Trajectory, orbit, and spectroscopic analysis of a bright fireball observed over Spain on April 13, 2013

¹ Departamento de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Facultad de Física, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
e-mail: jmmadiedo@gmail.com
² Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
³ Institut de Ciéncies de l’Espai (CSIC-IEEC), Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciéncies, Torre C5-parell-2 a, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
⁴ Departamento de Astrofísica y CC. de la Atmósfera, Facultad de Ciencias Fósicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
⁵ Observatorio Astronómico de La Hita, La Puebla de Almoradiel, Toledo, Spain
⁶ Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC, Apt. 3004, 18080 Granada, Spain
⁷ Observatorio Astronómico de La Murta, Molina de Segura, 30500 Murcia, Spain
⁸ Centro Astronómico Hispano-Alemán, Calar Alto (CSIC-MPG), 04004 Almería, Spain

Received: 22 June 2013
Accepted: 7 August 2014

Abstract

On April 13, 2013 a very bright fireball with an absolute magnitude of −13.0 ± 0.5 was recorded over the center of Spain. This sporadic event, which was witnessed by numerous casual observers throughout the whole country, was imaged from seven meteor-observing stations operated by the Spanish Meteor Network (SPMN), and its emission spectrum was also obtained in the framework of our meteor spectroscopy campaign. The atmospheric trajectory of the bolide and the heliocentric orbit of the parent meteoroid are analyzed here. The spectrum reveals a chondritic nature for this particle, which was following a Jupiter family comet orbit before its encounter with the Earth. In addition, the emission spectrum of the meteoric afterglow was recorded during about 0.8 s. The main emission lines appearing in this signal were identified and their evolution with time is also discussed. Afterglow spectra are not abundant in the literature, and these can provide important clues about the physical proceses taking place in meteoric persistent trains.