Tau-Herculid meteor shower on night 30/31 May, 2022, and properties of the meteoroids

TL;DR

This study documents the unexpected activity of the tau-Herculid meteor shower on May 30/31, 2022, analyzing meteoroid properties, origins, and spectra, revealing a mix of old and recent cometary debris and extremely fragile meteoroids.

Contribution

First detailed multi-instrument analysis of tau-Herculid meteoroids, combining observational data with dynamical models to understand their origins and physical properties.

Findings

Meteor shower was active before the predicted peak.

Meteoroids originated from both old and recent comet fragments.

Meteoroids are among the most fragile observed.

Abstract

A tau-Herculid meteor outburst or even a storm was predicted by several models to occur around 5~UT on 31~May, 2022 as a consequence of the break-up of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 in 1995. The multi-instrument and multi-station experiment was carried-out within the Czech Republic to cover possible earlier activity of the shower between 21 and 1 UT on 30/31 May. Multi-station observations using video and photographic cameras were used for calculation of the atmospheric trajectories and heliocentric orbits of the meteors. Their arrival times are used for determination of the shower activity profile. Physical properties of the meteoroids are evaluated using various criteria based on meteor heights. Evolution of spectra of three meteors are studied as well. This annual but poor meteor shower was active for the whole night many hours before the predicted peak. A comparison with dynamical models shows that a mix of older material ejected after 1900 and fresh particles originating from the 1995 comet fragmentation event was observed. Radiant positions of both groups of meteors were identified and found to be in good agreement with simulated radiants. Meteoroids with masses between 10 mg and 10 kg were recorded. The mass distribution index was slightly higher than 2. A study of the physical properties shows that the tau-Herculid meteoroids belong to the most fragile particles observed ever, especially among higher masses of meteoroids. Exceptionally bright bolide observed during the dawn represents a challenge for the dynamical simulations as it is necessary to explain how to transfer a half metre body to the vicinity of the Earth at the same time as millimetre sized particles.