Where did the Chelyabinsk meteorite come from

The inhabitants of Chelyabinsk, I think, will now pay attention to information about the Earth flying by the Earth, since on the morning of February 15 a meteorite fell on the city. As a result of his fall , the wall of the warehouse at the zinc factory collapsed , at least four people were injured. The forces of the Ministry of Emergencies control the situation and do not expect the subsequent loss of meteorites in a given area. Radiation background is normal.

In this story with the fall of the Chelyabinsk meteorite (most likely, it will go down in history under this name) is interesting that his fall coincided with the expected flight past the earth of an asteroid 2012 da 14, which was about 11:24 by local time to pass by our planet at a distance of 27 thousand km - this is much closer than the orbit of geostational communications (about 36 thousand. km).

Information about the transit past the Earth of this asteroid was included in the list of expected disasters of 2013, although scientists repeated that the probability of falling this silicate quarrel with a diameter of about 45 meters is negligible and in any case it would not cause a global catastrophe. However, the Chelyabinsk meteorite demonstrated that it is one thing to reason theoretically, and another - to experience a meteorite bombardment on itself.

Meteorites are regular guests of our planet. They arose at about the same time with the ground and are divided into iron, ironcamous and simply stone, rotate in the most bizarre orbits inside the solar system. A day, several tons of a meteorite substance falls on our planet per day, but far from always we notice it. In the vast majority of cases, their fall does not harm, although the episodes of their entering animals and even one hit in humans are known. In November 1954, the meteorite struck the roof of the house of Alabama Ann-Elizabeth Hodges, broke the radio and, bouncing, hit the hostess in the hand and hip. Ann-Elizabeth escaped with bruises and, after such a personal meeting with a meteorite, lived for another thirty years.

The effect of the fall of such a celestial body depends on many factors, but the most important, of course, is its size and speed. According to the estimates of scientists, if 2012 DA14 itself crashed to Earth, this would be commensurate with an explosion of a nuclear bomb in 2 megatons. However, of course, fires and radiation pollution, unlike the explosion of nuclear ammunition, would certainly be absent.

The network is already crowded with versions of what happened. As always, conspiracy the most popular: about knocking down a meteorite by the forces of Russian air defense, and even that it was not a meteorite at all, but an enemy missile that flew from the sea (apparently the Arctic Ocean).

Applications of Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin that now neither the United States nor Russia will be able to shoot down such objects will most likely be ignored, and legends about the Chelyabinsk miracle will begin to creep around the network.

But there is a completely practical question here that I would like to get an answer from meteorites: is there really a connection between the asteroid 2012 da 14 and the Chelyabinsk fall? That is, are asteroids fly in proud loneliness or with them, for the company, a certain number of smaller companions are worn in outer space, which we simply do not notice into our telescopes?

If this is an accident, you can not particularly worry. And if not? The list of rapprocheces between asteroids with the ground is very impressive , and our 2012 DA14 occupies the 9th line in the remoteness of its transit in this hit parade. In the coming years, other rapprochement is expected. And if the version is confirmed that large asteroids can move with “escort meteorites”, then the threat of a powerful blow to the ground will increase many times - especially since we are really not able to predict when and where the space bombing will begin. And meteorite rain with such boulders can do a lot of troubles. In 2029, the transit of the asteroid Apophis is expected - it must pass at a distance of 37 thousand km - and, perhaps, it is not he who is dangerous, but his "satellites".

Now even any unverified information is already dangerous - it causes panic. Many in Chelyabinsk are waiting for a new meteorite fall and measure the radiation level with dosimeters. What would happen if several similar meteorites really fell?

Judging by the videos , a meteorite fell on Chelyabinsk, which had all the signs of the car: it was very bright and left behind a stable trace consisting of dust and ionized gases, so it may not dissipate for a very long time. The destruction of the body occurred in the atmosphere, and hot fragments, as well as a powerful shock wave from the explosion, were already flying down. The great success that all this happened in the industrial zone: if you were in the way of this car, a residential or administrative building, victims would not have been avoided. Now it remains to wait for the results of the analysis of the trajectory and fragments of the meteorite - perhaps we will find out who granted us.