Tunguska: Comets, Contagion and the Vernadskiy Mission to NEA 2005NB56

TL;DR

This paper discusses the Tunguska event, explores the potential of NEA 2005NB56 as its candidate origin, and proposes a mission to analyze extraterrestrial materials for signs of Earth's microbes, advancing understanding of space-borne life transfer.

Contribution

It introduces the Vernadskiy Mission concept to analyze NEA 2005NB56 for Earth's microbial signatures, linking Tunguska to potential extraterrestrial microbial transfer.

Findings

Potential link between Tunguska event and NEA 2005NB56

Proposal for a Stardustlike mission to NEA 2005NB56

Possibility of detecting Earth's microbes on NEA 2005NB56

Abstract

On June 30th, 1908, there was a massive explosion over Tunguska, in Central Siberia. A number of scientists have proposed that this Tunguska Phenomenon was caused due to the tangential passage of an astral body that grazed the Earths' atmosphere, underwent a partial explosion and later entered a heliocentric orbit. It has also been argued that astral bodies might deposit microbes and viruses on Earth (contributing to evolution and diseases) and may become contaminated with Earthly microbes. The identity of the Tunguska Space Body (TSB) is unknown though several likely candidates have been identified including NEA 2005NB56, a known Near Earth Asteroid (NEA). NEA 2005NB56 made a close approach to Earth when it was discovered in 2005 and will again cross Earth orbit in 2045. This gives us a unique opportunity to send a Stardustlike mission, the proposed Vernadskiy Mission, to analyze materials from NEA 2005NB56. We might be able to find some tell-tale components of Earth's atmosphere and even Earth's microorganisms incorporated in NEA 2005NB56 thereby proving beyond doubt the transfer of life from Earth to outer space.