# Robertson 2019: Hydrocode simulations of asteroid airbursts and constraints for Tunguska

> Darrel K. Robertson, Donovan L. Mathias, 2019. 7 records on Mysteries Department cite it. The modern constraint that the tree fall alone does not decide…

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EBY2E0M3E/hydrocode-simulations-of-asteroid-airbursts-and-constraints  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Sources](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources)[1908 Tunguska event](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event)Robertson 2019

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# Hydrocode simulations of asteroid airbursts and constraints for Tunguska

Darrel K. Robertson, Donovan L. Mathias, 2019. _Icarus 327, 36–47_.

ALE3D simulations over size, density, strength, angle and speed show that both rocky asteroids and icy comets can deliver the energy and burst height needed to fell the trees without a crater; tree-resistance modelling needs winds of 40–50 m/s and suggests about 10 Mt as most likely, pending missing tree-size and wind-response data.

**1908 Tunguska event** Articledoi: **[10.1016/j.icarus.2018.10.017](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.10.017)** Checked against the original0

## What it's used for here

The modern constraint that the tree fall alone does not decide asteroid versus comet.

## Cited by on this site 7 records

[Hydrocode simulations reproduce the tree fall with rocky bodies over a wide range of parameters.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/evidence/EVD0D4ECCQ66VAN/hydrocode-simulations-reproduce-the-tree-fall-with-rocky)

Evidence

EVD

[Icy comets can produce the observed tree fall and would leave no fragments.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/evidence/EVD0D4ECKA42YCR/icy-comets-can-produce-the-observed-tree-fall-and-would)

Evidence

EVD

[Simulations show icy comets can also deliver the energy and burst height needed for the tree fall.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/evidence/EVD0D4ECDEM4ZDB/simulations-show-icy-comets-can-also-deliver-the-energy-and)

Evidence

EVD

[Tree-resistance modelling finds 3 Mt a lower bound rather than a best estimate.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/evidence/EVD0D4ECH3T0Z5N/tree-resistance-modelling-finds-3-mt-a-lower-bound-rather)

Evidence

EVD

[Tree-resistance modelling suggests about 10 Mt is most likely.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/evidence/EVD0D4ECG4J3JJE/tree-resistance-modelling-suggests-about-10-mt-is-most)

Evidence

EVD

[The 1908 Tunguska event](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event)

The mystery article

MYS

[What kind of body, if any, caused the Tunguska explosion?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECARP6DFM/what-kind-of-body-if-any-caused-the-tunguska-explosion)

Question

QST

## Cite it

```
Robertson, D. K., & Mathias, D. L. (2019). Hydrocode simulations of asteroid airbursts and constraints for Tunguska. Icarus 327, 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.10.017
```

[Read it free at doi.org](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.10.017)

Key

**SRC** 0D4EBY2E0M3E

Kind

Journal article

Rights

CC-BY-4.0

Kept

27 Oct 2026

Checked

Against the published article

Added by

[apollo](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)

The record

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