Robotic systems for the determination of the composition of solar system materials by means of fireball spectroscopy

Abstract

The operation of the automated CCD spectrographs deployed by the University of Huelva at different observatories along Spain is described. These devices are providing information about the chemical nature of meteoroids ablating in the atmosphere. In this way, relevant physico-chemical data are being obtained from the ground for materials coming from different bodies in the Solar System (mainly asteroids and comets). The spectrographs, which work in a fully autonomous way by means of software developed for this purpose, are being employed to perform a systematic fireball spectroscopic campaign since 2006. Some examples of meteor spectra obtained by these devices are also presented and discussed.