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The Chelyabinsk meteor is the largest recorded object to have been encountered by the Earth since the 1908 [[Tunguska event]] and the only such event known to have resulted in a large number of [[Casualty (person)|casualties]].<ref name="NATURE NEWS">{{cite web|last=Brumfiel|first=Geoff Brumfiel|title=Russian meteor largest in a century|url=http://www.nature.com/news/russian-meteor-largest-in-a-century-1.12438|publisher=Nature |accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref> The object may be classified as a fireball or [[bolide]],<ref name="space.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/19805-meteorite-crash-russia-injuries.html|title=Meteorite Fall in Russia Hurts More than 500 People &#124; Meteor Bolide | work = Space |accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref> and the event has been referred to as an air burst, as it exploded during its passage through the atmosphere.<ref name="dailykos">{{cite news |title= Breaking: Meteor airburst over Chelyabinsk |publisher = Daily Kos | url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/15/1187318/-BREAKING-Meteor-airburst-over-Chelyabinsk | publishdate=2013-02-15 |accessdate=15 February 2013 }}</ref> In a preliminary estimate, the Russian space agency [[Roskosmos]] calculated that the meteor was traveling at about {{convert|108000|kph|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name="RT Meteorite Chelyabinsk 283" /> Although the known close approach of asteroid {{mpl|2012 DA|14}} occurred about 15 hours later, astronomers concluded that the two events were unrelated.
The Chelyabinsk meteor is the largest recorded object to have been encountered by the Earth since the 1908 [[Tunguska event]] and the only such event known to have resulted in a large number of [[Casualty (person)|casualties]].<ref name="NATURE NEWS">{{cite web|last=Brumfiel|first=Geoff Brumfiel|title=Russian meteor largest in a century|url=http://www.nature.com/news/russian-meteor-largest-in-a-century-1.12438|publisher=Nature |accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref> The object may be classified as a fireball or [[bolide]],<ref name="space.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/19805-meteorite-crash-russia-injuries.html|title=Meteorite Fall in Russia Hurts More than 500 People &#124; Meteor Bolide | work = Space |accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref> and the event has been referred to as an air burst, as it exploded during its passage through the atmosphere.<ref name="dailykos">{{cite news |title= Breaking: Meteor airburst over Chelyabinsk |publisher = Daily Kos | url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/15/1187318/-BREAKING-Meteor-airburst-over-Chelyabinsk | publishdate=2013-02-15 |accessdate=15 February 2013 }}</ref> In a preliminary estimate, the Russian space agency [[Roskosmos]] calculated that the meteor was traveling at about {{convert|108000|kph|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name="RT Meteorite Chelyabinsk 283" /> Although the known close approach of asteroid {{mpl|2012 DA|14}} occurred about 15 hours later, astronomers concluded that the two events were unrelated.



About 1,200 people have been reported injured, mainly by glass from windows shattered by the shock wave; two are reported in serious condition,<ref name="chelyabinsk" /> with a 52-year-old woman with a broken spine being flown to Moscow for treatment.<ref>Meteorite hits Russian Urals,
About 1,200 people have been reported injured, mainly by glass from windows shattered by the shock wave; two are reported in serious condition,<ref name="chelyabinsk" /> with a 52-year-old woman with a broken spine being flown to Moscow for treatment.<ref>Meteorite hits Russian Urals,
RT.com,
RT.com,
15 February, 2013,
15 February, 2013,
http://rt.com/news/meteorite-crash-urals-chelyabinsk-283/</ref> Up to 3,000 buildings in six cities across the region have reportedly been damaged due to the explosion and impacts.<ref>{{cite web|last=Marson|first=James|title=Meteorite Hits Russia, Causing Panic|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324162304578305163574597722.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories|publisher=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=15 February 2013|coauthors=Gautam Naik}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ewait|first=David|title=Exploding Meteorite Injures A Thousand People In Russia|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2013/02/15/exploding-meteorite-injures-a-thousand-people-in-russia/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter|publisher=Forbes|accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref> The meteor created a dazzling light, bright enough to cast shadows during broad daylight in Chelyabinsk and to be observed in [[Sverdlovsk Oblast|Sverdlovsk]], [[Orenburg Oblast]]s, and in [[Kazakhstan]].
http://rt.com/news/meteorite-crash-urals-chelyabinsk-283/</ref> Up to 3,000 buildings in six cities across the region have reportedly been damaged due to the explosion and impacts.<ref>{{cite web|last=Marson|first=James|title=Meteorite Hits Russia, Causing Panic|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324162304578305163574597722.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories|publisher=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=15 February 2013|coauthors=Gautam Naik}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ewait|first=David|title=Exploding Meteorite Injures A Thousand People In Russia|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2013/02/15/exploding-meteorite-injures-a-thousand-people-in-russia/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter|publisher=Forbes|accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref> The meteor created a dazzling light, bright enough to cast shadows during broad daylight in Chelyabinsk and to be observed in [[Sverdlovsk Oblast|Sverdlovsk]], [[Orenburg Oblast]], and in [[Kazakhstan]].


