Data on 824 fireballs observed by the digital cameras of the European Fireball Network in 2017-2018. II. Analysis of orbital and physical properties of centimeter-sized meteoroids

TL;DR

This study analyzes 824 fireballs observed by the European Fireball Network to classify meteoroid physical properties, compare orbital origins, and identify stream structures, revealing insights into their source regions and physical characteristics.

Contribution

Introduces a new empirical parameter based on maximum dynamic pressure for classifying meteoroid physical properties and compares orbital indicators of origin.

Findings

Aphelion distance better indicates asteroidal origin than Tisserand parameter.

Identified populations of strong meteoroids with high eccentricities or inclinations.

Confirmed orbital structures within Geminid and Perseid streams.

Abstract

Meteoroids impacting the Earth on a daily basis are fragments of asteroids and comets. By studying fireballs produced during their disintegration in the atmosphere, we can gain information about their source regions and the properties of their parent bodies. In this work, data on 824 fireballs presented in an accompanying paper and catalog are used. We propose a new empirical parameter for the classification of the physical properties of meteoroids, based on the maximum dynamic pressure suffered by the meteoroid in the atmosphere. We then compare the physical and orbital properties of meteoroids. We find that aphelion distance is a better indicator of asteroidal origin than the Tisserand parameter. Meteoroids with aphelia lower than 4.9 AU are mostly asteroidal, with the exception of the Taurids and alpha Capricornids associated with the comets 2P/Encke and 169P/NEAT, respectively. We found another population of strong meteoroids of probably asteroidal origin on orbits with either high eccentricities or high inclinations, and aphelia up to ~ 7 AU. Among the meteoroid streams, the Geminids and eta Virginids are the strongest, and Leonids and alpha Capricornids the weakest. We found fine orbital structures within the Geminid and Perseid streams. Four minor meteoroid streams from the working list of the International Astronomical Union were confirmed. No meteoroid with perihelion distance lower than 0.07 AU was detected. Spectra are available for some of the fireballs, and they enabled us to identify several iron meteoroids and meteoroids deficient in sodium. Recognition and frequency of fireballs leading to meteorite falls is also discussed.