400 larger 46 00:01:46,870 --> 00:01:44,240 three minutes after that it seems to 47 00:01:49,429 --> 00:01:46,880 have stabilized reached peak altitude 48 00:01:51,670 --> 00:01:49,439 but started to spread and then we have a 49 00:01:53,510 --> 00:01:51,680 seven minute gap and you can see that 50 00:01:56,230 --> 00:01:53,520 it's completely flattened out into that 51 00:01:58,230 --> 00:01:56,240 pancake again we have about 52 00:02:01,590 --> 00:01:58,240 three or four more images all showing 53 00:02:03,990 --> 00:02:01,600 that that flat pancake just hanging in 54 00:02:05,830 --> 00:02:04,000 there and then we start to see it rotate 55 00:02:08,389 --> 00:02:05,840 onto the disc 56 00:02:11,190 --> 00:02:08,399 we then an hour and a half later took a 57 00:02:13,030 --> 00:02:11,200 series of images with this impact site 58 00:02:15,910 --> 00:02:13,040 rotated onto the disk and i'd like to 59 00:02:18,869 --> 00:02:15,920 show you that particular view right now 60 00:02:20,710 --> 00:02:18,879 we were using the planetary camera and 61 00:02:22,550 --> 00:02:20,720 we can't fit the whole image of jupiter 62 00:02:24,949 --> 00:02:22,560 in the planetary camera because it's 63 00:02:27,670 --> 00:02:24,959 very high resolution camera you can 64 00:02:28,630 --> 00:02:27,680 clearly see the impact site 65 00:02:30,390 --> 00:02:28,640 now 66 00:02:32,630 --> 00:02:30,400 remember a few days ago i showed you a 67 00:02:35,589 --> 00:02:32,640 picture with a box and i said the box 68 00:02:37,910 --> 00:02:35,599 was the size two earth diameters let me 69 00:02:40,630 --> 00:02:37,920 give you a sense of scale here 70 00:02:42,390 --> 00:02:40,640 you can see a little bright ring and if 71 00:02:45,110 --> 00:02:42,400 you could keep the graphic up so people 72 00:02:47,430 --> 00:02:45,120 can see it at the other places 73 00:02:49,589 --> 00:02:47,440 there's a bright spot and there's a 74 00:02:52,229 --> 00:02:49,599 little dark ring you can see around the 75 00:02:54,229 --> 00:02:52,239 spot and then you see a larger sort of 76 00:02:56,869 --> 00:02:54,239 smudge to the south 77 00:02:59,830 --> 00:02:56,879 that little dark ring is 80 percent of 78 00:03:02,550 --> 00:02:59,840 the size of the earth 79 00:03:05,990 --> 00:03:02,560 that large ring that big smudge you 80 00:03:07,589 --> 00:03:06,000 could easily fit the earth inside that 81 00:03:11,350 --> 00:03:07,599 diameter 82 00:03:13,350 --> 00:03:11,360 this is one big impact site 83 00:03:16,229 --> 00:03:13,360 it looks a little oval because we're 84 00:03:17,589 --> 00:03:16,239 very far south and we're also close to 85 00:03:19,589 --> 00:03:17,599 the edge of jupiter so you have an 86 00:03:21,830 --> 00:03:19,599 interesting projection effect let me 87 00:03:23,670 --> 00:03:21,840 show you a blow up of that this is a 88 00:03:25,430 --> 00:03:23,680 blow up in the green wavelength and then 89 00:03:28,470 --> 00:03:25,440 you can see more clearly that ring i was 90 00:03:30,390 --> 00:03:28,480 talking about now when we project that 91 00:03:31,750 --> 00:03:30,400 out as to what it would look like if we 92 00:03:33,830 --> 00:03:31,760 were looking straight on that ring is 93 00:03:36,309 --> 00:03:33,840 perfectly circular 94 00:03:37,750 --> 00:03:36,319 and so is that larger white ring around 95 00:03:46,229 --> 00:03:37,760 it 96 00:03:48,229 --> 00:03:46,239 earlier and so g just barely missed 97 00:03:49,750 --> 00:03:48,239 hitting d and i'll get back to that 98 00:03:50,710 --> 00:03:49,760 effect later on 99 00:03:52,630 --> 00:03:50,720 um 100 00:03:54,229 --> 00:03:52,640 what something very interesting that you 101 00:03:55,190 --> 00:03:54,239 might be able to see in these graphics 102 00:03:57,110 --> 00:03:55,200 is that 103 00:03:59,110 --> 00:03:57,120 as before there's sort of a streak 104 00:04:01,670 --> 00:03:59,120 there's the center of the ring and then 105 00:04:04,070 --> 00:04:01,680 a smudge off to the side very black sort 106 00:04:06,710 --> 00:04:04,080 of thing if you look very carefully now 107 00:04:09,429 --> 00:04:06,720 in that smudge around to the south 108 00:04:11,110 --> 00:04:09,439 you might see rays 109 00:04:13,670 --> 00:04:11,120 you see those rays 110 00:04:16,629 --> 00:04:13,680 okay if you look very carefully you will 111 00:04:19,590 --> 00:04:16,639 notice that those rays do not appear to 112 00:04:21,830 --> 00:04:19,600 point to the center of the ring 113 00:04:24,390 --> 00:04:21,840 they appear to a point they appear to 114 00:04:26,710 --> 00:04:24,400 point towards where that smudge 115 00:04:29,110 --> 00:04:26,720 intersects the ring 116 00:04:30,790 --> 00:04:29,120 that's very interesting 117 00:04:33,110 --> 00:04:30,800 let's show the next image this is a 118 00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:33,120 green image the following image you see 119 00:04:37,189 --> 00:04:35,280 is the methane band image which i've 120 00:04:39,430 --> 00:04:37,199 shown you before remember i talked about 121 00:04:41,350 --> 00:04:39,440 green visual wavelengths it's dark in 122 00:04:43,350 --> 00:04:41,360 the methane band image it's bright and 123 00:04:45,030 --> 00:04:43,360 there you can see this even more clearly 124 00:04:47,189 --> 00:04:45,040 you see those rays that are emanating 125 00:04:49,909 --> 00:04:47,199 from that intersection of the bright 126 00:04:52,710 --> 00:04:49,919 ring and that central streak 127 00:04:55,909 --> 00:04:52,720 we don't know quite what this means yet 128 00:04:57,430 --> 00:04:55,919 but but i have a theory and and i'm sure 129 00:04:58,790 --> 00:04:57,440 everybody has theories but since i'm 130 00:05:00,870 --> 00:04:58,800 here in front of you i'll tell you my 131 00:05:04,790 --> 00:05:00,880 theory and then gene can tell you his 132 00:05:08,390 --> 00:05:04,800 theory uh my theory is this that the the 133 00:05:10,790 --> 00:05:08,400 lower southern portion of that streak 134 00:05:12,710 --> 00:05:10,800 is the impact site itself 135 00:05:15,189 --> 00:05:12,720 and that what happens is this thing 136 00:05:16,870 --> 00:05:15,199 streaks in there keep the graphic up so 137 00:05:19,110 --> 00:05:16,880 people can visualize what i'm saying 138 00:05:21,510 --> 00:05:19,120 here either either color 139 00:05:23,909 --> 00:05:21,520 it's it goes into the lower part and 140 00:05:27,110 --> 00:05:23,919 streaks down into the atmosphere and at 141 00:05:29,270 --> 00:05:27,120 some point it explodes and that cir that 142 00:05:30,870 --> 00:05:29,280 bright circular ring is centered on the 143 00:05:33,270 --> 00:05:30,880 impact site 144 00:05:34,150 --> 00:05:33,280 right then the fireball 145 00:05:35,990 --> 00:05:34,160 comes 146 00:05:38,550 --> 00:05:36,000 portions of the fireball move back out 147 00:05:41,029 --> 00:05:38,560 the impact site and spew out when they 148 00:05:42,950 --> 00:05:41,039 get to the to the top to the hole and 149 00:05:45,670 --> 00:05:42,960 that's why those rays are centered on 150 00:05:46,710 --> 00:05:45,680 the end and not on the center of the 151 00:05:49,029 --> 00:05:46,720 ring 152 00:05:51,350 --> 00:05:49,039 now remind you this is just my theory 153 00:05:53,110 --> 00:05:51,360 and i'm not a theorist i'm an 154 00:05:55,590 --> 00:05:53,120 observational astronomer but that's what 155 00:05:57,189 --> 00:05:55,600 the observations sure look like to me 156 00:05:59,110 --> 00:05:57,199 now the question is why is that whole 157 00:06:00,870 --> 00:05:59,120 streak bright 158 00:06:03,670 --> 00:06:00,880 and that could very well be that that 159 00:06:05,350 --> 00:06:03,680 whole tube is just very very very hot 160 00:06:07,270 --> 00:06:05,360 and it's ionized and 161 00:06:09,430 --> 00:06:07,280 and gene might tell you later that that 162 00:06:11,430 --> 00:06:09,440 all of it's rising but that some of it 163 00:06:13,909 --> 00:06:11,440 spews out the end there 164 00:06:16,150 --> 00:06:13,919 so so that's my that's my personal 165 00:06:18,230 --> 00:06:16,160 theory about what that image shows but 166 00:06:19,990 --> 00:06:18,240 we're going to have to do a lot of work 167 00:06:21,590 --> 00:06:20,000 before we can say for sure that's what's 168 00:06:24,150 --> 00:06:21,600 really happening 169 00:06:30,230 --> 00:06:25,590 the 170 00:06:33,029 --> 00:06:30,240 was probably about 25 times larger than 171 00:06:35,350 --> 00:06:33,039 that first impact we showed you and that 172 00:06:38,390 --> 00:06:35,360 jives very well with the sizes of these 173 00:06:39,510 --> 00:06:38,400 things this is a much larger splotch on 174 00:06:41,830 --> 00:06:39,520 jupiter 175 00:06:44,550 --> 00:06:41,840 and very likely this splotch will be 176 00:06:45,909 --> 00:06:44,560 spreading out as the days go by one 177 00:06:47,430 --> 00:06:45,919 interesting thing that i don't have a 178 00:06:49,909 --> 00:06:47,440 graphic to show you but i'll share with 179 00:06:52,390 --> 00:06:49,919 you is in one of our wavelengths 180 00:06:55,110 --> 00:06:52,400 we can tell that this material is very 181 00:06:57,830 --> 00:06:55,120 very thin this big