Torino Scale

The Turin scale is a method to communicate both the effects in the event of an impact energy released and the likelihood of the impact clearly and consistently identified risky approaches for near-Earth asteroids and comets. To this end, these two quantities are used for a classification and assigned to the (eleven) classes explanatory texts.

In class 0, the risk is negligible, because the earth will most likely not be achieved or the object is too small to be expected in an impact with damage. Class 1 in one volume regions of high energy at very low probability areas with very low energy at a higher probability, always the risk of the corresponding combination is very small. Classifications in this class are for newly discovered objects in front more often, but are usually soon revised to 0 on other observations. The latter also applies for sub-divided into the classes 2-4 band increased risk. A previously been perfect high risk in the classes 5 to 7 classes 8 to 10 are designed for safe events with increasing energy.

Unlike the similar Palermo scale of the time of the strike is not possible in the classification of one, but must be communicated separately. In the texts to classes 3-6 is explicit reference to the remaining time. For events that are more than 100 years in the future, the Turin scale does not apply.

The Turin scale was established by Professor Richard P. Binzel (MIT) and presented at a UN conference in 1995 as a Near- Earth Object Hazard Index. A revised version was in June 1999 at the International Conference ( International Monitoring Programs for Asteroid and Comet Threat - IMPACT) presented to near-Earth objects in Turin. The conference participants adopted the revised version. The Torino Scale is adopted name for the spirit of international cooperation of the conference on efforts to researching and understanding the risks posed by Near Earth Objects (English Near-Earth object, NEO ). As a result of press coverage of the false alarm 2003 QQ47 2005 Turin scale was formulated reserved. In particular, a distinction was made between required media attention only by astronomers, and the likely downgrade on other observations mentioned.

The Class 4 with highest ever ranking was in December 2004 for the close flyby of asteroid Apophis in 2029. Shortly thereafter, the value dropped to 0, as the text had predicted to class 4. For later encounters with that object was until 2007 still level 1