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1. The Winchcombe Fireball -- that Lucky Survivor

Author

McMullan, Sarah, Vida, Denis, Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R., Rowe, Jim, Daly, Luke, King, Ashley J., Cupák, Martin, Howie, Robert M., Sansom, Eleanor K., Shober, Patrick, Towner, Martin C., Anderson, Seamus, McFadden, Luke, Horák, Jana, Smedley, Andrew R. D., Joy, Katherine H., Shuttleworth, Alan, Colas, Francois, Zanda, Brigitte, O'Brien, Áine C., McMullan, Ian, Shaw, Clive, Suttle, Adam, Suttle, Martin D., Young, John S., Campbell-Burns, Peter, Kacerek, Richard, Bassom, Richard, Bosley, Steve, Fleet, Richard, Jones, Dave, McIntyre, Mark, James, Nick, Robson, Derek, Dickinson, Paul, Bland, Philip A., and Collins, Gareth S.

Subjects
Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Abstract

On February 28, 2021, a fireball dropped $\sim0.6$ kg of recovered CM2 carbonaceous chondrite meteorites in South-West England near the town of Winchcombe. We reconstruct the fireball's atmospheric trajectory, light curve, fragmentation behaviour, and pre-atmospheric orbit from optical records contributed by five networks. The progenitor meteoroid was three orders of magnitude less massive ($\sim13$ kg) than any previously observed carbonaceous fall. The Winchcombe meteorite survived entry because it was exposed to a very low peak atmospheric dynamic pressure ($\sim0.6$ MPa) due to a fortuitous combination of entry parameters, notably low velocity (13.9 km/s). A near-catastrophic fragmentation at $\sim0.07$ MPa points to the body's fragility. Low entry speeds which cause low peak dynamic pressures are likely necessary conditions for a small carbonaceous meteoroid to survive atmospheric entry, strongly constraining the radiant direction to the general antapex direction. Orbital integrations show that the meteoroid was injected into the near-Earth region $\sim0.08$ Myr ago and it never had a perihelion distance smaller than $\sim0.7$ AU, while other CM2 meteorites with known orbits approached the Sun closer ($\sim0.5$ AU) and were heated to at least 100 K higher temperatures., Comment: Accepted for publication in MAPS

Published
2023

2. The Winchcombe fireball—That lucky survivor

Author

McMullan, Sarah, primary, Vida, Denis, additional, Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R., additional, Rowe, Jim, additional, Daly, Luke, additional, King, Ashley J., additional, Cupák, Martin, additional, Howie, Robert M., additional, Sansom, Eleanor K., additional, Shober, Patrick, additional, Towner, Martin C., additional, Anderson, Seamus, additional, McFadden, Luke, additional, Horák, Jana, additional, Smedley, Andrew R. D., additional, Joy, Katherine H., additional, Shuttleworth, Alan, additional, Colas, Francois, additional, Zanda, Brigitte, additional, O'Brien, Áine C., additional, McMullan, Ian, additional, Shaw, Clive, additional, Suttle, Adam, additional, Suttle, Martin D., additional, Young, John S., additional, Campbell‐Burns, Peter, additional, Kacerek, Richard, additional, Bassom, Richard, additional, Bosley, Steve, additional, Fleet, Richard, additional, Jones, Dave, additional, McIntyre, Mark, additional, James, Nick, additional, Robson, Derek, additional, Dickinson, Paul, additional, Bland, Philip A., additional, and Collins, Gareth S., additional

Published
2023
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3. The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system