that big brown smudge 182 00:07:00,150 --> 00:06:57,840 the the black eye on jupiter as it were 183 00:07:02,070 --> 00:07:00,160 that smudge is very thin because we can 184 00:07:02,950 --> 00:07:02,080 see the bands of jupiter right through 185 00:07:07,350 --> 00:07:02,960 it 186 00:07:09,189 --> 00:07:07,360 so 187 00:07:11,189 --> 00:07:09,199 i think that's about all i have to say 188 00:07:13,510 --> 00:07:11,199 right now we're going to be working very 189 00:07:16,710 --> 00:07:13,520 hard over the next few days to analyze 190 00:07:18,870 --> 00:07:16,720 these data and i should add that we are 191 00:07:21,029 --> 00:07:18,880 not the only observatory in the world 192 00:07:23,589 --> 00:07:21,039 watching this many observatories around 193 00:07:25,670 --> 00:07:23,599 the country have been focused on this 194 00:07:27,510 --> 00:07:25,680 and are reporting very exciting results 195 00:07:29,430 --> 00:07:27,520 in the infrared they've been studying 196 00:07:32,390 --> 00:07:29,440 that plume in the infrared they're 197 00:07:34,070 --> 00:07:32,400 seeing the spot in the infrared 198 00:07:35,749 --> 00:07:34,080 all over the world people are tracking 199 00:07:37,510 --> 00:07:35,759 this 200 00:07:39,990 --> 00:07:37,520 okay thanks heidi 201 00:07:42,070 --> 00:07:40,000 uh i wonder if you want to mention 202 00:07:43,749 --> 00:07:42,080 uh the actual height the maximum height 203 00:07:45,270 --> 00:07:43,759 that we see above the limb there i don't 204 00:07:47,830 --> 00:07:45,280 think you may that's a good thing to 205 00:07:50,309 --> 00:07:47,840 mention um in that plume when we saw 206 00:07:52,790 --> 00:07:50,319 where it peaked out at some level 207 00:07:56,869 --> 00:07:52,800 that we looks like we are seeing that 208 00:07:59,189 --> 00:07:56,879 about 2 200 kilometers above the limb of 209 00:08:01,909 --> 00:07:59,199 jupiter and i'll remind you that the 210 00:08:05,189 --> 00:08:01,919 impact sequence we showed a few whenever 211 00:08:06,150 --> 00:08:05,199 it was yesterday um there you go that 212 00:08:08,070 --> 00:08:06,160 only 213 00:08:10,830 --> 00:08:08,080 got about a little over a thousand 214 00:08:13,510 --> 00:08:10,840 kilometers so this is a factor of two 215 00:08:16,790 --> 00:08:13,520 higher okay great 216 00:08:19,110 --> 00:08:16,800 uh i'd like to make a uh 217 00:08:21,430 --> 00:08:19,120 heidi mentioned the energies 218 00:08:23,670 --> 00:08:21,440 and we sort of had a top of the 219 00:08:25,189 --> 00:08:23,680 head estimate of the energy this morning 220 00:08:26,629 --> 00:08:25,199 which i hadn't had a chance to actually 221 00:08:29,189 --> 00:08:26,639 calculate out i like to make a 222 00:08:31,749 --> 00:08:29,199 correction for everybody 223 00:08:33,430 --> 00:08:31,759 because we were multiplying by the wrong 224 00:08:35,509 --> 00:08:33,440 number to begin with it doesn't change 225 00:08:36,870 --> 00:08:35,519 our estimates of the sizes of the 226 00:08:40,149 --> 00:08:36,880 objects 227 00:08:42,790 --> 00:08:40,159 or the energy in ergs but it is a change 228 00:08:44,550 --> 00:08:42,800 if you want to put it into megatons so 229 00:08:46,870 --> 00:08:44,560 our best estimate or my best estimate 230 00:08:49,829 --> 00:08:46,880 for the energy for g 231 00:08:52,230 --> 00:08:49,839 uh is not the 250 million megatons we 232 00:08:53,670 --> 00:08:52,240 mentioned this morning but it's six 233 00:08:56,470 --> 00:08:53,680 6 million 234 00:08:58,470 --> 00:08:56,480 megatons that's still a lot of megatons 235 00:09:00,230 --> 00:08:58,480 but please make that correction and 236 00:09:02,790 --> 00:09:00,240 correspondingly for 237 00:09:06,870 --> 00:09:02,800 for a the real number should be about 238 00:09:09,750 --> 00:09:06,880 225 000 megatons that's still a lot of 239 00:09:12,630 --> 00:09:09,760 megatons uh but those uh that's just 240 00:09:14,630 --> 00:09:12,640 just a slip uh in in the ballpark 241 00:09:15,590 --> 00:09:14,640 estimate i made earlier so please 242 00:09:18,630 --> 00:09:15,600 correct 243 00:09:20,949 --> 00:09:18,640 uh those numbers if you will 244 00:09:23,190 --> 00:09:20,959 mike we'll turn it back to you okay 245 00:09:24,470 --> 00:09:23,200 we'll take questions now and uh later 246 00:09:26,870 --> 00:09:24,480 see if there are questions from any 247 00:09:28,470 --> 00:09:26,880 other nasa centers uh please wait for 248 00:09:31,910 --> 00:09:28,480 the mic and state your name and 249 00:09:34,310 --> 00:09:33,350 bob cook newsday you mentioned there 250 00:09:35,910 --> 00:09:34,320 might be so you're going to talk 251 00:09:39,430 --> 00:09:35,920 something about the interaction between 252 00:09:41,350 --> 00:09:39,440 g and d perhaps that's great um actually 253 00:09:42,710 --> 00:09:41,360 that was a teaser so someone asked me 254 00:09:44,310 --> 00:09:42,720 this question because i have something 255 00:09:46,790 --> 00:09:44,320 that i want to talk about that's even 256 00:09:49,430 --> 00:09:46,800 more exciting and that is some of you 257 00:09:52,790 --> 00:09:49,440 have heard about the q impact q used to 258 00:09:54,230 --> 00:09:52,800 be the brightest one before g took over 259 00:09:55,990 --> 00:09:54,240 and for a lot when we were doing our 260 00:09:58,470 --> 00:09:56,000 planning sequences early on we were 261 00:09:59,430 --> 00:09:58,480 planning on q as our primary target not 262 00:10:00,389 --> 00:09:59,440 g 263 00:10:02,470 --> 00:10:00,399 well 264 00:10:04,790 --> 00:10:02,480 when q goes in and i don't remember the 265 00:10:06,230 --> 00:10:04,800 time the date some sometime tomorrow or 266 00:10:07,590 --> 00:10:06,240 the next day 267 00:10:08,710 --> 00:10:07,600 a very interesting thing is going to 268 00:10:11,829 --> 00:10:08,720 happen 269 00:10:15,110 --> 00:10:11,839 q is going to go in and exactly one 270 00:10:18,150 --> 00:10:15,120 jovian rotation later 10 hours 271 00:10:21,269 --> 00:10:18,160 r is going to hit right next to the very 272 00:10:24,710 --> 00:10:21,279 same longitude as q 273 00:10:26,949 --> 00:10:24,720 and one jovian rotation after that s is 274 00:10:27,990 --> 00:10:26,959 going to hit the same longitude on 275 00:10:30,710 --> 00:10:28,000 jupiter 276 00:10:32,389 --> 00:10:30,720 so you're going to have three boom boom 277 00:10:34,949 --> 00:10:32,399 boom right on the very 278 00:10:36,630 --> 00:10:34,959 very small range of longitude 279 00:10:38,630 --> 00:10:36,640 and that is going to make one heck of a 280 00:10:40,150 --> 00:10:38,640 mess 281 00:10:42,310 --> 00:10:40,160 well we're really looking forward to 282 00:10:44,310 --> 00:10:42,320 that that's the um 283 00:10:45,990 --> 00:10:44,320 well not messes but we're looking 284 00:10:48,069 --> 00:10:46,000 forward to some really interesting 285 00:10:49,110 --> 00:10:48,079 chemistry because what that means is you 286 00:10:50,470 --> 00:10:49,120 know you're not just taking the 287 00:10:52,790 --> 00:10:50,480 atmosphere and stirring it up a little 288 00:10:55,750 --> 00:10:52,800 bit you're really stirring the 289 00:10:57,670 --> 00:10:55,760 atmosphere up a lot so that that'll be 290 00:10:59,430 --> 00:10:57,680 very interesting and that's that's why i 291 00:11:01,350 --> 00:10:59,440 mentioned those the proximity of those 292 00:11:03,110 --> 00:11:01,360 two impact sites 293 00:11:07,590 --> 00:11:03,120 bill 294 00:11:11,430 --> 00:11:07,600 one the the very clearly defined ring 295 00:11:13,190 --> 00:11:11,440 around the central thing 296 00:11:15,430 --> 00:11:13,200 great question awfully sharply defined 297 00:11:17,509 --> 00:11:15,440 and the other one is if you can see the 298 00:11:19,190 --> 00:11:17,519 cloud bands below the smudge you're 299 00:11:21,350 --> 00:11:19,200 seeing through it i suppose 300 00:11:22,949 --> 00:11:21,360 is there no wind at all at the altitude 301 00:11:24,470 --> 00:11:22,959 these things are would you expect that 302 00:11:25,430 --> 00:11:24,480 to change pretty rapidly if it's that 303 00:11:28,389 --> 00:11:25,440 thin 304 00:11:30,790 --> 00:11:28,399 all right great question that ring 305 00:11:32,470 --> 00:11:30,800 there are some theorists who would love 306 00:11:34,389 --> 00:11:32,480 to believe that that ring is an 307 00:11:36,150 --> 00:11:34,399 atmospheric wave 308 00:11:37,590 --> 00:11:36,160 it's too small to be a seismic wave but 309 00:11:39,829 --> 00:11:37,600 it could be one of these atmospheric 310 00:11:41,590 --> 00:11:39,839 waves that many theorists have been been 311 00:11:43,990 --> 00:11:41,600 predicting andy ingersoll and tim 312 00:11:46,790 --> 00:11:44,000 dowling and joe harrington 313 00:11:49,910 --> 00:11:46,800 they would love to believe that now 314 00:11:52,870 --> 00:11:49,920 if that ring expands then we'll believe 315 00:11:55,190 --> 00:11:52,880 it's a wave if that ring does not expand 316 00:11:57,670 --> 00:11:55,200 with time i'm talking about if it does 317 00:11:59,509 --> 00:11:57,680 not expand with time then we have to go 318 00:12:01,350 --> 00:11:59,519 back to the drawing board 319 00:12:03,350 --> 00:12:01,360 