Jupiter – friend or foe? I: The asteroids

  title={Jupiter – friend or foe? I: The asteroids},
  author={J. Horner and B. Jones},
  journal={International Journal of Astrobiology},
  pages={251 - 261}
  • J. Horner, B. Jones
  • Published 2008
  • Physics, Geology
  • International Journal of Astrobiology
Abstract The asteroids are a major source of potential impactors on the Earth today. It has long been assumed that the giant planet Jupiter acts as a shield, significantly lowering the impact rate on the Earth from both cometary and asteroidal bodies. Such shielding, it is claimed, enabled the development and evolution of life in a collisional environment, which is not overly hostile. The reduced frequency of impacts, and of related mass extinctions, would have allowed life the time to thrive… Expand
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Jupiter – friend or foe ? II : the Centaurs Journal Item
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