Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1
Comparing how an asteroid appears in space to its ablation behavior during atmospheric passage and finally to the properties of associated meteorites represents the ultimate probe of small near-Earth objects. We present observations from the Lowell Discovery Telescope and multiple meteor camera netw...
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | The Planetary Science Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad8b22 |
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| author | Theodore Kareta Denis Vida Marco Micheli Nicholas Moskovitz Paul Wiegert Peter G. Brown Phil J. A. McCausland Hadrien A. R. Devillepoix Barbara Malečić Maja Telišman Prtenjak Damir Šegon Benjamin Shafransky Davide Farnocchia |
| author_facet | Theodore Kareta Denis Vida Marco Micheli Nicholas Moskovitz Paul Wiegert Peter G. Brown Phil J. A. McCausland Hadrien A. R. Devillepoix Barbara Malečić Maja Telišman Prtenjak Damir Šegon Benjamin Shafransky Davide Farnocchia |
| author_sort | Theodore Kareta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Comparing how an asteroid appears in space to its ablation behavior during atmospheric passage and finally to the properties of associated meteorites represents the ultimate probe of small near-Earth objects. We present observations from the Lowell Discovery Telescope and multiple meteor camera networks of 2022 WJ1, an Earth impactor that was disrupted over the North American Great Lakes on 2022 November 19. As far as we are aware, this is only the second time an Earth impactor has been specifically observed in multiple passbands prior to impact to characterize its composition. The orbits derived from telescopic observations submitted to the Minor Planet Center and ground-based meteor cameras result in impact trajectories that agree to within 40 m, but no meteorites have been found as of yet. The telescopic observations suggest a silicate-rich surface and thus a moderate-to-high albedo, which results in an estimated size for the object of just D = 40−60 cm. Modeling the fragmentation of 2022 WJ1 during its fireball phase also suggests an approximate 0.5 m original size for the object as well as an ordinary chondrite-like strength. These two lines of evidence both support that 2022 WJ1 was likely an S-type chondritic object and the smallest asteroid compositionally characterized in space. We discuss how best to combine telescopic and meteor camera data sets, how well these techniques agree, and what can be learned from studies of ultrasmall asteroids. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6f5536e4ac1341428cf9da3ad5a25942 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2632-3338 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Planetary Science Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-6f5536e4ac1341428cf9da3ad5a259422024-11-22T15:57:49ZengIOP PublishingThe Planetary Science Journal2632-33382024-01-0151125310.3847/PSJ/ad8b22Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1Theodore Kareta0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1008-7499Denis Vida1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4166-8704Marco Micheli2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7895-8209Nicholas Moskovitz3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6765-6336Paul Wiegert4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1914-5352Peter G. Brown5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6130-7039Phil J. A. McCausland6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3030-7524Hadrien A. R. Devillepoix7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9226-1870Barbara Malečić8Maja Telišman Prtenjak9Damir Šegon10Benjamin Shafransky11Davide Farnocchia12https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0774-884XLowell Observatory , 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA ; tkareta@lowell.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada; Western Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 5B7, CanadaESA PDO NEO Coordination Centre , Planetary Defence Office, Largo Galileo Galilei, 1, 00044 Frascati (RM), ItalyLowell Observatory , 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA ; tkareta@lowell.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada; Western Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 5B7, CanadaDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada; Western Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 5B7, CanadaWestern Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada; Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario , London, ON, N6A 5B7, CanadaSchool of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University , Perth, WA 6845, Australia; International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Curtin University , Perth, WA 6845, AustraliaUniversity of Zagreb , Faculty of Science, Department of Geophysics, Horvatovac 95, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaUniversity of Zagreb , Faculty of Science, Department of Geophysics, Horvatovac 95, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaAstronomical Society Istra Pula , Park Monte Zaro 2, HR-52100 Pula, Croatia; Višnjan Science and Education Center , Istarska 5, HR-51463 Višnjan, CroatiaLowell Observatory , 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA ; tkareta@lowell.eduJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAComparing how an asteroid appears in space to its ablation behavior during atmospheric passage and finally to the properties of associated meteorites represents the ultimate probe of small near-Earth objects. We present observations from the Lowell Discovery Telescope and multiple meteor camera networks of 2022 WJ1, an Earth impactor that was disrupted over the North American Great Lakes on 2022 November 19. As far as we are aware, this is only the second time an Earth impactor has been specifically observed in multiple passbands prior to impact to characterize its composition. The orbits derived from telescopic observations submitted to the Minor Planet Center and ground-based meteor cameras result in impact trajectories that agree to within 40 m, but no meteorites have been found as of yet. The telescopic observations suggest a silicate-rich surface and thus a moderate-to-high albedo, which results in an estimated size for the object of just D = 40−60 cm. Modeling the fragmentation of 2022 WJ1 during its fireball phase also suggests an approximate 0.5 m original size for the object as well as an ordinary chondrite-like strength. These two lines of evidence both support that 2022 WJ1 was likely an S-type chondritic object and the smallest asteroid compositionally characterized in space. We discuss how best to combine telescopic and meteor camera data sets, how well these techniques agree, and what can be learned from studies of ultrasmall asteroids.https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad8b22MeteorsImpact phenomenaAsteroids |
| spellingShingle | Theodore Kareta Denis Vida Marco Micheli Nicholas Moskovitz Paul Wiegert Peter G. Brown Phil J. A. McCausland Hadrien A. R. Devillepoix Barbara Malečić Maja Telišman Prtenjak Damir Šegon Benjamin Shafransky Davide Farnocchia Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1 The Planetary Science Journal Meteors Impact phenomena Asteroids |
| title | Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1 |
| title_full | Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1 |
| title_fullStr | Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1 |
| title_short | Telescope-to-Fireball Characterization of Earth Impactor 2022 WJ1 |
| title_sort | telescope to fireball characterization of earth impactor 2022 wj1 |
| topic | Meteors Impact phenomena Asteroids |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad8b22 |
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