we're waiting to get the next sequence 320 00:12:05,110 --> 00:12:03,360 of images down so that we see what 321 00:12:07,990 --> 00:12:05,120 happens to that ring 322 00:12:08,870 --> 00:12:08,000 so it may be a wave it may not time will 323 00:12:11,350 --> 00:12:08,880 tell 324 00:12:13,670 --> 00:12:11,360 the other question was about the wind 325 00:12:15,829 --> 00:12:13,680 speed this image was only taken an hour 326 00:12:17,509 --> 00:12:15,839 and a half after the impact so in an 327 00:12:19,430 --> 00:12:17,519 hour and a half the winds aren't strong 328 00:12:21,350 --> 00:12:19,440 enough to perturb it on the scales that 329 00:12:23,910 --> 00:12:21,360 we're seeing here 330 00:12:26,470 --> 00:12:23,920 certainly over the next few days we will 331 00:12:28,310 --> 00:12:26,480 be watching all that material 332 00:12:30,710 --> 00:12:28,320 very closely to see how the winds 333 00:12:32,230 --> 00:12:30,720 distribute it and it will be distributed 334 00:12:34,389 --> 00:12:32,240 there's no question 335 00:12:36,310 --> 00:12:34,399 how do you want to mention that it looks 336 00:12:39,350 --> 00:12:36,320 as though some of the material in the 337 00:12:40,870 --> 00:12:39,360 spot from the a impact is being smeared 338 00:12:41,990 --> 00:12:40,880 out that's a good point gene yeah it 339 00:12:44,310 --> 00:12:42,000 does look like that in some of our 340 00:12:47,110 --> 00:12:44,320 recent images the the a impact site is 341 00:12:48,550 --> 00:12:47,120 not as crisp and sharp as it once was it 342 00:12:50,949 --> 00:12:48,560 looks kind of 343 00:12:52,790 --> 00:12:50,959 messy so as that material gets followed 344 00:12:54,949 --> 00:12:52,800 in fact it will be a very nice tracer 345 00:12:56,710 --> 00:12:54,959 for the velocities of these upper 346 00:12:58,870 --> 00:12:56,720 atmosphere winds for which there 347 00:13:00,550 --> 00:12:58,880 actually is no previous information so 348 00:13:02,230 --> 00:13:00,560 very important information about jupiter 349 00:13:03,829 --> 00:13:02,240 will come up from that 350 00:13:05,350 --> 00:13:03,839 take a question over here yeah i have 351 00:13:06,470 --> 00:13:05,360 two questions one can you estimate the 352 00:13:08,949 --> 00:13:06,480 distance between 353 00:13:11,590 --> 00:13:08,959 that d impact site and the new one the g 354 00:13:13,350 --> 00:13:11,600 one and also this morning john clark 355 00:13:15,110 --> 00:13:13,360 showed us uv um 356 00:13:17,430 --> 00:13:15,120 images that show that these impact sites 357 00:13:18,870 --> 00:13:17,440 when imaging the uv are much bigger than 358 00:13:20,550 --> 00:13:18,880 they are visually 359 00:13:22,550 --> 00:13:20,560 you suspect the same is true of this and 360 00:13:24,389 --> 00:13:22,560 that it is in fact even larger the area 361 00:13:25,829 --> 00:13:24,399 of disturbances in 362 00:13:28,310 --> 00:13:25,839 uv 363 00:13:30,069 --> 00:13:28,320 well i'll answer the second part first 364 00:13:32,470 --> 00:13:30,079 we'll wait and see when we get some uv 365 00:13:34,870 --> 00:13:32,480 images for sure it sure looks like that 366 00:13:37,030 --> 00:13:34,880 from the other three impact sites so 367 00:13:38,150 --> 00:13:37,040 probably yes probably it will be larger 368 00:13:39,110 --> 00:13:38,160 in the uv 369 00:13:40,790 --> 00:13:39,120 and 370 00:13:42,949 --> 00:13:40,800 what was the first question what's the 371 00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:42,959 what's the separation yeah can we do 372 00:13:48,629 --> 00:13:46,880 that yes we can have we done it not yet 373 00:13:50,069 --> 00:13:48,639 we'll get to it 374 00:13:53,430 --> 00:13:50,079 maybe they've done it already by the 375 00:13:57,990 --> 00:13:55,190 we'll take a question back here 376 00:13:59,750 --> 00:13:58,000 uh hi john rutherford with nbc can you 377 00:14:01,189 --> 00:13:59,760 talk about the uh what kind of impact 378 00:14:03,750 --> 00:14:01,199 this would have on earth if these things 379 00:14:05,670 --> 00:14:03,760 were hitting earth instead of jupiter 380 00:14:07,269 --> 00:14:05,680 well i i told gene i'd get them up here 381 00:14:09,590 --> 00:14:07,279 to answer that question well let me just 382 00:14:11,350 --> 00:14:09,600 point out again the scale remember that 383 00:14:13,590 --> 00:14:11,360 the earth is 384 00:14:15,189 --> 00:14:13,600 you know about the size of that ring you 385 00:14:17,910 --> 00:14:15,199 saw all right 386 00:14:19,189 --> 00:14:17,920 so the the scale the physical scale of 387 00:14:21,350 --> 00:14:19,199 this effect 388 00:14:23,189 --> 00:14:21,360 is terrestrial 389 00:14:25,750 --> 00:14:23,199 it's that big 390 00:14:28,069 --> 00:14:25,760 you know i i i wouldn't want to be on 391 00:14:29,670 --> 00:14:28,079 earth if one of these pieces landed on 392 00:14:31,670 --> 00:14:29,680 earth 393 00:14:33,590 --> 00:14:31,680 if you were going to ask what's the size 394 00:14:35,269 --> 00:14:33,600 crater this would made on on the earth 395 00:14:37,189 --> 00:14:35,279 if we're right about our estimate of the 396 00:14:38,470 --> 00:14:37,199 size and the energy 397 00:14:41,590 --> 00:14:38,480 if it hit 398 00:14:43,910 --> 00:14:41,600 a continent it would make a 60 kilometer 399 00:14:45,430 --> 00:14:43,920 diameter crater there abouts well how 400 00:14:47,509 --> 00:14:45,440 does that compare to the size of a state 401 00:14:49,269 --> 00:14:47,519 for example rhode island oh it's about 402 00:14:50,949 --> 00:14:49,279 40 well it would it would pretty well 403 00:14:52,389 --> 00:14:50,959 the crater would pretty well cover rhode 404 00:14:53,269 --> 00:14:52,399 island yes 405 00:14:54,949 --> 00:14:53,279 uh 406 00:14:57,189 --> 00:14:54,959 the and the other thing is if you look 407 00:14:59,430 --> 00:14:57,199 at the size of of the material that's 408 00:15:01,430 --> 00:14:59,440 actually spread out and remember that's 409 00:15:04,150 --> 00:15:01,440 now gone up very high that would just go 410 00:15:06,150 --> 00:15:04,160 out ballistically all over the earth it 411 00:15:08,150 --> 00:15:06,160 it's enveloped the earth 412 00:15:11,269 --> 00:15:08,160 completely enveloped it's gone all over 413 00:15:13,670 --> 00:15:11,279 the earth so so that the material that's 414 00:15:16,069 --> 00:15:13,680 blown out of that crater 415 00:15:18,710 --> 00:15:16,079 would essentially blanket the earth with 416 00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:18,720 a layer of fine debris that would just 417 00:15:23,910 --> 00:15:20,880 block sunlight you just get dark all 418 00:15:26,710 --> 00:15:25,110 right over here 419 00:15:27,910 --> 00:15:26,720 uh this is mark caro the houston 420 00:15:30,870 --> 00:15:27,920 chronicle 421 00:15:33,189 --> 00:15:30,880 regarding the sequence of three 422 00:15:35,829 --> 00:15:33,199 that happened every 12 hours later in 423 00:15:37,990 --> 00:15:35,839 the week could you is it possible to be 424 00:15:40,150 --> 00:15:38,000 a little more descriptive about how 425 00:15:41,350 --> 00:15:40,160 close those would be together and in 426 00:15:43,350 --> 00:15:41,360 some 427 00:15:45,350 --> 00:15:43,360 you said the same latitude but i didn't 428 00:15:47,829 --> 00:15:45,360 know that you meant the same 429 00:15:49,829 --> 00:15:47,839 quarter of the planet or stretched 430 00:15:51,509 --> 00:15:49,839 you know one third of the way around 431 00:15:53,269 --> 00:15:51,519 okay it's every 10 hours it's every 432 00:15:54,389 --> 00:15:53,279 jovian rotation 433 00:15:55,269 --> 00:15:54,399 and 434 00:15:59,269 --> 00:15:55,279 um 435 00:16:00,949 --> 00:15:59,279 they're very close in longitude 436 00:16:02,790 --> 00:16:00,959 on jupiter all of these are close in 437 00:16:05,030 --> 00:16:02,800 latitude they're all in the same band 438 00:16:06,550 --> 00:16:05,040 around the planet what these are 439 00:16:08,230 --> 00:16:06,560 striking about that group of three 440 00:16:10,949 --> 00:16:08,240 coming up is that they're all close in 441 00:16:12,790 --> 00:16:10,959 longitude and i i can't remember the 442 00:16:14,870 --> 00:16:12,800 number off the top of my head i think it 443 00:16:17,430 --> 00:16:14,880 might be within 10 degrees 444 00:16:20,069 --> 00:16:17,440 certainly all if they have sizes 445 00:16:22,389 --> 00:16:20,079 comparable to say a or 446 00:16:23,910 --> 00:16:22,399 c or e which we've we saw 447 00:16:28,949 --> 00:16:23,920 earlier this morning 448 00:16:33,189 --> 00:16:30,550 okay we've we've got a question right 449 00:16:36,790 --> 00:16:35,269 deborah savarenko at reuters this is a 450 00:16:38,069 --> 00:16:36,800 really elementary question but my 451 00:16:41,030 --> 00:16:38,079 editors have been asking and i haven't 452 00:16:43,430 --> 00:16:41,040 come up with a good response 453 00:16:45,430 --> 00:16:43,440 i need to make clear to our readers the 454 00:16:47,509 --> 00:16:45,440 difference in size between earth and 455 00:16:51,110 --> 00:16:47,519 jupiter how many more times 456 00:16:53,030 --> 00:16:51,120 bigger is jupiter than earth 457 00:16:55,030 --> 00:16:53,040 