A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to Chelyabinsk
In this study, we investigate the ablation properties of bolides capable of producing meteorites. The casual dashcam recordings from many locations of the Chelyabinsk superbolide associated with the atmospheric entry of an 18 m in diameter near-Earth object (NEO) have provided an excellent opportuni...
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2021-01-01
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| Series: | Advances in Astronomy |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8852772 |
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| author | Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez Joan Dergham Maria Gritsevich Esko Lyytinen Elizabeth A. Silber Iwan P. Williams |
| author_facet | Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez Joan Dergham Maria Gritsevich Esko Lyytinen Elizabeth A. Silber Iwan P. Williams |
| author_sort | Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we investigate the ablation properties of bolides capable of producing meteorites. The casual dashcam recordings from many locations of the Chelyabinsk superbolide associated with the atmospheric entry of an 18 m in diameter near-Earth object (NEO) have provided an excellent opportunity to reconstruct its atmospheric trajectory, deceleration, and heliocentric orbit. In this study, we focus on the study of the ablation properties of the Chelyabinsk bolide on the basis of its deceleration and fragmentation. We explore whether meteoroids exhibiting abrupt fragmentation can be studied by analyzing segments of the trajectory that do not include a disruption episode. We apply that approach to the lower part of the trajectory of the Chelyabinsk bolide to demonstrate that the obtained parameters are consistent. To do that, we implemented a numerical (Runge–Kutta) method appropriate for deriving the ablation properties of bolides based on observations. The method was successfully tested with the cases previously published in the literature. Our model yields fits that agree with observations reasonably well. It also produces a good fit to the main observed characteristics of Chelyabinsk superbolide and provides its averaged ablation coefficient σ = 0.034 s2 km−2. Our study also explores the main implications for impact hazard, concluding that tens of meters in diameter NEOs encountering the Earth in grazing trajectories and exhibiting low geocentric velocities are penetrating deeper into the atmosphere than previously thought and, as such, are capable of producing meteorites and even damage on the ground. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-7969 1687-7977 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Advances in Astronomy |
| spelling | doaj-art-c4c13fd2a6ad4643b678de3377044de22025-02-03T05:58:31ZengWileyAdvances in Astronomy1687-79691687-79772021-01-01202110.1155/2021/88527728852772A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to ChelyabinskJosep M. Trigo-Rodríguez0Joan Dergham1Maria Gritsevich2Esko Lyytinen3Elizabeth A. Silber4Iwan P. Williams5Institut de Ciències de l’Espai–CSIC, Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciències, Torre C5-parell-2a, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, SpainInstitut de Ciències de l’Espai–CSIC, Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciències, Torre C5-parell-2a, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, SpainFinnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI), Geodeetinrinne 2, FI-02430 Masala, FinlandFinnish Fireball Network, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Earth Sciences, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, CanadaAstronomy Unit, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Rd., London E1 4NS, UKIn this study, we investigate the ablation properties of bolides capable of producing meteorites. The casual dashcam recordings from many locations of the Chelyabinsk superbolide associated with the atmospheric entry of an 18 m in diameter near-Earth object (NEO) have provided an excellent opportunity to reconstruct its atmospheric trajectory, deceleration, and heliocentric orbit. In this study, we focus on the study of the ablation properties of the Chelyabinsk bolide on the basis of its deceleration and fragmentation. We explore whether meteoroids exhibiting abrupt fragmentation can be studied by analyzing segments of the trajectory that do not include a disruption episode. We apply that approach to the lower part of the trajectory of the Chelyabinsk bolide to demonstrate that the obtained parameters are consistent. To do that, we implemented a numerical (Runge–Kutta) method appropriate for deriving the ablation properties of bolides based on observations. The method was successfully tested with the cases previously published in the literature. Our model yields fits that agree with observations reasonably well. It also produces a good fit to the main observed characteristics of Chelyabinsk superbolide and provides its averaged ablation coefficient σ = 0.034 s2 km−2. Our study also explores the main implications for impact hazard, concluding that tens of meters in diameter NEOs encountering the Earth in grazing trajectories and exhibiting low geocentric velocities are penetrating deeper into the atmosphere than previously thought and, as such, are capable of producing meteorites and even damage on the ground.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8852772 |
| spellingShingle | Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez Joan Dergham Maria Gritsevich Esko Lyytinen Elizabeth A. Silber Iwan P. Williams A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to Chelyabinsk Advances in Astronomy |
| title | A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to Chelyabinsk |
| title_full | A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to Chelyabinsk |
| title_fullStr | A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to Chelyabinsk |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to Chelyabinsk |
| title_short | A Numerical Approach to Study Ablation of Large Bolides: Application to Chelyabinsk |
| title_sort | numerical approach to study ablation of large bolides application to chelyabinsk |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8852772 |
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