2022 EB5 : 5th predicted Earth impact!

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19h 24min UT on March 11, 2022. A small asteroidal trail is detected by Krisztián Sárneczky, from Piszkéstető Observatory (Hungaria). Less than 2 hours later, 2022 EB5 impacted the Earth atmosphere South-West of Jan Mayen island. 5th time that a small asteroid is discovered before it enters the Earth atmosphere!

2022 EB5: 5th predicted Earth impactor

2008 TC3, 2014 AA, 2018 LA  and 2019 MO. These asteroids have in common the fact that they are Earth impactors discovered before they actually entered the Earth atmopshere. Since March 11, 2022, another one completed the list: 2022 EB5! This small Apollo asteroid, estimated to be below 2-meter diameter, was discovered less than two hours before by Krisztián Sárneczky, from Piszkéstető Observatory (Hungaria).

Asteroid 2008 TC3 2014 AA 2018 LA 2019 MO 2022 EB5
Category Apollo Apollo Apollo Apollo/Alinda Apollo
Dimensions ~ 4 m ~ 3 m ~ 3 m ~ 5 m ~ 2 m
Mass ~ 80 tons ~ 40 tons ~ 40 tons ~ 200 tons
Abs. Mag. 30.4 30.9 30.6 29.3 32.2
Entry speed 12.8 km/s 11.7 km/s 17 km/s 16.1 km/s 18 km/s
Energy 0.9-2.1 kt TNT 0.5-1 kt TNT ~ 0.4 kt TNT 6 kt TNT ~ 2 kt TNT
Discovery date Oct. 6, 2008, 06h 39min UT Jan. 1, 2014, 06h 18min UT Jun. 2, 2018, 08h 22min UT Jun. 22, 2019, 07h 254min TU Mar. 11, 2022, 19h 24min UT
Impact date Oct. 7, 2008, 02h 46min UT Jan. 2, 2014, ~03h 06min UT Jun. 2, 2018, 16h 44min UT Jun. 22, 2019, 21h 25min TU Mar. 11, 2022, 21h 22min UT
Impact location Nubian desert, Sudan Atlantic Ocean,
3 000 km from Caracas, Venezuela		 Bostwana-South Africa border South coast of Puerto Rico,
Carribean Sea		 South-West of Jan Mayen island
Meteorites recovery Almahata Sitta:
600 ureilites fragments (10.5 kg)		 – Motopi Pan:
24 HED fragments, originating Vesta		 – –

Alert was thus sent to observers rougly one hour after the discovery, encouraging European observers to monitor the small object before it would enter our planet atmopshere. Additionnal data (Figure 1) allowed a more accurate impact position (South of Jan Mayen island) and time predictions (around 21h 23min UT) (Figure 2).

Figure 1- 2022 EB5 captured by paolo Bacci team xx minutes before it entered the atmosphere, when it was only 12 300 km form Earth. Credit: Paolo Bacci
Figure 1- 2022 EB5 captured by Paolo Bacci and Martina Maestripieri from at 21h 10min UT, which is 12 minutes before it entered the atmosphere, while it was only 12 300 km form Earth and its apparent speed close to 65″/sec. Credit: P. Bacci, M. Maestripieri
Figure 2- Impact position prediction, considering discovery observations (K88 observatory) with additional data from Slovakia (G02 observatory). Credit: Bill Gray
Figure 2- Impact position prediction, considering discovery observations (K88 observatory) with additional data from Slovakia (G02 observatory). Credit: Bill Gray

Asteroid entry recorded by visual witnesses and infrasound stations

Near the predicted impact time, some observers from Northern Iceland (close to Akureyri) reported having observed a bright flash above the horizon.

Minutes later, around 22h 15min Ut and 23h 40min UT, infrasonic signals originating from this asteroid atmospheric respectively entry arrived at I18DK (Greenland, Figure 3) and I37NO (Norway, Figure 4 & 5) infrasound stations.

According to Peter Brown (University of Western Ontario), those signals allow to estimate the total energy of the event around 2 kt TNT. Which helps in calculating the 2-m diameter estimated asteroid entry speed was close to 18 km/s.

Figure 3- Infrasonic signals recorded at I18DK infrasound station (Greenland). Couterwind and potentially thermospheric propagation can explain the low celerity and amplitudes of the signals. Credit: Peter Brown
Figure 3- Infrasonic signals recorded at I18DK infrasound station (Greenland). Couterwind and potentially thermospheric propagation can explain the low celerity and amplitudes of the signals. Credit: Peter Brown
Figure 4- Infrasonic signals recorded at I37NO infrasound station (Greenland). Stratospheric propagation makes the signal stronger than the one recorded at I18DK. Credit: Peter Brown
Figure 4- Infrasonic signals recorded at I37NO infrasound station (Norway). Stratospheric propagation makes the signal stronger than the one recorded at I18DK. Credit: Peter Brown
Figure 5- Diagram of infrasonic signals recorded at I37NO infrasound station (Greenland). Signals associated to 2022 EB5 atmospheric entry are observed around 23h 40min UT. Credit: Peter Brown
Figure 5- Diagram of infrasonic signals recorded at I37NO infrasound station (Norway). Signals associated to 2022 EB5 atmospheric entry are observed around 23h 40min UT. Credit: Peter Brown

Sources

 

3 comments

  • Heaven2 years ago

    I saw it! I’m in Pittsfield MA 01201
    I was driving coming home from getting some milk it was night time ( not sure how late) was close to my house by about 2 mins bright light blew up in the sky that’s what caused me to look. I looked to my right and then I saw what looked like a falling star? Fall down. Then I just saw this news article to report it

    Reply to Heaven
  • Roberto Gorelli2 years ago

    It must be recalled that in a similar occurrence:

    1) We must examine seismic graphics, in the case of Lugo, Italy (19 January 1993), 20 ktn, the array of seismographs recorded the bolide as microbarograph!

    2) If the fall occurs on a land, one must place adhesive tape from parcels with the glue upward to collect microdust falling in the weeks following the event (yes, the dust needs a week to reach the surface). If during the week it begins to rain, it must be removed.

    Best greetings.
    Roberto Gorelli

    Reply to Roberto Gorelli

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