Author

King, Ashley J, Daly, Luke, Rowe, James, Joy, Katherine H, Greenwood, Richard C, Devillepoix, Hadrien AR, Suttle, Martin D, Chan, Queenie HS, Russell, Sara S, Bates, Helena C, Bryson, James FJ, Clay, Patricia L, Vida, Denis, Lee, Martin R, O'Brien, Áine, Hallis, Lydia J, Stephen, Natasha R, Tartèse, Romain, Sansom, Eleanor K, Towner, Martin C, Cupak, Martin, Shober, Patrick M, Bland, Phil A, Findlay, Ross, Franchi, Ian A, Verchovsky, Alexander B, Abernethy, Feargus AJ, Grady, Monica M, Floyd, Cameron J, Van Ginneken, Matthias, Bridges, John, Hicks, Leon J, Jones, Rhian H, Mitchell, Jennifer T, Genge, Matthew J, Jenkins, Laura, Martin, Pierre-Etienne, Sephton, Mark A, Watson, Jonathan S, Salge, Tobias, Shirley, Katherine A, Curtis, Rowan J, Warren, Tristram J, Bowles, Neil E, Stuart, Finlay M, Di Nicola, Luigia, Györe, Domokos, Boyce, Adrian J, Shaw, Kathryn MM, Elliott, Tim, Steele, Robert CJ, Povinec, Pavel, Laubenstein, Matthias, Sanderson, David, Cresswell, Alan, Jull, Anthony JT, Sýkora, Ivan, Sridhar, Sanjana, Harrison, Richard J, Willcocks, Francesca M, Harrison, Catherine S, Hallatt, Daniel, Wozniakiewicz, Penny J, Burchell, Mark J, Alesbrook, Luke S, Dignam, Aishling, Almeida, Natasha V, Smith, Caroline L, Clark, Brett, Humphreys-Williams, Emma R, Schofield, Paul F, Cornwell, Luke T, Spathis, Vassilia, Morgan, Geraint H, Perkins, Mark J, Kacerek, Richard, Campbell-Burns, Peter, Colas, Francois, Zanda, Brigitte, Vernazza, Pierre, Bouley, Sylvain, Jeanne, Simon, Hankey, Mike, Collins, Gareth S, Young, John S, Shaw, Clive, Horak, Jana, Jones, Dave, James, Nick, Bosley, Steve, Shuttleworth, Alan, Dickinson, Paul, McMullan, Ian, Robson, Derek, Smedley, Andrew RD, Stanley, Ben, Bassom, Richard, McIntyre, Mark, Suttle, Adam A, Fleet, Richard, Bastiaens, Luc, Ihász, Míra B, McMullan, Sarah, Boazman, Sarah J, Dickeson, Zach I, Grindrod, Peter M, Pickersgill, Annemarie E, Weir, Colin J, Suttle, Fiona M, Farrelly, Sarah, Spencer, Ieun, Naqvi, Sheeraz, Mayne, Ben, Skilton, Dan, Kirk, Dan, Mounsey, Ann, Mounsey, Sally E, Mounsey, Sarah, Godfrey, Pamela, Bond, Lachlan, Bond, Victoria, Wilcock, Cathryn, Wilcock, Hannah, Wilcock, Rob, King, Ashley J [0000-0001-6113-5417], Daly, Luke [0000-0002-7150-4092], Joy, Katherine H [0000-0003-4992-8750], Greenwood, Richard C [0000-0002-5544-8027], Devillepoix, Hadrien AR [0000-0001-9226-1870], Suttle, Martin D [0000-0001-7165-2215], Chan, Queenie HS [0000-0001-7205-8699], Russell, Sara S [0000-0001-5531-7847], Bates, Helena C [0000-0002-0469-9483], Bryson, James FJ [0000-0002-5675-8545], Vida, Denis [0000-0003-4166-8704], Lee, Martin R [0000-0002-6004-3622], O'Brien, Áine [0000-0002-2591-7902], Hallis, Lydia J [0000-0001-6455-8415], Stephen, Natasha R [0000-0003-3952-922X], Tartèse, Romain [0000-0002-3490-9875], Sansom, Eleanor K [0000-0003-2702-673X], Towner, Martin C [0000-0002-8240-4150], Cupak, Martin [0000-0003-2193-0867], Shober, Patrick M [0000-0003-4766-2098], Bland, Phil A [0000-0002-4681-7898], Findlay, Ross [0000-0001-7794-1819], Franchi, Ian A [0000-0003-4151-0480], Verchovsky, Alexander