Light Flashes Caused by Leonid Meteoroid Impacts on the Lunar Surface

In November 1999, light flashes were recorded on the Moon at the peak of the Leonid stream activity. It is likely that they were produced by the impacts of the stream particles on the lunar surface. In the present work the impacts of cometary particles are studied by solving a two-dimensional radiative-gasdynamic problem for particles of different sizes and densities; the flux of radiation of postimpact hot gas and plasma is calculated, and the luminous efficiencies are estimated, as are the sizes of the particles which could produce the observed flashes.