==Initial reports==
==Initial reports==

Revision as of 05:35, 16 February 2013

2013 Russian meteor event
Trail of the meteor over Chelyabinsk
Chelyabinsk meteor is located in Russia
Chelyabinsk meteor
Location of the meteor event
Date15 February 2013 (2013-02-15)
Time09:15 YEKT (UTC+06:00)
Location
Coordinates55°03′N 59°48′E / 55.05°N 59.8°E / 55.05; 59.8
Also known asKEF-2013
CauseMeteor
Non-fatal injuries1,200[1]
Property damageCollapsed factory roof, shattered windows

On 15 February 2013, a meteor entered Earth's atmosphere over Russia at approximately 09:13 Yekaterinburg Time (03:13 UTC), becoming a fireball.[2][3][4] Moving at a speed of at least 54,000 km/h (34,000 mph),[5][6] roughly 44 times the speed of sound, it passed over the southern Ural region and exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk.[n 1] The U.S. space agency, NASA, estimated it at about 17 metres (56 ft) in diameter and 9,070,000 kg (20,000,000 lb),[2] with an energy release equivalent to nearly 500 kilotons of TNT.[8][1][2] The object's air burst occurred at an altitude between 30 and 50 km (20 and 30 mi) above the ground.[9] The meteoroid was not detected before atmospheric entry.[10]

The Chelyabinsk meteor is the largest recorded object to have been encountered by the Earth since the 1908 Tunguska event and the only such event known to have resulted in a large number of casualties.[11] The object may be classified as a fireball or bolide,[12] and the event has been referred to as an air burst, as it exploded during its passage through the atmosphere.[13] In a preliminary estimate, the Russian space agency Roskosmos calculated that the meteor was traveling at about 108,000 km/h (67,000 mph).[14] Although the known close approach of asteroid 2012 DA14 occurred about 15 hours later, astronomers concluded that the two events were unrelated.

About 1,200 people have been reported injured, mainly by glass from windows shattered by the shock wave; two are reported in serious condition,[1] with a 52-year-old woman with a broken spine being flown to Moscow for treatment.[15] Up to 3,000 buildings in six cities across the region have reportedly been damaged due to the explosion and impacts.[16][17] The meteor created a dazzling light, bright enough to cast shadows during broad daylight in Chelyabinsk and to be observed in Sverdlovsk, Orenburg Oblast, and in Kazakhstan.

Initial reports

Collapsed roof (caused by the shock wave) of zinc factory in Chelyabinsk

Local residents witnessed extremely bright burning objects in the sky of Chelyabinsk, Sverdlovsk and Orenburg Oblasts, and neighbouring regions in Kazakhstan.[18][19][20] Amateur videos showed a fireball streaking across the sky and a loud sonic boom shortly afterward.[21][22][23] At times the object was so bright that it cast shadows far stronger than the rising sun.[24][25] An image of the object was also taken shortly after it entered the atmosphere by the weather satellite Meteosat 9.[14]

Technical details

Object and entry

View from Yekaterinburg, some 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the hypocentre of the explosion

