Full Description
On February 15, 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteor sailed over Russian skies in a streak of light that was momentarily brighter than the Sun. The remarkable event and its subsequent shock wave were witnessed and documented by countless local residents, launching a widespread scientific expedition to gather and study the remaining meteoritic fragments.
This book chronicles Chelyabinsk's tale of recovery and discovery from the minds of many of the scientists who studied the superbolide, leading field experiments and collecting meteorites and meteorite dust across the region. The Chelyabinsk superbolide is a complex and multi-aspect phenomenon. The book not only presents the results of the scientific research but also details the firsthand experiences of those involved in such efforts, providing readers with a unique opportunity to look at the "inner workings" of science that are seldom shown to the public.
Over the course of their studies, the scientists collected over 200 photographs and a dozen video recordings taken by nearly 40 different eyewitnesses. Many of those never-before-published illustrations and photos can be found in full color in the pages of this book.
Contents
Acknowledgements.- Dedication.- Preface.- 1. Meteors, meteorites and the Chelyabinsk superbolide: main facts.- 2. A million observers of the superbolide.- 3. The fate of the fiery serpent.- 4. Meteorite rush: the collection of sky stones.- 5. The hunt for cosmic dust.- 6. Chebarkul meteorite ice hole.- 7. Underwater excavations and welcoming the Big Meteorite.- 8. Why the stone exploded.- 9. Chemical composition, structure and age of the Chelyabinsk bolide.- 10. Meteorology of the superbolide or super-experiment in the atmosphere.- 11. Dust ring around the Earth caused by the Chelyabinsk bolide.- 12. Basalt threads in the dust of the Chelyabinsk bolide: Pele's hair analog.- 13. Frequency of meteorite falls.- 14. How to protect Earth from meteoroids, asteroids and comets.- 15. The cultural aftershock of the Chelyabinsk bolide.- Appendix: The lonely Moon, double asteroids, and multiple collisions.- Index.
