Physical Effects of the Lipetsk Meteoroid: 3

Abstract

Comprehensive modeling studies of the processes induced in all geospheres by the passage and explosion of the meteoroid near the city of Lipetsk (Russia) on June 21, 2018, have been conducted. Magnetic, electric, electromagnetic, ionospheric, and seismic effects, as well as the effects of acoustic-gravity waves have been estimated. The magnetic effect of turbulence has been shown to be insignificant. 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 strength of current up to 104 A could occur. The electrostatic effect could be accompanied by the accumulation of an electric charge of 1 mC producing the electric field intensity of 0.01–1 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 1–10 V/m. The electromagnetic effect of infrasound has been determined to be significant (1–10 V/m and 1–10 nT). 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 and noticeable disturbance not only in the lower but also in the upper atmosphere in the range of no less than 1000 km. The possibility of occurrence of the electrophonic effect, the generation of the ion and magnetic sound by infrasound, and the generation of gradient-drift and drift-dissipative instabilities are discussed. A conclusion is drawn that magnetic, electric, and electromagnetic effects dealt with in this paper significantly fill in the gaps in the theory of physical effects produced by meteoroids in the Earth–atmosphere–ionosphere–magnetosphere system. The magnitudes of magnetic, electric, electromagnetic, ionospheric, and acoustic effects were significant. The magnitude of the earthquake caused by the meteoroid explosion did not exceeded 1.7. The mean rate of the fall of celestial bodies similar to the Lipetsk meteoroid is equal to 0.68 yr–1.