<p>I struggle to find an answer to the at-first-sight simple question if or how the <strong>size distribution and frequency distribution of incoming rocks hitting the ground or the atmosphere</strong> vary from Earth, to the Moon, to other planets (e.g. Venus, Mars, Jupiter). Let's limit ourselves to observable events:</p>
<ol>
<li>For Earth, I would like to consider all observable objects hitting the Earth atmosphere, see <a href="http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1978BAICz..29...57B/0000057.000.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Baggaley: <em>The size distribution of large meteor bodies</em> (1978)</a></li>
<li>For our moon, we would only consider objects which leave a craters e.g. observable by Earth-based telescopes, see <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0019103501967892" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Werner et. al.: <em>The Near-Earth Asteroid Size–Frequency Distribution: A Snapshot of the Lunar Impactor Size–Frequency Distribution</em> (2001)</a>.</li>
<li>For gas planets, I would assume that there are more observations like <a href="https://www.space.com/jupiter-impact-flash-photo-august-2019.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Something Just Smacked Jupiter</a></li>
</ol>
<p>I am after some statements for meteors for our Moon, and other planets similiar to <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/13904/37191">the comprehensive answer</a> on <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/13902">How often do meteorites hit the Earth?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-24T23:49:25.637Z
For the Moon, I assume that there somebody took regular snapshots of Earth-facing side and counted craters? Can somebody please point me to the corresponding publication or pre-print?
B--rian
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-25T05:15:31.547Z
Why are you assuming (are you assuming?) that the large bodies in the inner solar system are each hit by a different population, and large bodies in the outer solar system are each hit by a different population?  Or are you assuming - as most planetary scientists do - that the inner solar system as a whole is hit by one population and the outer solar system as a whole is hit by another (though the outer is a bit more complicated than that)?
Stuart Robbins
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-25T17:18:04.167Z
@StuartRobbins I am not sure whether I understand your question(s) correctly. I am interested in all objecs approaching planets or the moon, and I am trying not to distinguishing by origin of the incoming rocks. Are you saying that using the term "asteroids" is then incorrect?
B--rian
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-25T19:34:50.680Z
The issue is I'm not understanding your question, or the premise of your question. It seems like you are asking what the difference is in the size-frequency distribution of objects impacting different planets, such as Mercury vs Venus vs Earth vs Mars vs Jupiter vs Saturn, etc. Is that correct? I'm trying to understand if that's what you're asking because, if it is, then you need to go back one step further and ask IF what's hitting these objects is different, before you can ask how they are different. 'Cause the inner solar system is generally the same, but different from the outer.
Stuart Robbins
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-26T14:37:48.050Z
@StuartRobbins I edited the question, did it help?
B--rian
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-26T17:33:06.743Z
You're still assuming that they are different. Planetary scientists have shown that the SFD are the same to within our ability to measure them within the inner solar system. They are likely different in the asteroid belt. The SFD in the outer solar system is different from inner, but the same within the outer solar system. It gets complicated with planetocentric impactor frequency, and once you are embedded within the Kuiper Belt the SFD is possibly different again depending on where in the KB you are. Frequency varies based on solar distance and gravitational cross-section ... (1/2)
Stuart Robbins
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-26T17:37:14.450Z
(2/2) ... & size of craters vary based on gravity and impactor velocity. All those factors matter when trying to make the measurement, which people are still working on & have no real conclusions about OTHER than inner SS bodies are probably about the same, asteroid belt is about the same, and outer SS is about the same interior to the KB. But each is distinct from the other b/c they are different impactor populations. So it's hard to answer your question as-written because it implicitly assumes they are different, but also because the research is still being done, including by people like me.
Stuart Robbins
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-26T18:38:17.400Z
@StuartRobbins Thanks a lot for your valuable comments, it kind of already provides the answer. I (slightly) edited my question once again: I do not want to assume anything about the distributions by using the word "vary".
B--rian
<the-moon><earth><mars><jupiter><meteor>
Meteor size and frequency distribution for Earth vs. moon or other planets?
B--rian
# Meteor size and frequency distribution for Earth vs. moon or other planets?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-24)

I struggle to find an answer to the at-first-sight simple question if or how the **size distribution and frequency distribution of incoming rocks hitting the ground or the atmosphere** vary from Earth, to the Moon, to other planets (e.g. Venus, Mars, Jupiter). Let's limit ourselves to observable events:

1. For Earth, I would like to consider all observable objects hitting the Earth atmosphere, see [Baggaley: *The size distribution of large meteor bodies* (1978)](http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1978BAICz..29...57B/0000057.000.html)
2. For our moon, we would only consider objects which leave a craters e.g. observable by Earth-based telescopes, see [Werner et. al.: *The Near-Earth Asteroid Size–Frequency Distribution: A Snapshot of the Lunar Impactor Size–Frequency Distribution* (2001)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0019103501967892).
3. For gas planets, I would assume that there are more observations like [Something Just Smacked Jupiter](https://www.space.com/jupiter-impact-flash-photo-august-2019.html)

I am after some statements for meteors for our Moon, and other planets similiar to [the comprehensive answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/13904/37191) on [How often do meteorites hit the Earth?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/13902)

**Tags:** the-moon, earth, mars, jupiter, meteor

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: For the Moon, I assume that there somebody took regular snapshots of Earth-facing side and counted craters? Can somebody please point me to the corresponding publication or pre-print?  
> **username_1**: Why are you assuming (are you assuming?) that the large bodies in the inner solar system are each hit by a different population, and large bodies in the outer solar system are each hit by a different population?  Or are you assuming - as most planetary scientists do - that the inner solar system as a whole is hit by one population and the outer solar system as a whole is hit by another (though the outer is a bit more complicated than that)?  
> **username_0**: @StuartRobbins I am not sure whether I understand your question(s) correctly. I am interested in all objecs approaching planets or the moon, and I am trying not to distinguishing by origin of the incoming rocks. Are you saying that using the term "asteroids" is then incorrect?  
> **username_1**: The issue is I'm not understanding your question, or the premise of your question. It seems like you are asking what the difference is in the size-frequency distribution of objects impacting different planets, such as Mercury vs Venus vs Earth vs Mars vs Jupiter vs Saturn, etc. Is that correct? I'm trying to understand if that's what you're asking because, if it is, then you need to go back one step further and ask IF what's hitting these objects is different, before you can ask how they are different. 'Cause the inner solar system is generally the same, but different from the outer.  
> **username_0**: @StuartRobbins I edited the question, did it help?  
> **username_1**: You're still assuming that they are different. Planetary scientists have shown that the SFD are the same to within our ability to measure them within the inner solar system. They are likely different in the asteroid belt. The SFD in the outer solar system is different from inner, but the same within the outer solar system. It gets complicated with planetocentric impactor frequency, and once you are embedded within the Kuiper Belt the SFD is possibly different again depending on where in the KB you are. Frequency varies based on solar distance and gravitational cross-section ... (1/2)  
> **username_1**: (2/2) ... & size of craters vary based on gravity and impactor velocity. All those factors matter when trying to make the measurement, which people are still working on & have no real conclusions about OTHER than inner SS bodies are probably about the same, asteroid belt is about the same, and outer SS is about the same interior to the KB. But each is distinct from the other b/c they are different impactor populations. So it's hard to answer your question as-written because it implicitly assumes they are different, but also because the research is still being done, including by people like me.  
> **username_0**: @StuartRobbins Thanks a lot for your valuable comments, it kind of already provides the answer. I (slightly) edited my question once again: I do not want to assume anything about the distributions by using the word "vary".  

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