The University of Arizona has a morbidly fascinating Impact Effect Calculator which allows you to input various parameters and produces (a much simplified) model of the devastation from an asteroid, comet or even a planetoid.
"This program will estimate the seismic, blast wave, and thermal effects of an impact as well as the size of the crater produced by the impact. The crater size is determined using pi-scaling."
It doesn't model subsequent damage from tsunami's, politicians or "intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic" in giant baby walkers.
Posted by bill at April 12, 2004 10:00 AM