impactor

Noun

Meaning

Any of several machines or devices in which a part impacts on another, or on a material.
cascade impactor (particle measurement device)

An object which impacts another.
Synonym: impactite
Chicxulub impactor

Synonyms

Examples

A kinetic impactor – basically some sort of projectile that could knock the asteroid off its course, even if it didn’t destroy it altogether – could be used without leaving radioactive fallout, for example. Source: Internet

Because the impactor is moving so rapidly, the rear of the object moves a significant distance during the short-but-finite time taken for the deceleration to propagate across the impactor. Source: Internet

In large impacts, as well as material displaced and ejected to form the crater, significant volumes of target material may be melted and vaporized together with the original impactor. Source: Internet

Appropriate impact conditions satisfying the angular momentum constraints of the Earth Moon system yield a Moon formed mostly from the mantles of the Earth and the impactor, while the core of the impactor accretes to the Earth. Source: Internet

As a result, the impactor is compressed, its density rises, and the pressure within it increases dramatically. Source: Internet

Computer simulations of this "late-impact" scenario suggest an impact angle of about 45° and an initial impactor velocity below 4 km/s. Source: Internet

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