Spectra and physical properties of Taurid meteoroids

Matlovič, Pavol; Tóth, Juraj; Rudawska, Regina; Kornoš, Leonard

doi:10.1016/j.pss.2017.02.007

Cited by 28 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 45 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similar heterogeneity of Taurid physical properties was observed recently by Matlovič et al (2017). Brown et al (2013) suggested that Taurids might drop meteorites.…”

Section: Physical Propertiessupporting

confidence: 83%

Discovery of a new branch of the Taurid meteoroid stream as a real source of potentially hazardous bodies

Spurný

Borovička

Mucke³

et al. 2017

A&A

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Taurid meteor shower produces prolonged but usually low activity every October and November. In some years, however, the activity is significantly enhanced. Previous studies based on long-term activity statistics concluded that the enhancement is caused by a swarm of meteoroids locked in 7:2 resonance with Jupiter. Here we present precise data on 144 Taurid fireballs observed by new digital cameras of the European Fireball Network in the enhanced activity year 2015. Orbits of 113 fireballs show common characteristics and form together a well defined orbital structure, which we call new branch and which was evidently responsible for the enhanced activity. This new branch is part of Southern Taurids and was encountered by the Earth between October 25 and November 17. We found that this branch is characterized by longitudes of perihelia lying between 155.9-160• and latitudes of perihelia between 4.2-5.7• . Semimajor axes are between 2.23-2.28 AU and indeed overlap with the 7:2 resonance. Eccentricities are in wide range 0.80-0.90. The most eccentric orbits with lowest perihelion distances were encountered at the beginning of the activity period. The orbits form a concentric ring in the inner solar system. The masses of the observed meteoroids were in a wide range from 0.1 g to more than 1000 kg. We found that all meteoroids larger than 300 g were very fragile (type IIIB), while those smaller than 30 g were much more compact (mostly of type II and some of them even type I). Based on orbital characteristics, we argue that asteroids 2015 TX24 and 2005 UR, both of diameters 200-300 m, are direct members of the new branch. It is therefore very likely that the new branch contains also numerous still not discovered objects of decameter or even larger size. Since asteroids of sizes of tens to hundreds meters pose a threat to the ground even if they are intrinsically weak, impact hazard increases significantly when the Earth encounters the Taurid new branch every few years. Further studies leading to better description of this real source of potentially hazardous objects, which can be large enough to cause significant regional or even continental damage on the Earth, are therefore extremely important.

show abstract

“…Similar heterogeneity of Taurid physical properties was observed recently by Matlovič et al (2017). Brown et al (2013) suggested that Taurids might drop meteorites.…”

Section: Physical Propertiessupporting

confidence: 83%

Discovery of a new branch of the Taurid meteoroid stream as a real source of potentially hazardous bodies

Spurný

Borovička

Mucke³

et al. 2017

A&A

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Some degree of heterogeneity in Fe/Mg and Na/Mg ratios (typically up to 30% in ternary Na/Mg/Fe content) among meteoroids from one parent object appears to be natural. This is suggested from the wider spectral studies of Leonids, Geminids (Borovička et al 2005), Taurids (Matlovič et al 2017), and Perseids (this work). Sodium enhancement was confirmed in one 49 Andromedid.…”

Section: Halley-typementioning

confidence: 60%

“…12 are dominated by Perseids and Taurids, respectively. All of the Taurid meteoroids analyzed here were observed during the 2015 outburst and were analyzed previously by Matlovič et al (2017).…”

Section: Shower Meteorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectral and orbital survey of medium-sized meteoroids

