NASA Researchers Gather Crucial Data from Meteoroid Impact

A team of NASA and international scientists are studying the effects on Earth from a small asteroid impact.

The extraordinary information gathered by citizen cameras when the fiery ball crashed into the Russian atmosphere, has given the scientists a unique opportunity to calibrate the event. This also offers an opportunity to gather information on near Earth Objects (NEOs) and developing strategies to defend the planet from such elements.

"Our goal was to understand all circumstances that resulted in the shock wave," said meteor expert Peter Jenniskens, co-lead author and a meteor astronomer at NASA's Ames Research Center and the SETI Institute, in a statement.

The scientists also followed up on the citizens who had first hand information about the event and recorded the event on their cameras.

They adjusted the video images using the position of the stars in the night sky and they calculated the impact speed of the meteor at 42,500 mph.  When the meteor tore into the Earth's atmosphere it split into several fragments peaking at 19 miles above the surface of the Earth, during which the light of the meteor appeared to be brighter than the Sun.

Due to the intense heat, the fragments of the meteor debris vaporized before falling out of the ball of debris. The scientists assume that when the debris was between 4000-6000 kilograms it touched the ground. A part of this was retrieved from Lake Chebarkul on October 16, 2013 that was exactly 650 kilograms.

NASA researchers suspect that due to the number of fractures in the rock, it ended up breaking into fragments in the upper atmosphere.

On analyzing the origin of shock veins in the meteorites that were provided by the Chelyabinsk State University, a meteoriticist at Ames Derek Sears said, "One of these meteorites broke along one of these shock veins when we pressed on it during our analysis."

The shock fractures contained layers of small iron grains inside the vein that precipitated along with the glassy material when it cooled.

The shock vein occurred 4.4 billion years ago that is exactly 115 million years after the formation of the solar system. The researchers state that it is at this time that the meteorite experienced a significant impact.

"Events that long ago affected how the Chelyabinsk meteoroid broke up in the atmosphere, influencing the damaging shockwave," said Jenniskens.

Scientists conclude saying, "Aside from representing a potential threat, the study of asteroids and comets represent a valuable opportunity to learn more about the origins of our solar system, the source of water on the Earth, and even the origin of organic molecules that lead to the development of life."