New methods reveal invisible meteorites and asteroids

Every day, 10-200 tons of matter from space enter the Earth’s atmosphere. It consists of dust and particles of small and large pebbles – meteorites. These particles come from comets and asteroids, and originate from when the solar system was formed.

When a meteor hits Earth’s atmosphere and burns up as a meteorite, the material disperses into the atmosphere. Most meteorites are not visible to the eye but can be detected by radar.

So far, the height of meteors has not been confirmed with certainty, but now a dissertation at Umeå University can show the presence of rare meteors at unusually high altitudes. This was done by analyzing data from Japan’s radar system.

A better understanding of space debris

In the thesis, PhD student Daniel Kastinen also used the EISCAT scientific organization’s radar system to make measurements of space debris formed in November 2021 when the decommissioned Kosmos-1408 satellite was destroyed by a Russian missile during a so-called anti-satellite. a test.

With new methods of analysis, he was able to estimate the size of the fragments. A new method can also be used to determine the orbits of space objects. The study contributes to a better understanding of our near-Earth space environment and to mapping the growing amount of space debris.

Radar systems can track near-Earth asteroids

The thesis also contributes to increasing knowledge about how to study asteroids. By simulating the movements of asteroids and how they reflect radio waves, Daniel Kastinen has demonstrated that the EISCAT 3D radar system, which is currently being built in northern Scandinavia, will be able to track and study asteroids, which can collide and damage. Earth.

Simulation mini minimons appear

There is also the possibility of detecting asteroids temporarily captured by Earth’s gravity, the so-called small moons. Simulations show that smaller moons up to 1,000 meters in size temporarily orbit Earth each year, but so far only a few have been discovered.

– My primary goal was to carefully analyze the radar measurements of meteors and space debris and to evaluate the accuracy of the measurements. This is to improve further analysis and use of the results in conjunction with new computer simulations. The work paves the way for future research and allows for interdisciplinary studies on meteorites, colloquially known as shooting stars, as well as on space debris and near-Earth asteroids, says doctoral student Daniel Kastinen in a thesis commentary.

hypothesis:

From Meteors to Space Safety: Dynamical Models and Radar Measurements of Space ObjectsUmeå University.

Contact:

Daniel Kastinen, PhD student, Institute of Space Physics (IRF) and Umeå University,
[email protected]