An Earth-grazing fireball from the Daytime ζ-Perseid shower observed over Spain on 2012 June 10

DOI: 
10.1093/mnras/stw1020
Publication date : 
01/07/2016
Main author: 
Madiedo, José M.
IAA authors: 
Castro-Tirado, Alberto J.
Authors: 
Madiedo, José M.; Espartero, Francisco; Castro-Tirado, Alberto J.; Pastor, Sensi; de los Reyes, José A.
Journal: 
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
460
Pages: 
917-922
Issue: 
1
Abstract: 
On 2012 June 10, an Earth-grazer meteor which lasted over 17 s with an absolute magnitude of -4.0 ± 0.5 was observed over Spain. This work focuses on the analysis of this rare event which is, to our knowledge, the faintest Earth-grazing meteor reported in the scientific literature, but also the first one belonging to a meteor shower. Thus, the orbital parameters show that the parent meteoroid belonged to the Daytime ζ-Perseid meteoroid stream. According to our calculations, the meteor was produced by a meteoroid with an initial mass ranging between 115 and 1.5 kg. During its encounter with Earth, the particle travelled about 510 km in the atmosphere. Around 260 g were destroyed in the atmosphere during the luminous phase of the event as a consequence of the ablation process. The modified orbit of the remaining material, which left our planet with a fusion crust, is also calculated.
Keywords: 
meteorites, meteors, meteoroids