B [0000-0002-3532-5003], Abernethy, Feargus AJ [0000-0001-7210-3058], Grady, Monica M [0000-0002-4055-533X], Floyd, Cameron J [0000-0001-5986-491X], Van Ginneken, Matthias [0000-0002-2508-7021], Bridges, John [0000-0002-9579-5779], Hicks, Leon J [0000-0002-2464-0948], Jones, Rhian H [0000-0001-8238-9379], Mitchell, Jennifer T [0000-0002-5922-2463], Genge, Matthew J [0000-0002-9528-5971], Jenkins, Laura [0000-0003-0886-8667], Martin, Pierre-Etienne [0000-0003-1848-9695], Sephton, Mark A [0000-0002-2190-5402], Watson, Jonathan S [0000-0003-0354-1729], Salge, Tobias [0000-0002-4414-4917], Shirley, Katherine A [0000-0003-0669-7497], Curtis, Rowan J [0000-0002-9554-3053], Warren, Tristram J [0000-0003-3877-0046], Bowles, Neil E [0000-0001-5400-1461], Stuart, Finlay M [0000-0002-6395-7868], Di Nicola, Luigia [0000-0002-7596-474X], Györe, Domokos [0000-0003-4438-8361], Boyce, Adrian J [0000-0002-9680-0787], Shaw, Kathryn MM [0000-0002-3847-9382], Elliott, Tim [0000-0002-0984-0191], Steele, Robert CJ [0000-0003-1406-6855], Povinec, Pavel [0000-0003-0275-794X], Laubenstein, Matthias [0000-0001-5390-4343], Sanderson, David [0000-0002-9615-4412], Cresswell, Alan [0000-0002-5100-8075], Jull, Anthony JT [0000-0002-4079-4947], Sýkora, Ivan [0000-0003-3447-5621], Sridhar, Sanjana [0000-0003-1179-2093], Harrison, Richard J [0000-0003-3469-762X], Willcocks, Francesca M [0000-0002-3726-0258], Hallatt, Daniel [0000-0002-4426-9891], Wozniakiewicz, Penny J [0000-0002-1441-4883], Burchell, Mark J [0000-0002-2680-8943], Alesbrook, Luke S [0000-0001-9892-281X], Dignam, Aishling [0000-0001-5408-9061], Almeida, Natasha V [0000-0003-4871-8225], Smith, Caroline L [0000-0001-7005-6470], Humphreys-Williams, Emma R [0000-0002-1397-5785], Schofield, Paul F [0000-0003-0902-0588], Cornwell, Luke T [0000-0003-1428-2160], Spathis, Vassilia [0000-0002-5745-4383], Morgan, Geraint H [0000-0002-7580-6880], Campbell-Burns, Peter [0000-0001-8544-728X], Zanda, Brigitte [0000-0002-4210-7151], Vernazza, Pierre [0000-0002-2564-6743], Bouley, Sylvain [0000-0003-0377-5517], Collins, Gareth S [0000-0002-6087-6149], Young, John S [0000-0001-6583-7643], Horak, Jana [0000-0002-0492-2235], Jones, Dave [0000-0002-7215-0521], Bosley, Steve [0000-0002-9478-8518], Dickinson, Paul [0000-0003-0078-0919], McMullan, Ian [0000-0002-5579-8115], Robson, Derek [0000-0001-7807-9853], Smedley, Andrew RD [0000-0001-7137-6628], McIntyre, Mark [0000-0002-5769-4280], Suttle, Adam A [0000-0002-6075-976X], Fleet, Richard [0000-0002-8366-7673], McMullan, Sarah [0000-0002-7194-6317], Boazman, Sarah J [0000-0003-4694-0818], Dickeson, Zach I [0000-0001-9116-2571], Grindrod, Peter M [0000-0002-0934-5131], Pickersgill, Annemarie E [0000-0001-5452-2849], Suttle, Fiona M [0000-0003-1970-0034], Wilcock, Cathryn [0000-0001-7731-2860], Wilcock, Hannah [0000-0002-1043-2267], Wilcock, Rob [0000-0001-8977-7956], Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository, Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and University of St Andrews. School of Earth & Environmental Sciences

