UN Same Page Simulation & Asteroid Discussion

Grades Released: Grades were released, emphasizing the importance of looking at one's performance relative to the mean.
Group Bump: The group bump added approximately 4.5 points to the grade.
Seeking Help: Students who underperformed are encouraged to seek help from Grant, Sophie, Joe, or the instructor.
No Nearpod: There is no Nearpod assignment for this session.

Date & Time: Monday, May 19, 4 PM to 6 PM.
Location: The same location as the midterm.
Format: Cumulative with an emphasis on lectures 23-29; same format as the midterm (multiple choice + longer answer on paper).
Equations: Equations will be provided.
Timing: 80 minutes for the individual part, 40 minutes for the group part.
More Questions: There will be more questions compared to the midterm.
ADS Accommodations: Same as the midterms. Lumasigny details are pending.

Lucy Mission: Spacecraft named after the "Lucy" fossil, discovered by Donald Johansson.
Donald Johansson: Anthropologist who discovered the Lucy fossil, linking humans to ancestors.
Asteroid Naming: An asteroid was named after Donald Johansson.
Surface Features: Craters on the asteroid's surface are due to impacts.
Logos: Official and unofficial (DJ) logos were created for the encounter.

Brightness Variation: The asteroid's brightness varied significantly before encounter.
Spacecraft Data: Brightness data was collected from the spacecraft.
Elongated Shape: The asteroid is elongated, causing brightness variations.
Unusual Flatness: The light curve flattened out at the bottom, an unusual phenomenon.
Binary Bodies: The flatness suggests two bodies in contact or near contact.

Size Discrepancy: The asteroid was larger than expected (9 km x 3.5 km instead of 4 km).
Infrared Data: Infrared data was available, but initial interpretations were inaccurate.
Implications for Planetary Defense: Size uncertainty impacts planetary defense strategies; a factor of two difference in size has significant consequences on impact effects.

Intriguing Feature: The asteroid has a nested neck structure, resembling ice cream cones put together.
Unclear Formation: The formation of two ridges is not yet understood.
Shape Model: A preliminary shape model reveals structural features.
Flatness: The asteroid exhibits a flat surface, which is unusual for accretion.

Simulation Context: Participants represent different countries in a UN simulation.
Objective: To act as the assigned country would in a hypothetical threat scenario.
Real-World Relevance: Planetary defense is a real issue discussed in the UN.
Same Page: Established in 2013 to prepare for international response to a threat and develop collaborative research options.

Role-Playing: Participants should role-play their country, considering political dynamics.
Decision-Making: Committees must decide how to make decisions (voting, veto power, etc.).

Introductions: Introduce yourselves, your country/agency, space achievements, challenges, budget, conflicts, etc.
Decision-Making Process: Decide how your committee will make decisions (majority vote, weighted votes, veto power).
Debate and Discussion: Determine how you will debate and discuss the impact scenario and action topics (speaking order, etc.).
Impact Scenario: Review the assigned impact scenario and decide on a course of action.

Committee Assignments: Committees 1 and 2 will have scenario 1, committees 3 and 4 will have scenario 2, and committees 5 and 6 will have scenario 3.
Lecture 27: Resources, including scenarios and the Same Page threshold and action matrix, are available in lecture 27.
Urgency: Emphasize the simulation as a real threat to encourage active participation.

Introductions: Starting with introductions by committee members, including country names, space program highlights and other relevant information.
General discussion of voting procedures and other preliminary concerns.

Voting Rights: Each country gets one vote.
Threatened Veto: A veto is granted if the impact threatens the country (landing within its borders or waters).
Voting Discussion: Concerns regarding specific nations and if they are reliable partners.
Budget Discussion: Each country is sharing their budget limitations and considerations for the project based on size and need.

Note: Specific budgetary figures for various nations are discussed, each providing context regarding economic capacity.

Evacuation Consideration: Commence considerations for evacuation protocols in affected cities.
Asteroid Study: Initiate on Earth asteroid studies, complemented by launching the reconnaissance spacecraft.
Reconnaissance Discussion: There is discussion of whether everyone agress on it.
Proposed strategies: Nuclear stategy vs Cost submission
Additional costs for recon space: About a billion dollars

Germany and Japan are onboard with collaborations on the space program and want to put funding.
UAE, UK, Germany, Japan, France and USA committed to this process mission for funding and research.

GDP: The group has come to a consensus in which costs would be divided among its members based on their GDP.

Reconnaissance, studying it from Earth in the Connecticut area. Agreed upon by entire table.
Evacuation not required.
Connecticut Area (Space base): All in favor.