well i like to put it in terms of the 458 00:16:56,230 --> 00:16:55,040 great red spot the storm you see on 459 00:16:58,230 --> 00:16:56,240 jupiter 460 00:17:00,550 --> 00:16:58,240 you're familiar with the red spot you 461 00:17:03,110 --> 00:17:00,560 could fit two earths there it is you 462 00:17:05,990 --> 00:17:03,120 could fit two earths inside that red 463 00:17:09,829 --> 00:17:07,590 that 464 00:17:12,949 --> 00:17:09,839 how many do you know the number the 465 00:17:15,829 --> 00:17:12,959 diameter is about 12 times greater for 466 00:17:19,110 --> 00:17:15,839 jupiter 12 times 12 earth diameters 467 00:17:30,150 --> 00:17:21,029 paul 468 00:17:33,190 --> 00:17:30,160 in jupiter's black eye there the pupil 469 00:17:34,950 --> 00:17:33,200 of it there is a white spot uh 470 00:17:36,630 --> 00:17:34,960 i noticed in the earlier earlier 471 00:17:39,029 --> 00:17:36,640 pictures do you have any idea what that 472 00:17:40,470 --> 00:17:39,039 white spot is an artifact or is that uh 473 00:17:42,150 --> 00:17:40,480 i'd have to see the graphic to know 474 00:17:43,190 --> 00:17:42,160 exactly what you're talking about see 475 00:17:45,190 --> 00:17:43,200 that uh 476 00:17:47,430 --> 00:17:45,200 right right above the pupil there i 477 00:17:49,590 --> 00:17:47,440 would guess that's just a cosmic ray we 478 00:17:52,150 --> 00:17:49,600 that's a an instrumental effect in the 479 00:17:54,549 --> 00:17:52,160 detector it's not a real white it's not 480 00:17:55,990 --> 00:17:54,559 a white spot okay i'll look at it we 481 00:17:58,390 --> 00:17:56,000 didn't have time to really clean these 482 00:17:59,830 --> 00:17:58,400 images in the last 10 hours and i want 483 00:18:02,630 --> 00:17:59,840 to make very sure i understand the 484 00:18:04,390 --> 00:18:02,640 comparative sizes here uh in fact this 485 00:18:05,669 --> 00:18:04,400 is this is three concentric rings you 486 00:18:07,909 --> 00:18:05,679 got a dark 487 00:18:10,230 --> 00:18:07,919 um element in the very center then you 488 00:18:11,430 --> 00:18:10,240 got you got a very uh uh nearly perfect 489 00:18:13,350 --> 00:18:11,440 ring around it and then you got the 490 00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:13,360 smudge on the outside the earth is the 491 00:18:18,390 --> 00:18:16,480 size of what exactly of those three okay 492 00:18:20,310 --> 00:18:18,400 i'll give you some numbers to chew on 493 00:18:23,350 --> 00:18:20,320 well can you just compare it to that 494 00:18:25,270 --> 00:18:23,360 yeah well yeah the the 495 00:18:29,669 --> 00:18:25,280 the earth is a little bit larger than 496 00:18:31,190 --> 00:18:29,679 that the black ring the sharp black ring 497 00:18:33,909 --> 00:18:31,200 the earth is a little bit larger than 498 00:18:37,990 --> 00:18:33,919 the sharp black ring but the earth is 499 00:18:43,029 --> 00:18:38,000 smaller than the whole smudge area 500 00:18:48,150 --> 00:18:45,909 on the far end over right over here 501 00:18:50,710 --> 00:18:48,160 uh david chandler from the boston globe 502 00:18:53,110 --> 00:18:50,720 um i know when these images first came 503 00:18:54,950 --> 00:18:53,120 in saturday night you were surprised to 504 00:18:56,710 --> 00:18:54,960 see black smudges rather than white 505 00:18:57,909 --> 00:18:56,720 smudges and i don't know if i've missed 506 00:18:59,590 --> 00:18:57,919 something in between but what's your 507 00:19:02,710 --> 00:18:59,600 best thinking at this point about why 508 00:19:04,310 --> 00:19:02,720 these smudges are black 509 00:19:07,190 --> 00:19:04,320 i think our 510 00:19:08,549 --> 00:19:07,200 the theories are are numerous um 511 00:19:11,029 --> 00:19:08,559 many people 512 00:19:14,470 --> 00:19:11,039 are theorizing that a lot of what we're 513 00:19:16,230 --> 00:19:14,480 seeing is is some commentary material 514 00:19:17,270 --> 00:19:16,240 comets are very dark 515 00:19:19,430 --> 00:19:17,280 and 516 00:19:21,590 --> 00:19:19,440 it also might be material from jupiter 517 00:19:23,990 --> 00:19:21,600 that's deeper down that we're not used 518 00:19:25,270 --> 00:19:24,000 to seeing higher up and that material 519 00:19:26,470 --> 00:19:25,280 could very well be a very different 520 00:19:27,830 --> 00:19:26,480 color 521 00:19:29,270 --> 00:19:27,840 i don't have a very good answer for that 522 00:19:31,750 --> 00:19:29,280 question right now 523 00:19:33,270 --> 00:19:31,760 i think i was surprised because 524 00:19:38,630 --> 00:19:33,280 most of the 525 00:19:41,510 --> 00:19:38,640 on these outer planets that i'm aware of 526 00:19:43,029 --> 00:19:41,520 tend to be white and bright and so 527 00:19:47,510 --> 00:19:43,039 that's why i expected them to be that 528 00:19:50,870 --> 00:19:49,270 in the plume picture that you showed 529 00:19:53,270 --> 00:19:50,880 today and as well as on the earlier 530 00:19:55,750 --> 00:19:53,280 plume pictures you see a bright plume 531 00:19:57,590 --> 00:19:55,760 and then there's a dark region before 532 00:20:00,630 --> 00:19:57,600 the limb of the planet 533 00:20:02,630 --> 00:20:00,640 why why is there that dark region great 534 00:20:04,390 --> 00:20:02,640 question there's two reasons there's 535 00:20:08,150 --> 00:20:04,400 there's a dark region there the first is 536 00:20:10,950 --> 00:20:08,160 that we're seeing the crescent 537 00:20:14,230 --> 00:20:10,960 of the shadow of jupiter jupiter is not 538 00:20:16,230 --> 00:20:14,240 fully illuminated okay the sun is a 539 00:20:18,549 --> 00:20:16,240 little bit off to an angle about 10 540 00:20:20,630 --> 00:20:18,559 degrees so there's a little tiny sliver 541 00:20:22,950 --> 00:20:20,640 that's unilluminated just like we see 542 00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:22,960 the moon in the sky has pieces that 543 00:20:26,150 --> 00:20:25,200 aren't always illuminated that's part of 544 00:20:28,149 --> 00:20:26,160 it 545 00:20:29,990 --> 00:20:28,159 but the other part is that these plumes 546 00:20:32,950 --> 00:20:30,000 are so high 547 00:20:34,470 --> 00:20:32,960 that the shadow of jupiter 548 00:20:36,549 --> 00:20:34,480 just a little sliver of the shadow of 549 00:20:40,070 --> 00:20:36,559 jupiter itself 550 00:20:42,310 --> 00:20:40,080 is is illuminating is is preventing the 551 00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:42,320 sunlight from reaching that 552 00:20:47,029 --> 00:20:43,919 and we're doing some calculations right 553 00:20:49,510 --> 00:20:47,039 now to tell you very precise heights of 554 00:20:52,470 --> 00:20:49,520 these things we're working on it right 555 00:20:55,110 --> 00:20:52,480 now but most of that is the 556 00:20:57,350 --> 00:20:55,120 limb of the planet a good way to look is 557 00:21:00,870 --> 00:20:57,360 the bottom image if you could put the 558 00:21:03,430 --> 00:21:00,880 graphic up the bottom image you see the 559 00:21:06,230 --> 00:21:03,440 edge of jupiter and then you see that 560 00:21:08,549 --> 00:21:06,240 smear the pancake that pancake is 561 00:21:10,710 --> 00:21:08,559 sitting on the planet okay that 562 00:21:12,789 --> 00:21:10,720 pancake's not floating in outer space 563 00:21:15,110 --> 00:21:12,799 the pancake is in the atmosphere and 564 00:21:17,830 --> 00:21:15,120 that thin little strip there 565 00:21:22,870 --> 00:21:17,840 that is the that's the 566 00:21:26,710 --> 00:21:24,310 question over here 567 00:21:28,549 --> 00:21:26,720 yes jan smith with fox television in 568 00:21:30,789 --> 00:21:28,559 revising this morning's estimate of the 569 00:21:32,789 --> 00:21:30,799 power of the explosion how do you now 570 00:21:35,029 --> 00:21:32,799 compare it to the size of the world's 571 00:21:37,510 --> 00:21:35,039 bomb arsenal 572 00:21:40,630 --> 00:21:39,029 putting it in megadens i didn't really 573 00:21:41,510 --> 00:21:40,640 change my estimate of the energy i just 574 00:21:44,390 --> 00:21:41,520 made it 575 00:21:45,990 --> 00:21:44,400 error in converting it to megatons and i 576 00:21:48,390 --> 00:21:46,000 guess we have a little disagreement the 577 00:21:51,990 --> 00:21:48,400 number i've always used as the world's 578 00:21:53,830 --> 00:21:52,000 arsenals is 10 000 megatons but there 579 00:21:56,310 --> 00:21:53,840 are other numbers floating around and i 580 00:21:58,390 --> 00:21:56,320 guess the real number is still a state 581 00:22:00,950 --> 00:21:58,400 secret 582 00:22:02,230 --> 00:22:00,960 so i've used what's been commonly used 583 00:22:04,230 --> 00:22:02,240 in some of the literature at ten 584 00:22:06,390 --> 00:22:04,240 thousand megatons so 585 00:22:09,990 --> 00:22:06,400 uh if you compare that with the energy 586 00:22:13,430 --> 00:22:10,000 for new our estimate of nucleus a 587 00:22:15,830 --> 00:22:13,440 nucleus a energy is about 20 times that 588 00:22:18,390 --> 00:22:15,840 now i've heard bandied about just in 589 00:22:20,149 --> 00:22:18,400 this room in the last half hour a much 590 00:22:23,270 --> 00:22:20,159 higher figure for the nuclear arsenal 591 00:22:25,029 --> 00:22:23,280 something like about 80 000 megatons so 592 