According to the Russian Federal Space Agency, preliminary estimations classified it as a meteor moving at about 30 km/s (19 mi/s) at a "low trajectory." Estimation on the size of the object currently differ, ranging from a diameter of 15 m to a few meters.[2][26]

The United States space agency NASA estimated the diameter of the bolide to have been around 15 metres (49 ft) and the mass to be several thousand tons. The blast was estimated to have been equivalent to several hundred kilotons of TNT.[2]

The Russian Geographical Society said the passing of the meteor over Chelyabinsk was followed by three blasts of different power. The first explosion was the most powerful, all preceded by a bright flash, which lasted about five seconds. The burst altitude ranged from 70 to 30km above the ground, with a capacity of 0.1 to 10 kilotons (0.4–4.2 TJ),[n 2][27] and the hypocenter of the explosion was located to the south of Chelyabinsk, in Emanzhelinsk and Yuzhnouralsk. The shock wave reached Chelyabinsk two minutes later.[27]

Impact

Three impact sites were found. Two were in an area near Chebarkul Lake and the other is some 80 kilometres (50 miles) further to the northwest, near the town of Zlatoust. One of the fragments that struck near Chebarkul left a crater with a diameter of six metres (20 feet). A hole was found by a local fisherman on the surface of the frozen Chebarkul Lake, probably a result of the impact.[14] In Kazakhstan, emergency officials said they were looking for two possible unidentified objects that may have landed in Aktobe Province, Kazakhstan, adjacent to the affected Russian regions.[28] The energy released was big enough to register as a seismic event.[29]

Damage and injuries

The blast caused a large number of windows to shatter, including those in the Chelyabinsk Drama Theatre.

As of 15 February 2013, around 1,200[1] people asked for medical attention in Chelyabinsk Oblast, including 159 children. Health officials said 112 people had been hospitalized, with two reported to be in what officials deemed serious condition. Most people were hurt by shattered glass.[1] Office buildings in downtown Chelyabinsk were evacuated. Classes for all Chelyabinsk schools were canceled, mainly due to broken windows.[14] At least 20 children were injured when the windows of a school and kindergarten burst at 9:22 AM.[30]

Following the event, government officials in Chelyabinsk asked parents to bring their children home from schools.[31] An interior ministry spokesman said that approximately 600 m2 (6,500 sq ft) of a roof at a zinc factory collapsed during the event.[32] Residents in Chelyabinsk whose windows were smashed were scrambling to cover the openings with anything available as local temperature was −6 °C (21 °F) in the city, and the temperature can be as low as around −20 °C (−4 °F) in the affected area.[26]

The Chelyabinsk Oblast Governor Mikhail Yurevich expressed that preserving the central heating system of the city is the primary goal of the authorities.[14] He estimated damages from the event as no less than 1 billion rubles[33] (approximately US$33 million).

The Chelyabinsk meteor is thought to be the biggest meteor to hit Earth since the 1908 Tunguska event and the only known such event to result in a large number of casualties. [34][35]

Reactions

File:February 2013 Russian meteor.jpg
View of the meteor entering Earth's atmosphere.

Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of Russia, confirmed a meteor had struck Russia and said it proves the "entire planet" is vulnerable to meteors and a spaceguard system is needed to protect the planet from similar events in the future.[23][36] Dmitry Rogozin, the deputy prime minister, proposed that there should be an international program that would alert countries to "objects of an alien origin".[37]

The decision of the commander of the Central Military District, Colonel General Nikolai Bogdanov was to create task forces and direct them to the alleged impact areas and search for fragments to monitor the situation. Fragments of the meteorite measuring from 5 mm to 1 cm have been reported to have been found in Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk region, one kilometer from the town of Chebarkul.[38]

Media coverage

The event immediately received heavy initial coverage in the media.[39] Less than 15 hours after the meteor impact, videos related to the event had been viewed more than 7.7 million times.[40]

