Physical properties of the superbolide of Tajikistan based on combined satellite and ground-based observations

Abstract

In this paper we present the study of the photometric mass and density for the Tajikistan superbolide of 23 July 2008. Using the combined data from satellite and ground-based observations the mass was calculated by three approaches: photometric (based on the light intensity at the height of maximum brightness), graphics (using published data of cars) and using the kinetic energy of the superbolide. As a result, the calculated values of the mass are 25.3, 19.9 and 18.9 tons, respectively (with average value of 21.3 ± 2.1 tons). The superbolid density was evaluated using the drag equation, the equation density of atmosphere at the heights of the maximum luminosity and beginning of the train and criterion-PE. The densities calculated by these three methods are equal to 1.1, 0.53 and 0.95 g/cm3 (with the average superbolide density as 0.86 ± 0.15 g/cm3).