Orbit, emission spectrum, and photometric analysis of two flickering sporadic fireballs

We present the observations of two fireballs that exhibit fast and quasi-periodic brightness variations along their atmospheric path. This phenomenon, which is known as "flickering", is associated to the entry of spinning non-spherical meteoroids into the atmosphere. Both bolides were imag...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Madiedo, José M., Trigo-Rodríguez, Josep María, Konovalova, Natalia, Ortiz, José Luis, Castro-Tirado, Alberto J., Alonso-Azcárate, J., Lacruz, J., Cabrera-Caño, Jesús
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/404974
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/404974
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Meteorites
Meteoroids
Meteors
Descripción
Sumario:We present the observations of two fireballs that exhibit fast and quasi-periodic brightness variations along their atmospheric path. This phenomenon, which is known as "flickering", is associated to the entry of spinning non-spherical meteoroids into the atmosphere. Both bolides were imaged in the framework of the continuous fireball monitoring and meteor spectroscopy campaigns organized by the SPanish Meteor Network (SPMN) in 2012. Their atmospheric trajectory, radiant, and orbit were calculated. The preatmospheric mass and tensile strength of the parent meteoroids were also estimated, and the rotation of these bodies analyzed on the basis of the photometric behavior of the bolides. Although small (less than 80 grams), a non-zero terminal mass was determined for both events. The emission spectra produced during the ablation of the meteoroids in the atmosphere are also discussed. © ESO, 2013.