00:22:26,789 --> 00:22:25,039 then it would only be about a factor of 593 00:22:29,909 --> 00:22:26,799 three higher 594 00:22:32,310 --> 00:22:29,919 when you get to six million megatons 595 00:22:35,029 --> 00:22:32,320 that's a whole lot higher i mean that's 596 00:22:36,310 --> 00:22:35,039 getting in the ballpark of 400 or 500 597 00:22:38,230 --> 00:22:36,320 times the 598 00:22:39,590 --> 00:22:38,240 what i think is the more conventional 599 00:22:42,630 --> 00:22:39,600 published estimate of the world's 600 00:22:47,029 --> 00:22:42,640 nuclear arsenal 601 00:22:50,710 --> 00:22:48,710 chris leach nhk 602 00:22:53,110 --> 00:22:50,720 what was the the actual size of the 603 00:22:55,190 --> 00:22:53,120 fragment and also what was the the time 604 00:22:56,789 --> 00:22:55,200 that the fragment actually impacted into 605 00:22:58,789 --> 00:22:56,799 jupiter 606 00:23:01,270 --> 00:22:58,799 those are two questions for which we 607 00:23:02,470 --> 00:23:01,280 would very much like to have the answers 608 00:23:03,830 --> 00:23:02,480 to 609 00:23:06,950 --> 00:23:03,840 um 610 00:23:08,630 --> 00:23:06,960 the time betw between uh well the time 611 00:23:10,390 --> 00:23:08,640 of that first image that i showed you 612 00:23:13,590 --> 00:23:10,400 with the tiny tip of the plume was 613 00:23:15,909 --> 00:23:13,600 sticking over that was 7 33 614 00:23:18,310 --> 00:23:15,919 that probably happened that image 615 00:23:20,630 --> 00:23:18,320 probably occurred within say five 616 00:23:22,390 --> 00:23:20,640 minutes of the impact itself i would 617 00:23:25,990 --> 00:23:22,400 guess there's probably only a delay of a 618 00:23:28,149 --> 00:23:26,000 couple of minutes right so so 7 33 619 00:23:30,549 --> 00:23:28,159 minus five minutes somewhere in that 620 00:23:31,590 --> 00:23:30,559 time period is when the impact occurred 621 00:23:32,710 --> 00:23:31,600 and 622 00:23:35,029 --> 00:23:32,720 i can't remember the other question 623 00:23:38,710 --> 00:23:36,950 we still don't know the sizes of these 624 00:23:40,789 --> 00:23:38,720 fragments i think if hal were here he'd 625 00:23:42,310 --> 00:23:40,799 probably say that this was three three 626 00:23:44,789 --> 00:23:42,320 kilometer body 627 00:23:45,750 --> 00:23:44,799 i i would say the height of the plume 628 00:23:47,669 --> 00:23:45,760 now 629 00:23:50,149 --> 00:23:47,679 based on the modeling that we've done 630 00:23:52,710 --> 00:23:50,159 for a one kilometer impactor is 631 00:23:54,950 --> 00:23:52,720 consistent with that in other words 632 00:23:56,950 --> 00:23:54,960 you know that that that estimate by hal 633 00:24:00,070 --> 00:23:56,960 weaver for of three kilometers looks 634 00:24:02,549 --> 00:24:00,080 looks pretty golden to me 635 00:24:06,710 --> 00:24:02,559 uh universal time right eastern daylight 636 00:24:11,029 --> 00:24:06,720 time that was uh subtract four hours 637 00:24:18,310 --> 00:24:12,789 okay can we take a question in the far 638 00:24:23,590 --> 00:24:20,950 jim reston for esquire i have two 639 00:24:26,470 --> 00:24:23,600 questions if you could see the full 640 00:24:27,830 --> 00:24:26,480 plume without the shadow 641 00:24:28,789 --> 00:24:27,840 would it mimic 642 00:24:33,750 --> 00:24:28,799 the 643 00:24:38,470 --> 00:24:35,190 we don't think so 644 00:24:40,950 --> 00:24:38,480 no what happens in this case is that 645 00:24:42,310 --> 00:24:40,960 the plume is erupting from substantial 646 00:24:44,630 --> 00:24:42,320 depth 647 00:24:46,470 --> 00:24:44,640 uh and so there is a column that goes 648 00:24:48,870 --> 00:24:46,480 down below the cloud tops that you don't 649 00:24:51,029 --> 00:24:48,880 see but what we see at the surface is 650 00:24:53,909 --> 00:24:51,039 just this big bump that comes up 651 00:24:56,310 --> 00:24:53,919 initially now as it flattens out it will 652 00:24:59,110 --> 00:24:56,320 kind of get kind of mushroom mushroomy 653 00:25:01,669 --> 00:24:59,120 out at the edges so that there is a gap 654 00:25:04,789 --> 00:25:01,679 between the bottom of that 655 00:25:06,630 --> 00:25:04,799 and the and the ammonia cloud deck 656 00:25:08,390 --> 00:25:06,640 and you can really in fact you could i 657 00:25:11,029 --> 00:25:08,400 think you could actually see that it's 658 00:25:13,750 --> 00:25:11,039 very high that pancake's very high up as 659 00:25:15,590 --> 00:25:13,760 you saw in that last frame and if also 660 00:25:18,070 --> 00:25:15,600 we noticed that the plume was somewhat 661 00:25:20,149 --> 00:25:18,080 asymmetric and i think that's because 662 00:25:22,630 --> 00:25:20,159 this is a directional 663 00:25:25,029 --> 00:25:22,640 thing this this this thing the comet 664 00:25:27,110 --> 00:25:25,039 pieces are not coming straight down onto 665 00:25:29,269 --> 00:25:27,120 the atmosphere they're coming in at some 666 00:25:31,029 --> 00:25:29,279 angle and 667 00:25:33,669 --> 00:25:31,039 so in that sense it's a very different 668 00:25:35,669 --> 00:25:33,679 kind of morphology different shape and 669 00:25:37,750 --> 00:25:35,679 also in the little scenario i sketched 670 00:25:39,909 --> 00:25:37,760 for you earlier um the plume doesn't 671 00:25:42,549 --> 00:25:39,919 really necessarily rise straight up it 672 00:25:44,710 --> 00:25:42,559 might come out that too blows outside it 673 00:25:46,070 --> 00:25:44,720 blows out sideways 674 00:25:49,029 --> 00:25:46,080 maybe 675 00:25:51,190 --> 00:25:49,039 the second question is 676 00:25:53,669 --> 00:25:51,200 when these three 677 00:25:56,230 --> 00:25:53,679 fragments hit in the same location q r 678 00:25:57,830 --> 00:25:56,240 and s does that increase the chances of 679 00:25:59,669 --> 00:25:57,840 a cyclone effect 680 00:26:01,750 --> 00:25:59,679 or an anticyclone that could be 681 00:26:04,710 --> 00:26:01,760 permanent i'll tell you the answer to 682 00:26:06,630 --> 00:26:04,720 that in about two or three days 683 00:26:10,070 --> 00:26:06,640 after it happens 684 00:26:12,230 --> 00:26:10,080 it does increase it or it has no effect 685 00:26:13,990 --> 00:26:12,240 i really can't even speculate at this 686 00:26:16,230 --> 00:26:14,000 point none of this stuff is something 687 00:26:16,950 --> 00:26:16,240 that that we had expected to really see 688 00:26:19,350 --> 00:26:16,960 so 689 00:26:21,350 --> 00:26:19,360 um we're we're moving well into the 690 00:26:23,269 --> 00:26:21,360 realm of speculation certainly it's 691 00:26:25,990 --> 00:26:23,279 going to disturb the atmosphere a lot 692 00:26:27,029 --> 00:26:26,000 more than a single impact on one site 693 00:26:29,750 --> 00:26:27,039 would 694 00:26:31,830 --> 00:26:29,760 i won't go much further than that though 695 00:26:33,269 --> 00:26:31,840 okay we've got uh we've got time for one 696 00:26:35,669 --> 00:26:33,279 more question before we go to the jet 697 00:26:40,789 --> 00:26:35,679 propulsion laboratory 698 00:26:46,630 --> 00:26:43,590 an automotive kyodo news service uh i 699 00:26:48,230 --> 00:26:46,640 heard that japanese radio astronomers 700 00:26:49,430 --> 00:26:48,240 reported that 701 00:26:50,310 --> 00:26:49,440 they 702 00:26:51,269 --> 00:26:50,320 had 703 00:26:55,110 --> 00:26:51,279 seen 704 00:26:58,789 --> 00:26:55,120 some something which indicates that 705 00:27:01,510 --> 00:26:58,799 the fragment broke into two pieces uh 706 00:27:03,590 --> 00:27:01,520 before impact and i'm wondering whether 707 00:27:05,510 --> 00:27:03,600 the irregular shape 708 00:27:06,870 --> 00:27:05,520 has something to do with that would you 709 00:27:09,110 --> 00:27:06,880 comment on that 710 00:27:13,190 --> 00:27:09,120 i saw a report on the internet about 711 00:27:15,350 --> 00:27:13,200 some unusual radio signals and 712 00:27:18,230 --> 00:27:15,360 all i can say to that is that the 713 00:27:22,070 --> 00:27:18,240 signature of this impact the g 714 00:27:24,470 --> 00:27:22,080 is very very similar to that scene for a 715 00:27:27,430 --> 00:27:24,480 c and e the ones that we have good 716 00:27:30,390 --> 00:27:27,440 images of so far does not appear to be 717 00:27:33,750 --> 00:27:30,400 anything other than a solid single 718 00:27:36,870 --> 00:27:33,760 main body or explosion or rubber rubble 719 00:27:38,070 --> 00:27:36,880 pile it seems to be only one that i i 720 00:27:40,230 --> 00:27:38,080 wanted to make sure to mention that 721 00:27:41,990 --> 00:27:40,240 other site nearby to make sure that you 722 00:27:44,470 --> 00:27:42,000 understood that that was an old impact 723 00:27:46,789 --> 00:27:44,480 site that it was not related to g 724 00:27:48,390 --> 00:27:46,799 so it doesn't look like a double one 725 00:27:49,510 --> 00:27:48,400 from these images 726 00:27:51,909 --> 00:27:49,520 okay we're going to go to the jet 727 00:27:53,990 --> 00:27:51,919 propulsion laboratory now 728 00:27:56,870 --> 00:27:54,000 jpl if you'd please state your name and 729 00:28:00,830 --> 00:27:56,880 affiliation before asking your question 730 00:28:05,590 --> 00:28:03,190 ahead you said you had some actual 731 00:28:07,590 --> 00:28:05,600 numbers on the sizes of the spot and