Subjects
MCC, QC Physics, Multidisciplinary, 5101 Astronomical Sciences, NDAS, QB Astronomy, 37 Earth Sciences, 3705 Geology, 5109 Space Sciences, 51 Physical Sciences, QC, QB
Abstract

Funding: This study was supported by urgency funding from the U.K.’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) as part of the project “Curation and Preliminary Examination of the Winchcombe Carbonaceous Chondrite Fall.” Additional work was funded by STFC through grants ST/N000846/1, ST/T002328/1, ST/T506096/1, and ST/W001128/1 (to L.D., M.R.L., and L.J.Ha.); ST/V000675/1 (to K.H.J. and R.H.J.); ST/P005225/1 (to R.T.); ST/S000348/1 (to M.V.G., P.J.W., and M.J.B.); ST/R00143X/1 (to J.B. and L.J.Hi.); ST/S000615/1 (to G.S.C.); ST/V000799/1 (to P.G.); and ST/V000888/1 (to T.E.). A.J.K. and H.C.B. acknowledge funding support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) grant MR/T020261/1. P.L.C. acknowledges funding support from UKRI grant MR/S03465X/1. K.H.J. acknowledges funding support from the Royal Society, grant URF\R\201009. L.J.Ha. and M.R.L. acknowledge funding from Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF) grant no. 2406.0321. L.D., M.R.L., and L.J.Ha. acknowledge COVID-19 funding support from the University of Glasgow, UK. D.V. was supported in part by NASA cooperative agreement 80NSSC21M0073. P.P. and I.Sy. acknowledge funding from the VEGA agency, project no.1/0421/20. A.J.T.J. acknowledges support from the European Union and the State of Hungary, cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund in the project of GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00009 “ICER.” P.M.S. acknowledges support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 945298. FRIPON was initiated by funding from ANR (grant N.13-BS05-0009-03), carried out by the Paris Observatory, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris-Saclay University, and Institut Pythéas (LAM-CEREGE). FRIPON data are hosted and processed at Institut Pythéas SIP (Service Informatique Pythéas). The Desert Fireball Network team and Global Fireball Observatory are funded by the Australian Research Council (DP200102073). Direct links between carbonaceous chondrites and their parent bodies in the solar system are rare. The Winchcombe meteorite is the most accurately recorded carbonaceous chondrite fall. Its pre-atmospheric orbit and cosmic-ray exposure age confirm that it arrived on Earth shortly after ejection from a primitive asteroid. Recovered only hours after falling, the composition of the Winchcombe meteorite is largely unmodified by the terrestrial environment. It contains abundant hydrated silicates formed during fluid-rock reactions, and carbon- and nitrogen-bearing organic matter including soluble protein amino acids. The near-pristine hydrogen isotopic composition of the Winchcombe meteorite is comparable to the terrestrial hydrosphere, providing further evidence that volatile-rich carbonaceous asteroids played an important role in the origin of Earth's water. Publisher PDF

Published
2022
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4. Final design and progress of WEAVE

