Analysis of large meteoroids produced by comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke

Abstract

Dust ejecta of comet 7P/Pons- Winnecke produces the June Bootid meteoroid stream [1]. This gives rise to an annual display of meteors from about June 22 to July 2, with a maximum activity around June 28. A continuous monitoring of meteor and fireball events during the activity period of this meteor shower gives an interesting opportunity to analyze the dust from this comet. Besides, a recent study reveals that it is possible that this comet may produce large meteoroids that under some conditions could survive the atmospheric entry and reach the ground as meteorites [2]. So, the analysis of the debris produced by this comet can give valuable information about the physico-chemical properties of these particles and can also improve our understanding of the mechanisms that deliver these cometary materials to the Earth. These properties include not only radiant and orbital parameters, but also chemical information provided by the emission spectra produced during the ablation of these meteoroids in the atmosphere. Although the activity of this meteor shower was not extraordinary on 2009, two of the meteor observing stations operated by the SPanish Meteor Network (SPMN) simultaneously imaged a June Bootid fireball with an absolute magnitude of about -9±1 on July 5. The analysis of this event is made here.