7-stage journey reveals how falling space rocks survive air
Researchers from the SETI Institute and NASA have identified a seven-stage process that space rocks undergo when entering Earth's atmosphere. The study aims to better understand how composition affects the behavior and potential impact of meteors.
Why it matters
Understanding the atmospheric entry of space rocks helps scientists predict the potential damage of mid-air explosions, such as the 2013 Chelyabinsk event.
At least once in our lives, we’ve all seen a bright streak of light briefly blaze across the sky and have quickly referred to it as an asteroid, meteor, shooting star, comet, or some other whimsical name we’ve heard others use to describe it. For those calling it a meteor, you would be correct, but we’ll touch upon this later. The time it takes for a space rock, bolide being its scientific name, to travel through Earth's atmosphere and crash into the ground literally takes only a few seconds. But what happens to a space rock during this very brief travel time, and how can scientists use this to learn about a specific space rock’s origin and the potential damage it could cause if it explodes in mid-air?
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in