Author

Dalton, Gavin, Trager, Scott, Abrams, Don Carlos, Bonifacio, Piercarlo, Aguerri, J. Alfonso L., Middleton, Kevin, Benn, Chris, Dee, Kevin, Sayède, Frédéric, Lewis, Ian, Pragt, Johannes, Pico, Sergio, Walton, Nic, Rey, Jeurg, Allende Prieto, Carlos, Peñate, José, Lhome, Emilie, Agócs, Tibor, Alonso, José, Terrett, David, Brock, Matthew, Gilbert, James, Schallig, Ellen, Ridings, Andy, Guinouard, Isabelle, Verheijen, Marc, Tosh, Ian, Rogers, Kevin, Lee, Martin, Steele, Iain, Stuik, Remko, Tromp, Niels, Jaskó, Attila, Carrasco, Esperanza, Farcas, Szigfrid, Kragt, Jan, Lesman, Dirk, Kroes, Gabby, Mottram, Chris, Bates, Stuart, Rodriguez, Luis Fernando, Gribbin, Frank, Delgado, José Miguel, Herreros, José Miguel, Martin, Carlos, Cano, Diego, Navarro, Ramon, Irwin, Mike, Lewis, Jim, Gonzalez Solares, Eduardo, Murphy, David, Worley, Clare, Bassom, Richard, O'Mahoney, Neil, Bianco, Andrea, Zurita, Christina, ter Horst, Rik, Molinari, Emilio, Lodi, Marcello, Guerra, José, Martin, Adrian, Vallenari, Antonella, Salasnich, Bernardo, Baruffolo, Andrea, Jin, Shoko, Hill, Vanessa, Smith, Dan, Drew, Janet, Poggianti, Bianca, Pieri, Mat, Dominquez Palmero, Lillian, Farina, Cecilia, Evans, Christopher J, Simard, Luc, Takami, Hideki, Astronomy, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (Spain), Galaxies, Etoiles, Physique, Instrumentation (GEPI), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Physique stellaire et galactique, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom), Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Liverpool John Moores University, Konkoly Observatory, Research Center for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE), Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Astrochemistry Group (INAF), INAF/TNG Fundación Galileo Galilei - Rambla José Ana Fernández Pérez, 7, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Hertfordshire [Hatfield] (UH), Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), ITA, GBR, FRA, ESP, MEX, and NLD

Subjects
Physics, Pixel, business.industry, Field of view, First light, LOFAR, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, 010309 optics, Telescope, Optics, law, 0103 physical sciences, William Herschel Telescope, Aerospace engineering, business, Spectroscopy, [PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph], 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Spectrograph
Abstract

We present the Final Design of the WEAVE next-generation spectroscopy facility for the William Herschel Telescope (WHT), together with a status update on the details of manufacturing, integration and the overall project schedule now that all the major fabrication contracts are in place. We also present a summary of the current planning behind the 5-year initial phase of survey operations. WEAVE will provide optical ground-based follow up of ground-based (LOFAR) and space-based (Gaia) surveys. WEAVE is a multi-object and multi-IFU facility utilizing a new 2-degree prime focus field of view at the WHT, with a buffered pick-and-place positioner system hosting 1000 multi-object (MOS) fibres, 20 integral field units, or a single large IFU for each observation. The fibres are fed to a single (dual-beam) spectrograph, with total of 16k spectral pixels, located within the WHT GHRIL enclosure on the telescope Nasmyth platform, supporting observations at R~5000 over the full 370-1000nm wavelength range in a single exposure, or a high resolution mode with limited coverage in each arm at R~20000. The project is now in the manufacturing and integration phase with first light expected for early of 2018.

Published
2016
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6. GLAS: engineering a common-user Rayleigh laser guide star for adaptive optics on the William Herschel Telescope.

Author

Talbot, Gordon, Abrams, Don Carlos, Apostolakos, Nikolaos, Bassom, Richard, Blackburn, Colin, Blanken, Maarten, Cano Infantes, Diego, Chopping, Alan, Dee, Kevin, Dipper, Nigel, Elswijk, Eddy, Enthoven, Bernard, Gregory, Thomas, ter Horst, Rik, Humphreys, Ron, Idserda, Jan, Jolley, Paul, Kuindersma, Sjouke, McDermid, Richard, and Morris, Tim

Published
2006
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7. Final design and progress of WEAVE: the next generation wide-field spectroscopy facility for the William Herschel Telescope