Unrelated asteroid approach

Preliminary calculations showed the event was not related to the 15 February close approach of asteroid 2012 DA14, that subsequently passed the Earth at a distance of 27,700 km.[41][24] This version received support from different authorities: the Chelyabinsk meteorite was moving from east to west, whereas the trajectory of the asteroid was from south to north.[42][43] A similar statement was made by the European Space Agency (ESA).[44]

The meteor occurred 16 hours before the approach of asteroid 2012 DA14 to the Earth, which was the "closest ever predicted Earth approach" of an object its size.[45] Early remarks by astronomers gave differing and uncertain opinions. Phil Plait said they were unlikely to be related because the objects were almost 500,000 kilometres apart and seemed to be travelling in different directions.[24] After an initial analysis of photographs from the site, scientists at the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory in Northern Finland concluded that the two trajectories were widely different.[46] Simon O'Toole of the Australian Astronomical Observatory also said it seemed unlikely. Leonid Elenin also agrees the meteor was unrelated.[47] Phil Bland of Curtin University said that he thought it less likely to be a coincidence.[48] Marco Langbroek (VU University Amsterdam) pointed out that it is impossible for fragments in similar orbits as 2012 DA14 to enter the atmosphere at a latitude as high as 55 degrees north: as seen from the approach direction of such fragments, 55 degrees north is located on the back side of Earth.[49]

Shortly after the event, NASA released a statement saying that 2012 DA14 and the meteor that exploded over Russia had "significantly different" trajectories and that the two were not related.[45]

