Trajectory and orbit of the unique carbonaceous meteorite Flensburg

Abstract

The C1-ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite Flensburg fell in Germany on September 12, 2019, in the daytime. We determined the atmospheric trajectory, velocity, and heliocentric orbit using one dedicated AllSky6 meteor camera and three casual video records of the bolide. It was found that the meteorite originated in the vicinity of the 5:2 resonance with Jupiter at heliocentric distance of 2.82 AU. When combined with the bolide energy reported by the United States government sensors (USGS), the preatmospheric diameter of the meteoroid was estimated to be 2-3 m and the mass to be 10,000-20,000 kg. The meteoroid fragmented heavily in the atmosphere at heights of 46-37 km, under dynamic pressures of 0.7-2 MPa. The recovery of just one meteorite suggests that only a very small part of the original mass reached the ground. The bolide velocity vector was compared with that reported by the USGS. There is good agreement in the radiant but the velocity value has been underestimated by the USGS by almost 1 km s À1 .

The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system

“…The pre-atmospheric orbit of the Winchcombe meteorite is similar to those reported for the C/CM chondrite Sutter’s Mill ( 7 ) and CM chondrite Maribo ( 8 ), but distinct from the ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites Tagish Lake (C2 ung ) ( 6 ) and Flensburg (C1 ung ) ( 9 ) ( Fig. 2 and table S2).…”

“… Pre-atmospheric orbit of the Winchcombe (W) meteoroid compared with those of the carbonaceous chondrite falls Sutter’s Mill (S) ( 7 ), Maribo (M) ( 8 ), Tagish Lake (T) ( 6 ), and Flensburg (F) ( 9 ). Planets are shown at the time of the Winchcombe fall.…”

“…Carbonaceous chondrite meteorites are likely fragments of these asteroids and have volatile abundances and isotopic compositions that indicate that they played a key role in the delivery of water and biologically important molecules to Earth and other terrestrial planets (5). However, direct links between meteorites and their parent bodies are poorly constrained, with only four carbonaceous chondrite falls with pre-atmospheric orbits having been recovered to date (6)(7)(8)(9). Most carbonaceous chondrites are fortuitous finds that lack information about their source region(s) in the solar system.…”

Analysis of the daylight fireball of July 15, 2021, leading to a meteorite fall and find near Antonin, Poland, and a description of the recovered chondrite

“…The observatories consist of seven individual IP cameras covering the whole sky and recording bright meteor events also in daylight. One station of this network recorded part of the fireball preceding the Flensburg meteorite fall in 2019 in Germany (Borovička et al., 2021).…”

Abundance and importance of petrological type 1 chondritic material

“…There is scant information in the literature about the original orbits of type 1 meteorites; only two type 1 meteorites have a determined pre-terrestrial trajectory. Orgueil had an orbit compatible with being from a Jupiter family comet (Gounelle et al, 2006) whereas Flensburg originated closer in, at a heliocentric distance of 2.82 AU, around the 5: 2 resonance with Jupiter (Borovi cka et al, 2021). Despite this, type 1 and type 2 materials have been suggested to dominate the meteoroid flux (Zolensky, Ivanov, et al, 1996).…”