Matlovič

Tóth

Rudawska

et al. 2019

A&A

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims. We investigate the spectra, material properties, and orbital distribution of millimeter-to decimeter-sized meteoroids. Our study aims to distinguish the characteristics of populations of differently sized meteoroids and reveal the heterogeneity of identified meteoroid streams. We verify the surprisingly large ratio of pure iron meteoroids on asteroidal orbits detected among mm-sized bodies. Methods. Emission spectra and multi-station meteor trajectories were collected within the AMOS network observations. The sample is based on 202 meteors of -1 to -14 magnitude, corresponding to meteoroids of mm to dm sizes. Meteoroid composition is studied by spectral classification based on relative intensity ratios of Na, Mg, and Fe and corresponding monochromatic light curves. Heliocentric orbits, trajectory parameters, and material strengths inferred from empirical K B and P E parameters were determined for 146 meteoroids.Results. An overall increase of Na content compared to the population of mm-sized meteoroids was detected, reflecting weaker effects of space weathering processes on larger meteoroids. The preservation of volatiles in larger meteoroids is directly observed. We report a very low ratio of pure iron meteoroids and the discovery of a new spectral group of Fe-rich meteors. The majority of meteoroids on asteroidal orbits were found to be chondritic. Thermal processes causing Na depletion and physical processes resulting in Na-rich spectra are described and linked to characteristically increased material strengths. Numerous major and minor shower meteors were identified in our sample, revealing various degrees of heterogeneity within Halley-type, ecliptical, and sungrazing meteoroid streams. Our results imply a scattered composition of the fragments of comet 2P/Encke and 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The largest disparities were detected within α-Capricornids of the inactive comet 169P/NEAT and δ-Aquarids of the sungrazing 96P/Machholz. We also find a spectral similarity between κ-Cygnids and Taurids, which could imply a similar composition of the parent objects of the two streams.A&A proofs: manuscript no. AA_2019_36093_p Fig. 1: Slovak part of the global AMOS network. Observations of the AMOS-Spec and AMOS stations by the Astronomical and Geophysical Observatory in Modra (AGO), Arborétum Tesárske Mlyňany (ARBO), Kysucké Nové Mesto (KNM), and Važec (VAZ) were used in this work. Red, green, and blue labels designate operating standard AMOS cameras, spectral stations, and planned stations.low-resolution meteor spectra , the rough composition (chondritic, achondritic, metallic) can be identified. We attempt to verify this hypothesis and try to look for additional information about the meteoroid nature and structure that can be revealed from determined orbital and atmospheric parameters.One of the most surprising results of the study by Borovička et al. (2005) was the large number of the detected pure-iron meteoroids, suggesting that iron meteoroids prevail among mmsized meteoroids on asteroidal orbits. These results are...

show abstract

“…As noted in Section 4, JEO meteoroids are of significantly weaker material strength compared to Taurids (Fig. 8), (Spurný et al 2017;Matlovič et al 2017). Furthermore, the estimated size of 2019 MO was only around four meters.…”

Section: Search For the Parent Objectmentioning

confidence: 59%

Characterization of the June epsilon Ophiuchids meteoroid stream and the comet 300P/Catalina

Matlovič

Kornoš

Kováčová

et al. 2020

A&A

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims. Prior to 2019, the June epsilon Ophiuchids (JEO) were known as a minor unconfirmed meteor shower with activity that was considered typically moderate for bright fireballs. An unexpected bout of enhanced activity was observed in June 2019, which even raised the possibility that it was linked to the impact of the small asteroid 2019 MO near Puerto Rico. Early reports also point out the similarity of the shower to the orbit of the comet 300P/Catalina. We aim to analyze the orbits, emission spectra, and material strengths of JEO meteoroids to provide a characterization of this stream, identify its parent object, and evaluate its link to the impacting asteroid 2019 MO. Methods. Our analysis is based on a sample of 22 JEO meteor orbits and four emission spectra observed by the AMOS network at the Canary Islands and in Chile. The meteoroid composition was studied by spectral classification based on relative intensity ratios of Na, Mg, and Fe. Heliocentric orbits, trajectory parameters, and material strengths were determined for each meteor and the mean orbit and radiant of the stream were calculated. The link to potential parent objects was evaluated using a combination of orbital-similarity D-criteria and backwards integration of the orbit of comet 300P and the JEO stream. Results. We confirm the reports of an unexpected swarm of meteoroids originating in the JEO stream. JEO meteoroids have low material strengths characteristic for fragile cometary bodies, and they exhibit signs of a porous structure. The emission spectra reveal slightly increased iron content compared to all other measured cometary streams, but they are generally consistent with a primitive chondritic composition. Further dynamical analysis suggests that the JEO stream is likely to originate from comet 300P/Catalina and that it was formed within the last 1000 years. Over longer timescales, the meteoroids in the stream move to chaotic orbits due to the turbulent orbital evolution of the comet. Our results also suggest that the impact of the small asteroid 2019 MO on June 22 was not connected to the JEO activity.

show abstract

Spectra and physical properties of Taurid meteoroids

Cited by 28 publications

References 45 publications

Discovery of a new branch of the Taurid meteoroid stream as a real source of potentially hazardous bodies

Discovery of a new branch of the Taurid meteoroid stream as a real source of potentially hazardous bodies

Spectral and orbital survey of medium-sized meteoroids

Characterization of the June epsilon Ophiuchids meteoroid stream and the comet 300P/Catalina

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About