the 732 00:28:09,750 --> 00:28:07,600 rings and the spot and the smudge 733 00:28:14,070 --> 00:28:09,760 i wonder what those are can you can you 734 00:28:19,110 --> 00:28:17,110 uh am i coming through now okay this is 735 00:28:20,630 --> 00:28:19,120 robert lee host of the los angeles times 736 00:28:22,549 --> 00:28:20,640 uh you mentioned a moment ago that you 737 00:28:25,190 --> 00:28:22,559 had some actual numbers 738 00:28:27,029 --> 00:28:25,200 on the uh estimated sizes of the spot 739 00:28:28,710 --> 00:28:27,039 and the ring and the smudge 740 00:28:30,070 --> 00:28:28,720 uh i wonder if we could hear those 741 00:28:31,909 --> 00:28:30,080 numbers and then i have two quick 742 00:28:33,430 --> 00:28:31,919 follow-ups 743 00:28:35,750 --> 00:28:33,440 all right these are very very 744 00:28:38,870 --> 00:28:35,760 preliminary preliminary we haven't had 745 00:28:42,230 --> 00:28:38,880 much time to do detailed analysis 746 00:28:44,470 --> 00:28:42,240 for our first cut analysis the diameter 747 00:28:46,310 --> 00:28:44,480 of the black ring and if you show the 748 00:28:48,310 --> 00:28:46,320 blow up version they'll have a better 749 00:28:50,070 --> 00:28:48,320 idea of what i'm talking about 750 00:28:52,070 --> 00:28:50,080 or the white ring if you have a methane 751 00:28:55,830 --> 00:28:52,080 image available 752 00:28:59,190 --> 00:28:55,840 the diameter of that sharp thin ring is 753 00:28:59,990 --> 00:28:59,200 about 7 500 kilometers 754 00:29:02,389 --> 00:29:00,000 and 755 00:29:03,350 --> 00:29:02,399 the diameter of the 756 00:29:07,350 --> 00:29:03,360 white 757 00:29:10,470 --> 00:29:07,360 ring surrounding that the inside of the 758 00:29:12,789 --> 00:29:10,480 black eye as it were that's about 759 00:29:17,110 --> 00:29:12,799 15 thousand four hundred and fifty 760 00:29:22,630 --> 00:29:19,510 are there any other questions yes 761 00:29:24,389 --> 00:29:22,640 just two quick uh follow-ups um 762 00:29:25,909 --> 00:29:24,399 i wonder uh 763 00:29:27,510 --> 00:29:25,919 and perhaps this is for gene shoemaker 764 00:29:31,110 --> 00:29:27,520 if you could compare 765 00:29:32,070 --> 00:29:31,120 uh in your mind the uh size and energy 766 00:29:34,389 --> 00:29:32,080 of this 767 00:29:37,430 --> 00:29:34,399 fragment to the object that is believed 768 00:29:40,230 --> 00:29:37,440 to have caused the chixel upgrader 769 00:29:41,909 --> 00:29:40,240 okay the minimum size of the chigzelub 770 00:29:44,789 --> 00:29:41,919 crater and it's still a matter of 771 00:29:47,269 --> 00:29:44,799 controversy the full crater i prefer the 772 00:29:50,470 --> 00:29:47,279 to use the minimum value which is about 773 00:29:53,110 --> 00:29:50,480 180 kilometers in diameter 774 00:29:56,149 --> 00:29:53,120 so we're talking about something that's 775 00:29:58,230 --> 00:29:56,159 uh three times smaller 776 00:30:03,110 --> 00:29:58,240 and the energy 777 00:30:04,630 --> 00:30:03,120 here then is 27 roughly about 27 times 778 00:30:05,990 --> 00:30:04,640 less 779 00:30:08,789 --> 00:30:06,000 so this is uh 780 00:30:12,310 --> 00:30:08,799 this is a big event uh but it still 781 00:30:17,190 --> 00:30:14,870 do we have any more questions from jpl 782 00:30:19,110 --> 00:30:17,200 for us the level of uh internet email 783 00:30:23,350 --> 00:30:19,120 traffic that you're seeing how crowded 784 00:30:27,430 --> 00:30:24,470 well 785 00:30:29,350 --> 00:30:27,440 we have a a an email distribution 786 00:30:31,430 --> 00:30:29,360 network set up for the professional 787 00:30:33,990 --> 00:30:31,440 astronomy community and that is actually 788 00:30:36,549 --> 00:30:34,000 working extraordinarily well people are 789 00:30:39,430 --> 00:30:36,559 being very concise about reporting their 790 00:30:42,630 --> 00:30:39,440 observations and therefore we are we 791 00:30:44,070 --> 00:30:42,640 have in our parlance very high signal to 792 00:30:45,590 --> 00:30:44,080 noise 793 00:30:47,269 --> 00:30:45,600 a very good amount of information is 794 00:30:49,590 --> 00:30:47,279 coming through 795 00:30:51,350 --> 00:30:49,600 i when i saw there this morning that 796 00:30:53,830 --> 00:30:51,360 that one of the um 797 00:30:56,630 --> 00:30:53,840 images from the irtf showing the g 798 00:30:59,190 --> 00:30:56,640 impact plume was posted on one of the 799 00:31:01,909 --> 00:30:59,200 mosaic bulletin boards i tried to 800 00:31:03,750 --> 00:31:01,919 connect and i could not get through and 801 00:31:05,909 --> 00:31:03,760 they said that there was so much traffic 802 00:31:08,470 --> 00:31:05,919 um on the networks trying to reach some 803 00:31:09,990 --> 00:31:08,480 of these very popular sites that that uh 804 00:31:12,070 --> 00:31:10,000 you know things are getting there 805 00:31:14,070 --> 00:31:12,080 there's a big traffic jam on the 806 00:31:15,669 --> 00:31:14,080 information super highway right now but 807 00:31:17,269 --> 00:31:15,679 this is an extraordinary event i think 808 00:31:21,590 --> 00:31:17,279 that's why normally we don't have that 809 00:31:26,389 --> 00:31:23,510 are there any more questions from jpm 810 00:31:27,590 --> 00:31:26,399 blackburn kcop tv in los angeles are you 811 00:31:29,590 --> 00:31:27,600 getting any 812 00:31:31,430 --> 00:31:29,600 readings yet to tell you the depth to 813 00:31:33,750 --> 00:31:31,440 which these 814 00:31:35,110 --> 00:31:33,760 impacts are going and or does it look 815 00:31:38,070 --> 00:31:35,120 pretty much as though it's staying very 816 00:31:39,509 --> 00:31:38,080 high in the atmosphere of jupiter 817 00:31:41,509 --> 00:31:39,519 i don't think we have a good answer for 818 00:31:43,669 --> 00:31:41,519 that question yet we're working on that 819 00:31:45,110 --> 00:31:43,679 that kind of a question 820 00:31:46,549 --> 00:31:45,120 you know we know something more about 821 00:31:48,310 --> 00:31:46,559 the heights because we can see them 822 00:31:50,470 --> 00:31:48,320 sticking away from jupiter it's awfully 823 00:31:53,750 --> 00:31:50,480 hard to know about probing deep 824 00:31:55,590 --> 00:31:53,760 one thing that will tell us for sure 825 00:31:57,269 --> 00:31:55,600 is some spectroscopy that's being 826 00:31:59,990 --> 00:31:57,279 planned by many telescopes around the 827 00:32:02,310 --> 00:32:00,000 world including the irtf including the 828 00:32:04,950 --> 00:32:02,320 kuiper airborne observatory and many 829 00:32:07,350 --> 00:32:04,960 others looking for water the signature 830 00:32:09,029 --> 00:32:07,360 of water if we see that 831 00:32:10,149 --> 00:32:09,039 then we will know 832 00:32:12,070 --> 00:32:10,159 how far 833 00:32:14,070 --> 00:32:12,080 at least that particular 834 00:32:15,909 --> 00:32:14,080 explosion went how far deep that 835 00:32:18,230 --> 00:32:15,919 impacting body went because we 836 00:32:21,190 --> 00:32:18,240 hypothesized the level at which the 837 00:32:23,110 --> 00:32:21,200 water clouds reside we can't see it it's 838 00:32:26,070 --> 00:32:23,120 below the visible cloud deck so that'll 839 00:32:27,909 --> 00:32:26,080 be a clue as to the depth it could be 840 00:32:28,950 --> 00:32:27,919 too that from these images we might be 841 00:32:30,870 --> 00:32:28,960 able to pull out some of this 842 00:32:33,509 --> 00:32:30,880 information that's going to take some 843 00:32:36,230 --> 00:32:33,519 very clever thinking on our part and on 844 00:32:38,630 --> 00:32:36,240 the part of the modelers to pull this 845 00:32:41,509 --> 00:32:38,640 all together and and make a coherent 846 00:32:44,149 --> 00:32:41,519 story i think we're still 847 00:32:47,830 --> 00:32:44,159 far too premature to be able to answer 848 00:32:52,470 --> 00:32:50,470 walter richards of ktla los angeles i 849 00:32:55,350 --> 00:32:52,480 have two questions would anything be 850 00:32:57,830 --> 00:32:55,360 left of jupiter once this is all over 851 00:32:59,909 --> 00:32:57,840 and uh what impact 852 00:33:03,990 --> 00:32:59,919 would be what would the impact be on los 853 00:33:06,710 --> 00:33:05,509 i i think jupiter is going to hang in 854 00:33:08,789 --> 00:33:06,720 there 855 00:33:11,269 --> 00:33:08,799 it's pretty big planet and we're seeing 856 00:33:13,110 --> 00:33:11,279 these these big splotches and black eyes 857 00:33:15,269 --> 00:33:13,120 and bruises i feel sorry for jupiter 858 00:33:16,470 --> 00:33:15,279 it's really getting pummeled but but i i 859 00:33:19,029 --> 00:33:16,480 think it's going to hang in there and 860 00:33:21,830 --> 00:33:19,039 the bruises will fade after some period 861 00:33:23,509 --> 00:33:21,840 of time which which we don't know yet 862 00:33:28,549 --> 00:33:23,519 i'll turn the los angeles question over 863 00:33:32,710 --> 00:33:30,630 well if this 60 kilometer crater is the 864 00:33:35,110 --> 00:33:32,720 right estimate i think it's pretty good 865 00:33:37,590 --> 00:33:35,120 and you put a bullseye over 866 00:33:40,549 --> 00:33:37,600 city hall in los angeles that's going to 867 00:33:43,350 --> 00:33:40,559 take out everything in the crater 868 00:33:45,190 --> 00:33:43,360 it'll it'll take out