Author

Evans, Christopher J., Simard, Luc, Takami, Hideki, Dalton, Gavin, Trager, Scott, Abrams, Don Carlos, Bonifacio, Piercarlo, Aguerri, J. Alfonso L., Middleton, Kevin, Benn, Chris, Dee, Kevin, Sayède, Frédéric, Lewis, Ian, Pragt, Johannes, Pico, Sergio, Walton, Nic, Rey, Jeurg, Allende Prieto, Carlos, Peñate, José, Lhome, Emilie, Agócs, Tibor, Alonso, José, Terrett, David, Brock, Matthew, Gilbert, James, Schallig, Ellen, Ridings, Andy, Guinouard, Isabelle, Verheijen, Marc, Tosh, Ian, Rogers, Kevin, Lee, Martin, Steele, Iain, Stuik, Remko, Tromp, Niels, Jaskó, Attila, Carrasco, Esperanza, Farcas, Szigfrid, Kragt, Jan, Lesman, Dirk, Kroes, Gabby, Mottram, Chris, Bates, Stuart, Rodriguez, Luis Fernando, Gribbin, Frank, Delgado, José Miguel, Herreros, José Miguel, Martin, Carlos, Cano, Diego, Navarro, Ramon, Irwin, Mike, Lewis, Jim, Gonzalez Solares, Eduardo, Murphy, David, Worley, Clare, Bassom, Richard, O'Mahoney, Neil, Bianco, Andrea, Zurita, Christina, ter Horst, Rik, Molinari, Emilio, Lodi, Marcello, Guerra, José, Martin, Adrian, Vallenari, Antonella, Salasnich, Bernardo, Baruffolo, Andrea, Jin, Shoko, Hill, Vanessa, Smith, Dan, Drew, Janet, Poggianti, Bianca, Pieri, Mat, Dominquez Palmero, Lillian, and Farina, Cecilia

Published
2016
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8. The Winchcombe fireball—That lucky survivor

Author

McMullan, Sarah, Vida, Denis, Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R., Rowe, Jim, Daly, Luke, King, Ashley J., Cupák, Martin, Howie, Robert M., Sansom, Eleanor K., Shober, Patrick, Towner, Martin C., Anderson, Seamus, McFadden, Luke, Horák, Jana, Smedley, Andrew R. D., Joy, Katherine H., Shuttleworth, Alan, Colas, Francois, Zanda, Brigitte, O'Brien, Áine C., McMullan, Ian, Shaw, Clive, Suttle, Adam, Suttle, Martin D., Young, John S., Campbell‐Burns, Peter, Kacerek, Richard, Bassom, Richard, Bosley, Steve, Fleet, Richard, Jones, Dave, McIntyre, Mark, James, Nick, Robson, Derek, Dickinson, Paul, Bland, Philip A., Collins, Gareth S., McMullan, Sarah, Vida, Denis, Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R., Rowe, Jim, Daly, Luke, King, Ashley J., Cupák, Martin, Howie, Robert M., Sansom, Eleanor K., Shober, Patrick, Towner, Martin C., Anderson, Seamus, McFadden, Luke, Horák, Jana, Smedley, Andrew R. D., Joy, Katherine H., Shuttleworth, Alan, Colas, Francois, Zanda, Brigitte, O'Brien, Áine C., McMullan, Ian, Shaw, Clive, Suttle, Adam, Suttle, Martin D., Young, John S., Campbell‐Burns, Peter, Kacerek, Richard, Bassom, Richard, Bosley, Steve, Fleet, Richard, Jones, Dave, McIntyre, Mark, James, Nick, Robson, Derek, Dickinson, Paul, Bland, Philip A., and Collins, Gareth S.