Other occurrence

In the morning of 14 February, a bright fireball was reported in skies over the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States. The fireball was seen before 8 PM PST. It was seen as far north as Fairfield and as far south as Gilroy. It was also seen in Sacramento. According to a witness from Santa Clara, it was bluish in color and appeared to be heading straight to the ground.[50][51]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The last time a similar phenomenon was observed in the Chelyabinsk region was the Kunashak meteor rain of 1949, after which scientists recovered about 20 stones weighing over 200 kg in total.[7]
  2. ^ According to the measurements from the other side of the city though, if the height of the blast is measured at about 30km, the power of the explosion would range from 0.1 to 1 kiloton.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Meteorite hits Russian Urals: Fireball explosion wreaks havoc, up to 1,200 injured (PHOTOS, VIDEO). RT. 15 February 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Russian Meteor". NASA. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  3. ^ "Meteor in central Russia injures at least 500". USA Today. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  4. ^ "100 injured by meteorite falls in Russian Urals". Mercury News. Retrieved 15 February 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publishdate= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Major, Jason. "Meteor Blast Rocks Russia". Universe today. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  6. ^ "500 injured by blasts as meteor falls in Russia". Yahoo News. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  7. ^ Grady, Monica M (31 August 2000). Catalogue of Meteorites. London: Natural History Museum, Cambridge University Press. pp. 285–. ISBN 978-0-521-66303-8. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  8. ^ Russian meteorite blast explained: Fireball explosion equal to 20 Hiroshimas. RT. 15 February 2013.
  9. ^ "Meteor falls in Russia, 700 injured by blasts". Associated Press. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  10. ^ "Neil deGrasse Tyson: Radar could not detect meteorite". Today. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  11. ^ Brumfiel, Geoff Brumfiel. "Russian meteor largest in a century". Nature. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  12. ^ "Meteorite Fall in Russia Hurts More than 500 People | Meteor Bolide". Space. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  13. ^ "Breaking: Meteor airburst over Chelyabinsk". Daily Kos. Retrieved 15 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |publishdate= ignored (help)
  14. ^ a b c d e "Meteorite hits Russian Urals: Fireball explosion wreaks havoc, over 900 injured (phots, video)". RT. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  15. ^ Meteorite hits Russian Urals, RT.com, 15 February, 2013, http://rt.com/news/meteorite-crash-urals-chelyabinsk-283/
  16. ^ Marson, James. "Meteorite Hits Russia, Causing Panic". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 February 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Ewait, David. "Exploding Meteorite Injures A Thousand People In Russia". Forbes. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  18. ^ "Russia rocked by meteor explosion". The Verge. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  19. ^ "Possible meteor shower reported in eastern Russia". Reuters. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  20. ^ Shurmina, Natalia; Kuzmin, Andrey. "Meteorite hits central Russia, more than 500 people hurt". Reuters. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  21. ^ Videos capture exploding meteor in sky (Television production). United States: CNN. 16 February 2013.
  22. ^ "Meteor shower over Russia sees meteorites hit Earth". The Sydney Morning Herald. February 16 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ a b "PM Medvedev Says Russian Meteorite KEF-2013 Shows "Entire Planet" Vulnerable". Newsroom America. Retrieved 15 February 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publishdate= ignored (help)
  24. ^ a b c "Breaking: Huge Meteor Explodes Over Russia". Slate. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  25. ^ "Possible Meteor Crash in Russia: Reports". Space. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  26. ^ a b "Notfälle – Astronomie: Asteroid "2012 DA14" hat Erde passiert". Munich, DE: Süddeutsche. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  27. ^ a b "Ученый: полету метеорита над Челябинском сопутствовали три взрыва мощностью от 1 до 10 килотонн" (in Russian). RU: Gazeta. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  28. ^ "Russia". Moscow, RU: Ria novosti. 2013‐2‐15. {{cite web}}: |contribution= ignored (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Meteor Explosion near Chelyabinsk, Russia". US Geological Survey. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  30. ^ Bidder, Benjamin. "Meteoriten-Hagel in Russland: "Ein Knall, Splittern von Glas"" (in German). DE. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  31. ^ Campbell, Charlie. "Watch meteorite injures hundreds in Russia". Time. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  32. ^ "Central Russia hit by meteor shower in Ural region". UK: BBC. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  33. ^ "Ущерб от челябинского метеорита превысит миллиард рублей" (in Russian). Lenta.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  34. ^ "Asteroid impacts - How to avert Armageddon". The Economist. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  35. ^ Ellen Barry and Andrew E. Kramer (15 February 2013). "Shock Wave of Fireball Meteor Rattles Siberia, Injuring 1,000". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  36. ^ "400 injured by meteorite falls in Russian Urals" (Document). Y net newsTemplate:Inconsistent citations {{cite document}}: Unknown parameter |url= ignored (help)CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  37. ^ Amos, Howard (15 February 2013). "Meteorite explosion over Chelyabinsk injures hundreds". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  38. ^ Interfax. "В полынье в Чебаркульском районе Челябинской области, возможно, найдены обломки метеорита - МЧС". Interfax. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  39. ^ Federal Press World News. "Челябинский метеорит стал одной из самых популярных тем в мире". Federal Press. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  40. ^ Visible Measures. "Meteor Over Russia Hits Internet with 7.7 Million Video Views". Visible Measures. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  41. ^ "Уральский метеорит отвлек научный мир от знаменитого астероида" (in Russian). RU: РИА Новости. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  42. ^ "Уральский метеорит отвлёк научный мир от знаменитого астероида" (in Russian). RU: РИА Новости. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  43. ^ Quinn, Ben and agencies (15 February 2013). "Asteroid misses Earth by 17,000 miles after meteor strikes Russia". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  44. ^ "Meteor Causes Panic in Russia". Voice of America. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  45. ^ a b Nasa. "Solarsystem, Asteroid 2012 DA14 – Earth Flyby Reality Check". Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  46. ^ "Are 2012 DA14 and the Chelyabinsk meteor related?". FI: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  47. ^ Elenin, Leonid (15 February 2013). "Siberian fireball". Space obs. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  48. ^ Creagh, Sunanda (15 February 2013). "Fireball explodes over Russia, 150 hurt". The Conversation. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  49. ^ "Huge fireball over Russia this morning! Not 2012 DA14 related". SatTrackCam. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  50. ^ "Fireball Streaks Across Bay Area Sky". NBC Bay Area News. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  51. ^ "Bright fireball reported in skies over San Francisco Bay Area - @nbcbayarea". OneNewsPage. Retrieved 16 February 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
Attribution
  • This article contains portions of text translated from the corresponding article of the Russian Wikipedia. A list of contributors can be found there in the History section.
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