all of la county 869 00:33:51,350 --> 00:33:45,200 and in fact i just wouldn't want to be 870 00:33:55,750 --> 00:33:52,950 okay if there are no more questions from 871 00:33:58,149 --> 00:33:55,760 jpl we'll go to a marshall space flight 872 00:34:00,070 --> 00:33:58,159 center uh once again please uh state 873 00:34:02,710 --> 00:34:00,080 your name and affiliation before asking 874 00:34:06,870 --> 00:34:05,269 um oh this is masahiro takimura a 875 00:34:08,950 --> 00:34:06,880 science writer for japanese newspaper 876 00:34:12,790 --> 00:34:08,960 the yo miri shimbun i have questions 877 00:34:17,109 --> 00:34:12,800 about the impact energy of fragments 878 00:34:22,790 --> 00:34:17,909 the 879 00:34:25,750 --> 00:34:22,800 cubit radius of 880 00:34:28,629 --> 00:34:25,760 a fragment when the impact velocity is 881 00:34:30,470 --> 00:34:28,639 the same is it all right 882 00:34:32,550 --> 00:34:30,480 yes that's right the impact energy is 883 00:34:36,869 --> 00:34:32,560 proportional the cube of the radius and 884 00:34:43,109 --> 00:34:39,829 do you have the estimated 885 00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:43,119 figure of energy in terms of tnt 886 00:34:47,510 --> 00:34:45,760 which is caused by the 887 00:34:50,069 --> 00:34:47,520 impacts of all the 888 00:34:52,950 --> 00:34:50,079 all the fragments of the 889 00:34:59,990 --> 00:34:56,310 well you can start to add them up 890 00:35:03,430 --> 00:35:00,000 we've seen perhaps the biggest 891 00:35:07,670 --> 00:35:03,440 i'd multiply that by 892 00:35:09,430 --> 00:35:07,680 a factor of uh maybe six to eight 893 00:35:10,950 --> 00:35:09,440 might give us the total some somewhere 894 00:35:13,670 --> 00:35:10,960 in that ballpark 895 00:35:15,109 --> 00:35:13,680 so we're we're talking about something 896 00:35:17,750 --> 00:35:15,119 of the order 897 00:35:19,510 --> 00:35:17,760 of 40 million 898 00:35:20,790 --> 00:35:19,520 megatons perhaps 899 00:35:22,470 --> 00:35:20,800 of energy 900 00:35:24,950 --> 00:35:22,480 very rough ballpark 901 00:35:28,069 --> 00:35:24,960 give that a slosh of at least a factor 902 00:35:29,990 --> 00:35:28,079 of 10 million megatons either way or 903 00:35:33,190 --> 00:35:30,000 more because we you know we're just 904 00:35:34,550 --> 00:35:33,200 going on what we've seen so far 905 00:35:36,310 --> 00:35:34,560 okay we're going to leave marshall and 906 00:35:43,589 --> 00:35:36,320 come back here to goddard to take any 907 00:35:46,630 --> 00:35:45,510 um it's kind of an elementary school 908 00:35:47,430 --> 00:35:46,640 question but 909 00:35:49,589 --> 00:35:47,440 since 910 00:35:50,550 --> 00:35:49,599 um jupiter is so much more massive than 911 00:35:52,390 --> 00:35:50,560 earth 912 00:35:53,910 --> 00:35:52,400 and gravity is pulling these guys in 913 00:35:55,270 --> 00:35:53,920 therefore it's got a stronger stronger 914 00:35:57,670 --> 00:35:55,280 gravity 915 00:35:59,349 --> 00:35:57,680 wouldn't the comparable mass hit 916 00:36:02,150 --> 00:35:59,359 jupiter with greater 917 00:36:05,589 --> 00:36:02,160 velocity and therefore energy than than 918 00:36:09,510 --> 00:36:07,430 if i understand your question is if you 919 00:36:11,030 --> 00:36:09,520 have the same mass 920 00:36:12,710 --> 00:36:11,040 one's falling in jupiter and one's 921 00:36:14,790 --> 00:36:12,720 falling on earth would you get would it 922 00:36:16,870 --> 00:36:14,800 have more energy is that the question 923 00:36:18,790 --> 00:36:16,880 we have more energy on jupiter because 924 00:36:20,470 --> 00:36:18,800 jupiter has a larger mass and therefore 925 00:36:22,950 --> 00:36:20,480 exactly 926 00:36:24,470 --> 00:36:22,960 uh jupiter is accelerating these objects 927 00:36:26,870 --> 00:36:24,480 as they come in 928 00:36:28,390 --> 00:36:26,880 and in fact the the velocity with which 929 00:36:30,150 --> 00:36:28,400 these fragments are hitting jupiter 930 00:36:32,790 --> 00:36:30,160 essentially is the escape velocity from 931 00:36:33,910 --> 00:36:32,800 jupiter's very and that's 60 kilometers 932 00:36:36,310 --> 00:36:33,920 per second 933 00:36:38,230 --> 00:36:36,320 whereas uh if you had an object that 934 00:36:40,710 --> 00:36:38,240 just fell in at the escape velocity on 935 00:36:42,790 --> 00:36:40,720 the earth that's only 11.2 kilometers 936 00:36:45,109 --> 00:36:42,800 per second and the energy's going is the 937 00:36:46,950 --> 00:36:45,119 square of the difference so it's it's a 938 00:36:50,069 --> 00:36:46,960 factor of five and a half or something 939 00:36:52,069 --> 00:36:50,079 like that square it so it's a factor of 940 00:36:54,710 --> 00:36:52,079 difference of 30 in the energy that you 941 00:36:57,430 --> 00:36:54,720 would get if so something just falls in 942 00:37:00,069 --> 00:36:57,440 at the escape velocity 943 00:37:02,870 --> 00:37:00,079 uh this is mark of houston chronicle i 944 00:37:05,109 --> 00:37:02,880 think i appreciate how optimally the 945 00:37:06,870 --> 00:37:05,119 planet was turned to get this picture 946 00:37:09,829 --> 00:37:06,880 but i'm just curious 947 00:37:12,310 --> 00:37:09,839 if this impact had had happened sooner 948 00:37:13,910 --> 00:37:12,320 would it have been on the far side and 949 00:37:15,030 --> 00:37:13,920 you would have missed it is there any 950 00:37:17,510 --> 00:37:15,040 kind of a 951 00:37:20,870 --> 00:37:17,520 a timing you can give us as to how how 952 00:37:22,870 --> 00:37:20,880 lucky you were to capture this thing 953 00:37:25,670 --> 00:37:22,880 well there the impacts are always 954 00:37:27,829 --> 00:37:25,680 occurring on the far side timing is 955 00:37:29,910 --> 00:37:27,839 irrelevant because they're coming in on 956 00:37:33,109 --> 00:37:29,920 a line that always is the same 957 00:37:33,829 --> 00:37:33,119 orientation relative for us and jupiter 958 00:37:35,510 --> 00:37:33,839 so 959 00:37:38,630 --> 00:37:35,520 it wouldn't matter if it came in earlier 960 00:37:41,109 --> 00:37:38,640 late we would never be able to see it 961 00:37:42,630 --> 00:37:41,119 in terms of the timing of the imaging 962 00:37:46,150 --> 00:37:42,640 that we took 963 00:37:48,870 --> 00:37:46,160 that for for our program was really 964 00:37:51,270 --> 00:37:48,880 limited by the rotation of the hubble 965 00:37:53,910 --> 00:37:51,280 the um the hubble space telescopes orbit 966 00:37:56,069 --> 00:37:53,920 around the earth it orbits every 96 967 00:37:58,069 --> 00:37:56,079 minutes and obviously we can only look 968 00:38:00,150 --> 00:37:58,079 at it at jupiter when the space 969 00:38:02,310 --> 00:38:00,160 telescope is on the side of the earth 970 00:38:04,710 --> 00:38:02,320 that jupiter is visible you can't look 971 00:38:07,270 --> 00:38:04,720 through the earth so 972 00:38:09,910 --> 00:38:07,280 in some sense we have been extremely 973 00:38:12,150 --> 00:38:09,920 lucky to have captured three of these 974 00:38:14,950 --> 00:38:12,160 impact events in the middle of one of 975 00:38:18,550 --> 00:38:14,960 the hubble's visibility windows 976 00:38:20,790 --> 00:38:18,560 and it's almost by definition if if that 977 00:38:23,670 --> 00:38:20,800 impact plume is visible 978 00:38:26,230 --> 00:38:23,680 then one and a half hours later we'll be 979 00:38:27,829 --> 00:38:26,240 able to take a picture of the site on 980 00:38:30,470 --> 00:38:27,839 just on the disk of the planet because 981 00:38:31,349 --> 00:38:30,480 that's how fast jupiter rotates 982 00:38:33,990 --> 00:38:31,359 so 983 00:38:35,589 --> 00:38:34,000 we were fortunate to have the hubble in 984 00:38:37,589 --> 00:38:35,599 the right place at the right time to be 985 00:38:38,950 --> 00:38:37,599 able to capture this one we couldn't 986 00:38:40,870 --> 00:38:38,960 have done anything if the hubble had 987 00:38:42,470 --> 00:38:40,880 been on the other side of the earth 988 00:38:45,270 --> 00:38:42,480 i think part of the answer the question 989 00:38:46,790 --> 00:38:45,280 heidi is that we already had very good 990 00:38:48,550 --> 00:38:46,800 predictions 991 00:38:51,670 --> 00:38:48,560 of the impact times they were they were 992 00:38:53,990 --> 00:38:51,680 certainly good to within 15 minutes 993 00:38:57,349 --> 00:38:54,000 and so that that was extraordinarily 994 00:38:59,910 --> 00:38:57,359 important in the timing and the planning 995 00:39:01,190 --> 00:38:59,920 for uh for these images that was a very 996 00:39:02,950 --> 00:39:01,200 essential part 997 00:39:04,950 --> 00:39:02,960 not really gene 998 00:39:08,069 --> 00:39:04,960 because we we had to do the planning in 999 00:39:10,630 --> 00:39:08,079 the sequences many weeks ago months ago 1000 00:39:11,910 --> 00:39:10,640 and the impact times were not well known 1001 00:39:13,510 --> 00:39:11,920 and the hubble's orbit was not 1002 00:39:15,510 --> 00:39:13,520 particularly well known either because 1003 00:39:18,550 --> 00:39:15,520 that has to be adjusted fairly 1004 00:39:21,750 --> 00:39:18,560 frequently and so at in some sense it 1005 00:39:24,710 --> 00:39:21,760 was potluck and and as as the predicts 1006 00:39:26,950 --> 00:39:24,720 were coming in and changing forward 1007 00:39:28,870 --> 00:39:26,960 backwards for they would be hopping in 1008 00:39:30,950 --> 00:39:28,880 and out of orbits and i'd be getting 1009 00:39:33,670 --> 00:39:30,960 very nervous and then i'd be very happy 1010 00:39:35,750 --> 00:39:33,680 and i'd be nervous again and and so i 1011 00:39:36,950 --> 00:39:35,760 ended up being very happy but but you 1012 00:39:39,030 --> 00:39:36,960 certainly were doing your initial 1013 00:39:40,870 --> 00:39:39,040 planning based based on that of course 1014 00:39:42,710 --> 00:39:40,880 from the chodest and yeoman's pre-that's 1015 00:39:44,230 --> 00:39:42,720 right but there were victims but it was 1016 00:39:45,910 --> 00:39:44,240 but there was a lot of luck that it came 1017 00:39:47,670 --> 00:39:45,920 out a lot of luck we've been very 1018 00:39:54,829 --> 00:39:47,680 fortunate 1019 00:39:59,829 --> 00:39:57,510 here tracy watson u.s news and world 1020 00:40:01,510 --> 00:39:59,839 report first of all um i'd heard that 1021 00:40:04,710 --> 00:40:01,520 looking at the plume may indicate 1022 00:40:07,190 --> 00:40:04,720 sometime what the composition of the 1023 00:40:08,470 --> 00:40:07,200 impactors was and will eventually tell 1024 00:40:10,230 --> 00:40:08,480 us whether it really was a comet or 1025 00:40:11,270 --> 00:40:10,240 whether it was an asteroid how long do 1026 00:40:13,430 --> 00:40:11,280 you think it'll take you to come out 1027 00:40:15,510 --> 00:40:13,440 with that kind of information 1028 00:40:17,990 --> 00:40:15,520 i'm not sure we'll get that information 1029 00:40:19,990 --> 00:40:18,000 from the plume itself although we'll 1030 00:40:21,910 --> 00:40:20,000 have to think about that for a while i 1031 00:40:23,430 --> 00:40:21,920 think it's more likely that kind of 1032 00:40:25,349 --> 00:40:23,440 information is going to come from 1033 00:40:28,150 --> 00:40:25,359 spectroscopy 1034 00:40:30,470 --> 00:40:28,160 of the impact sites the fresh impact 1035 00:40:33,030 --> 00:40:30,480 sites and that work will be done with a 1036 00:40:35,030 --> 00:40:33,040 variety of instruments hubble is one of 1037 00:40:37,510 --> 00:40:35,040 them in fact we had a very exciting 1038 00:40:39,430 --> 00:40:37,520 exercise this morning where we got that 1039 00:40:40,710 --> 00:40:39,440 first image that i showed you of the 1040 00:40:44,630 --> 00:40:40,720 impact site 1041 00:40:46,950 --> 00:40:44,640 on the limb and in real time we measured 1042 00:40:48,310 --> 00:40:46,960 exactly where the space tells telescope 1043 00:40:50,310 --> 00:40:48,320 was pointing 1044 00:40:54,069 --> 00:40:50,320 and then offset the telescope to be 1045 00:40:55,670 --> 00:40:54,079 pointing exactly at the impact site and 1046 00:40:57,510 --> 00:40:55,680 sent the instructions up to the 1047 00:40:59,589 --> 00:40:57,520 spacecraft normally we don't do that we 1048 00:41:01,270 --> 00:40:59,599 plan weeks and months in advance and 1049 00:41:03,910 --> 00:41:01,280 keith knoll is the principal 1050 00:41:06,390 --> 00:41:03,920 investigator of that experiment and at 1051 00:41:08,950 --> 00:41:06,400 some point in the near future i i hope 1052 00:41:10,390 --> 00:41:08,960 that he has some good results to 1053 00:41:12,630 --> 00:41:10,400 to share with you 1054 00:41:14,630 --> 00:41:12,640 other telescopes like the irtf and 1055 00:41:16,710 --> 00:41:14,640 nasa's kuiper airborne observatory will 1056 00:41:19,750 --> 00:41:16,720 be instrumental in doing the kind of 1057 00:41:22,790 --> 00:41:19,760 spectroscopy to probe the chemistry of 1058 00:41:24,470 --> 00:41:22,800 the atmosphere and of you know any 1059 00:41:27,430 --> 00:41:24,480 mushed up comet that happened to be 1060 00:41:31,589 --> 00:41:29,910 bill harwood cb cbs again 1061 00:41:32,710 --> 00:41:31,599 i think i know the answer but this this 1062 00:41:34,390 --> 00:41:32,720 is something that should be clearly 1063 00:41:36,710 --> 00:41:34,400 visible to amateurs is it not i mean 1064 00:41:38,069 --> 00:41:36,720 given its size or is the wavelength such 1065 00:41:39,109 --> 00:41:38,079 that it's not going to be visible like 1066 00:41:40,950 --> 00:41:39,119 which 1067 00:41:43,349 --> 00:41:40,960 well these black spots are starting to 1068 00:41:45,030 --> 00:41:43,359 get pretty darn big and 1069 00:41:46,550 --> 00:41:45,040 you know close to the size of the great 1070 00:41:48,150 --> 00:41:46,560 red spot 1071 00:41:50,230 --> 00:41:48,160 and i believe there have been some 1072 00:41:52,470 --> 00:41:50,240 reports from visual observers who are 1073 00:41:54,790 --> 00:41:52,480 starting to see them now remember 1074 00:41:56,150 --> 00:41:54,800 you have a very high resolution image in 1075 00:41:58,150 --> 00:41:56,160 front of you with the hubble space 1076 00:42:01,190 --> 00:41:58,160 telescope and with the ground-based 1077 00:42:03,750 --> 00:42:01,200 telescope much of this is smeared out 1078 00:42:05,670 --> 00:42:03,760 so it isn't anything like you're seeing 1079 00:42:08,470 --> 00:42:05,680 here through a ground-based telescope 1080 00:42:10,390 --> 00:42:08,480 but the short answer is that yes it 1081 00:42:12,950 --> 00:42:10,400 these are this is starting to get large 1082 00:42:14,950 --> 00:42:12,960 enough that that amateurs may be able to 1083 00:42:17,190 --> 00:42:14,960 spot these if they're very careful 1084 00:42:20,550 --> 00:42:17,200 observers and know what to look for and 1085 00:42:22,470 --> 00:42:20,560 that three three impact sequence 1086 00:42:25,109 --> 00:42:22,480 may stir up a real big portion of 1087 00:42:28,390 --> 00:42:25,119 atmosphere may get very dark it's also 1088 00:42:30,069 --> 00:42:28,400 possible that with time as the winds on 1089 00:42:31,430 --> 00:42:30,079 jupiter start to distribute this 1090 00:42:33,670 --> 00:42:31,440 material 1091 00:42:36,390 --> 00:42:33,680 it's possible that a slightly darker 1092 00:42:38,150 --> 00:42:36,400 band will will develop in this in this 1093 00:42:40,150 --> 00:42:38,160 latitudinal region 1094 00:42:42,870 --> 00:42:40,160 we say it's possible because as i 1095 00:42:46,309 --> 00:42:42,880 mentioned this material appears to be 1096 00:42:48,390 --> 00:42:46,319 very thinly deposited over that region 1097 00:42:50,630 --> 00:42:48,400 and so it's not clear if you start 1098 00:42:51,990 --> 00:42:50,640 spreading out that thin layer whether or 1099 00:42:54,710 --> 00:42:52,000 not there's enough there to make the 1100 00:42:56,630 --> 00:42:54,720 band dark we'll see that as it develops 1101 00:42:58,950 --> 00:42:56,640 over the next week or two 1102 00:43:01,270 --> 00:42:58,960 i think there's a good chance that that 1103 00:43:03,670 --> 00:43:01,280 amateurs with eight inch diameter 1104 00:43:06,150 --> 00:43:03,680 telescopes or bigger 1105 00:43:07,670 --> 00:43:06,160 in good sites where they have very good 1106 00:43:10,230 --> 00:43:07,680 seeing 1107 00:43:11,990 --> 00:43:10,240 will be able to see these i think and 1108 00:43:14,630 --> 00:43:12,000 already there are reports from from 1109 00:43:16,309 --> 00:43:14,640 quite reliable observers there's a 1110 00:43:18,390 --> 00:43:16,319 graphic we can show you that was shown 1111 00:43:20,550 --> 00:43:18,400 this morning which is the full disk of 1112 00:43:22,550 --> 00:43:20,560 jupiter and the three impact sites on 1113 00:43:25,270 --> 00:43:22,560 the bottom and i believe they have that 1114 00:43:27,190 --> 00:43:25,280 they can put on there it is you can see 1115 00:43:29,349 --> 00:43:27,200 the bands on jupiter this is roughly a 1116 00:43:31,190 --> 00:43:29,359 visual image this is a green wavelength 1117 00:43:33,109 --> 00:43:31,200 and that's more or less you know what 1118 00:43:34,790 --> 00:43:33,119 you would see with your eye and you can 1119 00:43:36,870 --> 00:43:34,800 see the bands and you can see the great 1120 00:43:39,589 --> 00:43:36,880 red spot and you can see the little dark 1121 00:43:40,390 --> 00:43:39,599 splotches following after the great red 1122 00:43:41,829 --> 00:43:40,400 spot 1123 00:43:45,030 --> 00:43:41,839 all right so if you can see the great 1124 00:43:46,950 --> 00:43:45,040 red spot moving it would start on on the 1125 00:43:48,710 --> 00:43:46,960 left of this image and move to the right 1126 00:43:50,790 --> 00:43:48,720 then look further south for that little 1127 00:43:54,309 --> 00:43:50,800 train of dark features and 1128 00:43:56,069 --> 00:43:54,319 you may see it 1129 00:43:57,670 --> 00:43:56,079 all right if there are no more questions 1130 00:43:59,510 --> 00:43:57,680 we'll wrap it up here we want to thank 1131 00:44:04,230 --> 00:43:59,520 everybody for their interest and we'll 1132 00:44:08,710 --> 00:44:06,470 okay if any if people want to stay we're 1133 00:44:12,950 --> 00:44:08,720 going to roll some uh some visuals uh up 1134 00:44:12,960 --> 00:48:55,190 good stuff that's good good good report 1135 00:49:01,030 --> 00:48:58,150 for more information about the nasa sti 1136 00:49:04,309 --> 00:49:01,040 program please write to the nasa center