Abstract

On February 28, 2021, a fireball dropped ∼0.6 kg of recovered CM2 carbonaceous chondrite meteorites in South‐West England near the town of Winchcombe. We reconstruct the fireball's atmospheric trajectory, light curve, fragmentation behavior, and pre‐atmospheric orbit from optical records contributed by five networks. The progenitor meteoroid was three orders of magnitude less massive (∼13 kg) than any previously observed carbonaceous fall. The Winchcombe meteorite survived entry because it was exposed to a very low peak atmospheric dynamic pressure (∼0.6 MPa) due to a fortuitous combination of entry parameters, notably low velocity (13.9 km s−1). A near‐catastrophic fragmentation at ∼0.07 MPa points to the body's fragility. Low entry speeds which cause low peak dynamic pressures are likely necessary conditions for a small carbonaceous meteoroid to survive atmospheric entry, strongly constraining the radiant direction to the general antapex direction. Orbital integrations show that the meteoroid was injected into the near‐Earth region ∼0.08 Myr ago and it never had a perihelion distance smaller than ∼0.7 AU, while other CM2 meteorites with known orbits approached the Sun closer (∼0.5 AU) and were heated to at least 100 K higher temperatures.

9. The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system

Author

King, Ashley J., Daly, Luke, Rowe, James, Joy, Katherine H., Greenwood, Richard C., Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R., Suttle, Martin D., Chan, Queenie H. S., Russell, Sara S., Bates, Helena C., Bryson, James F. J., Clay, Patricia L., Vida, Denis, Lee, Martin R., O’Brien, Áine, Hallis, Lydia J., Stephen, Natasha R., Tartèse, Romain, Sansom, Eleanor K., Towner, Martin C., Cupak, Martin, Shober, Patrick M., Bland, Phil A., Findlay, Ross, Franchi, Ian A., Verchovsky, Alexander B., Abernethy, Feargus A. J., Grady, Monica M., Floyd, Cameron J., Van Ginneken, Matthias, Bridges, John, Hicks, Leon J., Jones, Rhian H., Mitchell, Jennifer T., Genge, Matthew J., Jenkins, Laura, Martin, Pierre-Etienne, Sephton, Mark A., Watson, Jonathan S., Salge, Tobias, Shirley, Katherine A., Curtis, Rowan J., Warren, Tristram J., Bowles, Neil E., Stuart, Finlay M., Di Nicola, Luigia, Györe, Domokos, Boyce, Adrian J., Shaw, Kathryn M. M., Elliott, Tim, Steele, Robert C. J., Povinec, Pavel, Laubenstein, Matthias, Sanderson, David, Cresswell, Alan, Jull, Anthony J. T., Sýkora, Ivan, Sridhar, Sanjana, Harrison, Richard J., Willcocks, Francesca M., Harrison, Catherine S., Hallatt, Daniel, Wozniakiewicz, Penny J., Burchell, Mark J., Alesbrook, Luke S., Dignam, Aishling, Almeida, Natasha V., Smith, Caroline L., Clark, Brett, Humphreys-Williams, Emma R., Schofield, Paul F., Cornwell, Luke T., Spathis, Vassilia, Morgan, Geraint H., Perkins, Mark J., Kacerek, Richard, Campbell-Burns, Peter, Colas, Francois, Zanda, Brigitte, Vernazza, Pierre, Bouley, Sylvain, Jeanne, Simon, Hankey, Mike, Collins, Gareth S., Young, John S., Shaw, Clive, Horak, Jana, Jones, Dave, James, Nick, Bosley, Steve, Shuttleworth, Alan, Dickinson, Paul, McMullan, Ian, Robson, Derek, Smedley, Andrew R. D., Stanley, Ben, Bassom, Richard, McIntyre, Mark, Suttle, Adam A., Fleet, Richard, Bastiaens, Luc, Ihász, Míra B., McMullan, Sarah, Boazman, Sarah J., Dickeson, Zach I., Grindrod, Peter M., Pickersgill, Annemarie E., Weir, Colin J., Suttle, Fiona