STP004

This study aims at estimating the main physical effects associated with the passage through the atmosphere and the airburst of the Kamchatka meteoroid on December 18, 2018. The kinetic energy of the meteoroid was estimated to be approximately 173 kt TNT. The mass of the body was estimated to be 1410 t, its speed 32 km/s, and the diameter 9.4 m. The altitude of the Kamchatka meteoroid explosion was 25.6 km. Comprehensive modeling of the processes launched by the meteoroid passage through all geospheres has been performed. Mechanical, optical, gas-dynamic effects, thermodynamic and plasma effects, as well as the effects of the plume and turbulence, magnetic, electric, electromagnetic, ionospheric, and seismic effects, the effects of acoustic and atmospheric gravity waves associated with the passage of the Kamchatka meteoroid have been estimated. The main release of energy (100 TJ) is shown to occur at approximately 25 – 27 km altitude where the rate of mass loss attains approximately 1.6 – 1.7 kt/s. The shock wave energy and power are estimated to be approximately 100 TJ and 8 TW, respectively. At the epicenter of the meteoroid explosion, the pressure at the shock reached ~1 kPa. The relative disturbances in air pressure at ionospheric heights above the explosion epicenter attained 10 – 100%. The passage of the celestial body led to the formation of a gas-dust plume. The heated trail of the meteoroid cooled for several hours. The maximum altitude of the uplifting of the thermic reached 15 – 20 km. The basic parameters of the plasma in the trail have been estimated. The magnetic effect of the ionospheric currents and the current in the wake of the meteoroid could be substantial (~1 nT). Under the action of an external electric field, a transient current pulse with the current up to 10 – 100 kA could occur. The electrostatic effect could be accompanied by the accumulation of an electric charge of ~10 mC producing the electric field intensity of ~0.1 – 10 MV/m. The flow of the electric current in the wake of the meteoroid could result in the generation of an electromagnetic pulse in the 40 – 80 kHz band with the electric field intensity of 10 – 100 V/m. The absorption of the shock wave at ionospheric dynamo region altitudes (100 – 150 km) could generate secondary atmospheric gravity waves with the 0.1 – 1 relative amplitude. The passage of the meteoroid acted to produce a plasma wake in the lower and in the upper atmosphere in the range no less than 1,000 km.