http://virangaperera.com/home daily 1.0 2025-05-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/663a24f6-2e9a-4a32-9d78-8c09bbeea3ca/IMG_0716.jpg Home http://virangaperera.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-10-01 http://virangaperera.com/research daily 0.75 2021-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552437628150-0H17YFRMD6J9EY1SQ8BO/ImpactsEvolution.png Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552338622874-B5VGHCO99CSKUE789K00/OnlineLearning.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552268120924-18E0MQ7LWAQ4SAYHF0N1/radio-2974649_1280.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552174231938-Q0MLIOC2M3CFMZGP9Z89/MoonTopoLOLA.png Research Topography data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Figure by Mark A. Wieczorek. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552171971093-261WLSVZUABJI8PIBKRB/Thermochemical+Evolution+of+the+Moon.png Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552341159564-IZHW2AW8ZDVF6DFPENYW/hands-1939895_640.png Research http://virangaperera.com/traveling daily 0.75 2021-07-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1672878928262-44NPBZ27765G24Z1G05W/Alabama.jpeg Traveling - Alabama https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257329089-0H2ZYR24Q56N90BZ6KRE/Arizona.jpg Traveling - Arizona https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1641960142219-2W1SOX7QYY8UBFCGZCS4/Arkansas.jpg Traveling - Arkansas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257329234-788GJA0EFIQ550XO7PJ2/California.jpg Traveling - California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257329882-G0YWEO3ZQAQ3CUHT4SFX/Colorado.jpg Traveling - Colorado https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1625180338165-JKITRNDLLPBDDHH7MKDT/Connecticut.jpg Traveling - Connecticut https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1625180654356-3PKJQYC5RSBWAT3ZPLMW/Delaware.jpg Traveling - Delaware https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1625181210275-WR8L1VAVKVCMZPT3DB4U/Florida.jpg Traveling - Florida https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1625181747038-J7QIDYDJV1AOYP46RASD/Georgia.jpeg Traveling - Georgia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257330061-312OFR3EQNSLR5G0F9L2/Hawaii.jpg Traveling - Hawaii https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257330672-FN7I8EBNTRGXDDNB059B/Idaho.jpg Traveling - Idaho https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1559513758516-4JP8D7TKXPV0LKEESG8C/Illinois.jpg Traveling - Illinois https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1559513960857-0ELPYR5HEGC4ISSHZHBR/Indiana.jpg Traveling - Indiana https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257330733-QKJZ40E8YRPRIU9RX6US/Kansas.jpg Traveling - Kansas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257331572-O67LAQE4SOCMQZUGDK2X/Kentucky.jpg Traveling - Kentucky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257331657-20N8TUK62TF6WKE267FB/Maine.jpg Traveling - Maine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257332282-ZXT9XACFHP4J5TFRBFAC/Maryland.jpg Traveling - Maryland https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257332394-7IIJ84ANWYN91OC6J0CU/Massachusetts.jpg Traveling - Massachusetts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1559513538690-HS7TXIGVBWB4RY60YA3O/Michigan.jpg Traveling - Michigan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1628440326376-1JQ8NY1HUY62FJNVQ7A4/Minnesota.jpeg Traveling - Minnesota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1625181912922-95IMN2MGUSRTAP3QY7PD/Missouri.jpg Traveling - Missouri https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257332989-LL0F80AMQ942EL8B2NPD/Nevada.jpg Traveling - Nevada https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257333137-WLP4R3VLYO9K4I48G45L/New+Hampshire.jpg Traveling - New Hampshire https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257333798-TR8WXGMSHLN1FZ9ESRH0/New+Jersey.jpg Traveling - New Jersey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257333759-FKFSRZRB7OECB0HRYKLY/New+Mexico.jpg Traveling - New Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257334571-2NET1A4OL2COAM636R72/New+York.jpg Traveling - New York https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1625182167941-FTY37EBWW8097MNUVQPR/North+Carolina.jpg Traveling - North Carolina https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257334685-3KVVMCNZK3D4APROTDRY/Ohio.jpg Traveling - Ohio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257335896-7OV9TTA25XIEZNJJVB4P/Oklahoma.jpg Traveling - Oklahoma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257335849-8Q8TLIA4D59TJH7P3B80/Pennsylvania.jpg Traveling - Pennsylvania https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1625182357264-CMXJVQQXZBI65XSJ637U/South+Carolina.jpg Traveling - South Carolina https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257336759-KJWE9WZ77Z9FF1W2O05K/Tennessee.jpg Traveling - Tennessee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257336876-DVAR26SDMVGC9XM7IPLY/Texas.jpg Traveling - Texas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257337305-OA3PZ6N2HM4HYB0A6Q4K/Utah.jpg Traveling - Utah https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257337676-SWPAA438G8D1JP8E5W4R/Vermont.jpg Traveling - Vermont https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257337844-BOQ4XKSZJU1HFDI6O182/Virginia.jpg Traveling - Virginia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257338446-V1BW8W09P4WWTP7420BD/Washington.jpg Traveling - Washington https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257338340-J0QTN5PAW051USVE6XGL/West+Virginia.jpg Traveling - West Virginia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1628440490083-AMVEEJBNVBT2AA41EAAR/Wisconsin.jpeg Traveling - Wisconsin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552257338876-3IH3Q2799WROMP00Z2DV/Wyoming.jpg Traveling - Wyoming http://virangaperera.com/impacts daily 0.75 2019-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552438389434-7BX56PI7XKUH03OXZDOD/Chicxulub_long_600sec_Topo.png Impacts This plot shows the surface topography for the 300 K Chicxulub impact simulation. r is the horizontal distance from the center of the crater and z is the vertical distance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552438436047-52VZ6E1SCZMAM6OTGSSZ/Chicxulub_hot_600sec_Topo.png Impacts Similar to the case with the bump in the mantle, notice how in this hotter case (740 K) the surface topography is flatter near the center of the crater? What this is showing is what we would expect for materials to do. When material is hotter (even though we are talking about solid rock here), they tend to flow more than when they are colder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552438282525-XAZBTVXO6JEDQUGN2YS6/Chicxulub_hot.gif Impacts This simulation is the same as the previous one except that here the surface temperature is set to 740 K (Venus-like). Unlike the 300 K case where there was a bump in the mantle directly below the impact site, in the hotter temperature case the mantle is a lot flatter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552438155101-AMJNDXW65A7XQXD384QV/Chicxulub.gif Impacts Simulation of the Chicxulub impact where an impactor with a diameter of 14 km strikes the surface traveling at 12 km/s. Temperatures are shown on the left, while the three types of materials of the surface are shown on the right. The top (dark orange) layer is 3 km of sediment, the next (cream color) layer is the crust with a thickness of 30 km, and the bottom layer (light orange) is the mantle. The surface temperature is set to 300 K (Earth-like). http://virangaperera.com/asteroids daily 0.75 2019-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552250132339-KIXW4YPNIVI53U0T7QJR/BNE+Step_1.png Asteroids https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552250132365-97BL09TIE1WPXDE3KI2K/BNE+Step_2.png Asteroids https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552250132571-LMAD1MCU8DBHK55HNOB1/BNE+Step_3.png Asteroids https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b470b1e4b043b82685bfc3/1552392245709-PG2OPTHH50UGOWXSQ37W/itokawa.jpg Asteroids Image of asteroid Itokawa (Credit: JAXA). Notice that the surface has many large boulders. The one on the right seems to be just sitting there.