Trajectory and orbit of the unique carbonaceous meteorite Flensburg

TL;DR

This study analyzes the trajectory, orbit, and physical characteristics of the Flensburg carbonaceous meteorite, revealing its origin near Jupiter's 5:2 resonance, its fragmentation behavior, and discrepancies in velocity measurements.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed trajectory and orbit determination for the Flensburg meteorite, combining multiple observational data sources and estimating its pre-atmospheric size and mass.

Findings

Origin near Jupiter's 5:2 resonance at 2.82 AU

Pre-atmospheric diameter 2-3 meters, mass 10,000-20,000 kg

Heavy atmospheric fragmentation at 46-37 km altitude

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 U.S. Government sensors (USGS), the pre-atmospheric diameter of the meteoroid was estimated to 2 - 3 meters and the mass to 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.