Evidence for a meteoritic origin of the September 15, 2007, Carancas crater |
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| Authors: | A. Le PICHON K. ANTIER Y. CANSI B. HERNANDEZ E. MINAYA B. BURGOA D. DROB L. G. EVERS J. VAUBAILLON |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Commissariat à l‘énergie Atomique, Centre DAM‐?le de France, Département Analyse Surveillance Environnement, Bruyères‐le‐Chatel, 91297 Arpajon Cedex, France;2. Observatorio San Calixto, Calle Indaburo 944‐Casilla 12656, La Paz, Bolivia;3. Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., Washington, D.C. 20375, USA;4. Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Seismology Division, PO Box 201, 3730 AE De Bilt, The Netherlands;5. Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA |
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| Abstract: | Abstract— On September 15th, 2007, around 11:45 local time in Peru, near the Bolivian border, the atmospheric entry of a meteoroid produced bright lights in the sky and intense detonations. Soon after, a crater was discovered south of Lake Titicaca. These events have been detected by the Bolivian seismic network and two infrasound arrays operating for the Comprehensive Nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty Organization, situated at about 80 and 1620 km from the crater. The localization and origin time computed with the seismic records are consistent with the reported impact. The entry elevation and azimuthal angles of the trajectory are estimated from the observed signal time sequences and back‐azimuths. From the crater diameter and the airwave amplitudes, the kinetic energy, mass and explosive energy are calculated. Using the estimated velocity of the meteoroid and similarity criteria between orbital elements, an association with possible parent asteroids is attempted. The favorable setting of this event provides a unique opportunity to evaluate physical and kinematic parameters of the object that generated the first actual terrestrial meteorite impact seismically recorded. |
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