M., Farrelly, Sarah, Spencer, Ieun, Naqvi, Sheeraz, Mayne, Ben, Skilton, Dan, Kirk, Dan, Mounsey, Ann, Mounsey, Sally E., Mounsey, Sarah, Godfrey, Pamela, Bond, Lachlan, Bond, Victoria, Wilcock, Cathryn, Wilcock, Hannah, Wilcock, Rob, King, Ashley J., Daly, Luke, Rowe, James, Joy, Katherine H., Greenwood, Richard C., Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R., Suttle, Martin D., Chan, Queenie H. S., Russell, Sara S., Bates, Helena C., Bryson, James F. J., Clay, Patricia L., Vida, Denis, Lee, Martin R., O’Brien, Áine, Hallis, Lydia J., Stephen, Natasha R., Tartèse, Romain, Sansom, Eleanor K., Towner, Martin C., Cupak, Martin, Shober, Patrick M., Bland, Phil A., Findlay, Ross, Franchi, Ian A., Verchovsky, Alexander B., Abernethy, Feargus A. J., Grady, Monica M., Floyd, Cameron J., Van Ginneken, Matthias, Bridges, John, Hicks, Leon J., Jones, Rhian H., Mitchell, Jennifer T., Genge, Matthew J., Jenkins, Laura, Martin, Pierre-Etienne, Sephton, Mark A., Watson, Jonathan S., Salge, Tobias, Shirley, Katherine A., Curtis, Rowan J., Warren, Tristram J., Bowles, Neil E., Stuart, Finlay M., Di Nicola, Luigia, Györe, Domokos, Boyce, Adrian J., Shaw, Kathryn M. M., Elliott, Tim, Steele, Robert C. J., Povinec, Pavel, Laubenstein, Matthias, Sanderson, David, Cresswell, Alan, Jull, Anthony J. T., Sýkora, Ivan, Sridhar, Sanjana, Harrison, Richard J., Willcocks, Francesca M., Harrison, Catherine S., Hallatt, Daniel, Wozniakiewicz, Penny J., Burchell, Mark J., Alesbrook, Luke S., Dignam, Aishling, Almeida, Natasha V., Smith, Caroline L., Clark, Brett, Humphreys-Williams, Emma R., Schofield, Paul F., Cornwell, Luke T., Spathis, Vassilia, Morgan, Geraint H., Perkins, Mark J., Kacerek, Richard, Campbell-Burns, Peter, Colas, Francois, Zanda, Brigitte, Vernazza, Pierre, Bouley, Sylvain, Jeanne, Simon, Hankey, Mike, Collins, Gareth S., Young, John S., Shaw, Clive, Horak, Jana, Jones, Dave, James, Nick, Bosley, Steve, Shuttleworth, Alan, Dickinson, Paul, McMullan, Ian, Robson, Derek, Smedley, Andrew R. D., Stanley, Ben, Bassom, Richard, McIntyre, Mark, Suttle, Adam A., Fleet, Richard, Bastiaens, Luc, Ihász, Míra B., McMullan, Sarah, Boazman, Sarah J., Dickeson, Zach I., Grindrod, Peter M., Pickersgill, Annemarie E., Weir, Colin J., Suttle, Fiona M., Farrelly, Sarah, Spencer, Ieun, Naqvi, Sheeraz, Mayne, Ben, Skilton, Dan, Kirk, Dan, Mounsey, Ann, Mounsey, Sally E., Mounsey, Sarah, Godfrey, Pamela, Bond, Lachlan, Bond, Victoria, Wilcock, Cathryn, Wilcock, Hannah, and Wilcock, Rob

Abstract

Direct links between carbonaceous chondrites and their parent bodies in the solar system are rare. The Winchcombe meteorite is the most accurately recorded carbonaceous chondrite fall. Its pre-atmospheric orbit and cosmic-ray exposure age confirm that it arrived on Earth shortly after ejection from a primitive asteroid. Recovered only hours after falling, the composition of the Winchcombe meteorite is largely unmodified by the terrestrial environment. It contains abundant hydrated silicates formed during fluid-rock reactions, and carbon- and nitrogen-bearing organic matter including soluble protein amino acids. The near-pristine hydrogen isotopic composition of the Winchcombe meteorite is comparable to the terrestrial hydrosphere, providing further evidence that volatile-rich carbonaceous asteroids played an important role in the origin of Earth’s water.

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