Meteorite Chelyabinsk – Russia
Type: stony / chondrite
Locality: Chelyabinsk, Russia
Weight: 1,1g
Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 0,6 cm
Year fell: 2013
Total known weight: 1 tonne
Surface treatment: none – raw
| Category: | Chelyabinsk |
|---|---|
| By name: | Chelyabinsk |
| ? Type: | Stony |
| Subspecies: | Chondrite |
| ? Surface treatment: | Natural (raw) |
| Packaging: | None |
| Specialties: | Observed fall |
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Chelyabinsk Meteorite – The Most Documented Impact and Explosion Over Russia
The Chelyabinsk meteorite belongs to the class of chondritic meteorites, which contain so-called chondrules – small spherical structures composed mainly of silicates such as olivine and pyroxene. These structures were formed by rapid heating followed by quick cooling and are among the oldest known materials in the solar system. Chondrules are typically microscopic in size but can reach several millimeters.
This stony meteorite entered the Earth’s atmosphere on February 15, 2013, and exploded at an altitude of around 30 km above the surface. Before the explosion, it was approximately 20 meters in diameter and weighed an estimated 13,000 tons. It traveled at a speed of approximately 19 km per second and released energy comparable to several dozens of atomic bombs. The explosion created a powerful shock wave that damaged buildings and injured over 1,000 people. It is the largest recorded impact of a celestial object on Earth in the 21st century.
Fragments of the meteorite landed in the region around the city of Chelyabinsk in Russia. More than 1,000 kg of material was recovered in total, with the largest piece weighing over 570 kg. Thanks to extensive research and documentation, the Chelyabinsk meteorite has become one of the best-documented meteorite falls in human history.
Composition and Origin of the Chelyabinsk Meteorite
Analyses indicate that the Chelyabinsk meteorite is a type LL chondrite – a stony meteorite with low metal and iron content. Samples showed the presence of veins of black material, indicating high-pressure metamorphism and partial melting from a previous collision in space. Many chondrules display signs of thermal alteration, suggesting that the parent body was located several kilometers beneath the surface of a larger asteroid.
The meteorite likely originated from the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was ejected onto a collision course with Earth through resonance with Jupiter – a common mechanism that displaces small bodies from stable orbits. This process made the meteorite one of the few known fragments to have impacted Earth and been thoroughly analyzed.
Asteroid Belt Between Mars and Jupiter
The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is a region in the solar system located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It contains a vast number of asteroids orbiting the Sun. Key features of this belt include:
- Asteroid Population: The asteroid belt contains millions of asteroids of various sizes, from small rocks to large bodies. The largest known asteroids in the belt include Ceres, which is also classified as a dwarf planet.
- Origin and Evolution: The asteroids are remnants of the early accretion process that formed the planets in the early solar system. They failed to become part of larger planets mainly due to the gravitational influence of Jupiter, which disrupted their coalescence.
- Types and Composition: The asteroids in this belt vary in size, chemical composition, and spectral properties. Some are composed of rock and metal, while others may contain water and organic compounds.
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Research: Asteroids are studied through ground-based observations and space missions. Important missions include Dawn (NASA), which studied Vesta and Ceres, and OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa, which returned samples from asteroids Bennu and Ryugu. Studying these objects helps us better understand the formation of planets and the early history of the solar system.