On March 11, a refrigerator-sized asteroid exploded in the skies off Iceland, just hours after astronomers first spotted it.
2022 EB5
Named 2022 EB5the space rock was initially detected at 7:24 p.m. UT by Krisztián Sárneczky at thePiszkéstető station observatoryon Hungary. Other astronomers were then able to track it before it disintegrated southwest of the island Jan Mayen just under two hours later, at 9:22 p.m. UT. It is the fifth small asteroid discovered before it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
« The very rapid spread of information from the discoverers allowed other astronomers to make more observations from different viewpoints, with enough time to calculate an accurate orbit and its intersection with Earth. “, Explain Mark Boslougha specialist in asteroid impacts at theuniversity of new mexico.
The signing of theasteroid in the process of disintegration was detected by infrasound monitoring stations, capable of measuring very small variations in atmospheric pressure. According to preliminary estimates, it measured between 1 and 2 meters in diameter and entered the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of 18 km/s. The energy released by its explosion was found to be equivalent to that of two kilotons of TNT.
« Impacts of this size can be considered completely harmless “, highlighted Richard Moisslfrom Office of Planetary Defense of the’European Space Agency. « They usually create what are called airbursts, at an altitude of around 40 kilometers. »
Crucial data
According to Moisslsuch events allow astronomers to make measurements that can shed light on characteristics such as the density or composition of such objects.
« With only optical observations of asteroids passing near Earth, our knowledge of their physical properties would be very limited. “, explains the researcher. ” But if a previously tracked rock is also observed as it enters the atmosphere and decays, we can learn more about it.. »
These detailed follow-ups also allow modellers to refine their simulations, which is essential in order to accurately assess the risk that more massive rocks could represent for our planet.