SB3
How to cite: Egal, A.: From 2023 CX1 to Saint-Pierre-le-Viger: A Complete Autopsy of a Small Impacting Asteroid , Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-621, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-621, 2026.
To date, the optical observation of meteors and fireballs remains one of the most fruitful methods for probing the population of cm-sized and smaller meteoroids. Simultaneously, such observations enable the recovery of freshly-fallen meteorites; indeed, the precise reconstruction of their three-dimensional trajectory in the atmosphere allows to pin-point a relatively small area on the ground where meteorites are likely to be recovered.
Pursuing these objectives, the PRISMA (Prima Rete Italiana per la Sorveglianza sistematica di Meteore e Atmosfera) fireball network has deployed, since 2016, more than 80 all-sky cameras dedicated to the observation of fireballs and bolides and to the recovery of freshly-fallen meteorites on the Italian territory. PRISMA is a partner of the international collaboration FRIPON and, to date, the project involves more than 70 participating institutions, and it is coordinated by INAF, the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics.
Research activity of recent years has been dedicated to the development, deployment and testing of a complete, original, and automated data analysis pipeline, able to perform automatic astrometric and photometric calibration for each camera and to reconstruct the trajectory of each observed fireball. From there, the pipeline estimates the physical parameters of the meteoroid – based on the simultaneous comparison of altitude, speed and magnitude against a dynamic model – and, finally, its pre-atmospheric orbit.
After ten years of operations, PRISMA has observed more than 3000 bright meteors with a limiting meteor magnitude of about -1, among which 11 were determined to be meteorite-droppers and two of them led to meteorite recoveries, namely Cavezzo (01/01/2020, L5-an, 55.3 g) and Matera (14/02/2023, H5, 117.5 g). In this contribution, we present an overview of the PRISMA data reduction pipeline, the current challenges and the future perspectives.
How to cite: Barghini, D., Di Carlo, M., Gardiol, D., Lamberti, C., Novati, A., Ardizzone, P. S., Carbognani, A., Di Martino, M., Falco, C., Giuli, G., Leto, G., Morelli, M., Pratesi, G., Riva, W., and Stirpe, G. M.: Development and Preliminary Results of a Novel and Fully-Automated Data Analysis Pipeline for the PRISMA Fireball Network, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-626, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-626, 2026.
BRAMS (Belgian RAdio Meteor Stations) is a Belgian forward-scatter radio network dedicated to meteor observations, using a dedicated transmitter and more than 50 receiving stations located in Belgium and neighbouring countries. The transmitter emits a continuous-wave signal at 49.97 MHz with a power of approximately 340 W. As a consequence, the range of meteor echoes is not directly available, and the reconstruction of meteoroid trajectories and velocities relies on time delays between meteor echoes observed at multiple receiving stations, complemented by pre-t0 phase curves (Balis et al., 2025).
These techniques benefit from the specular reflection of radio waves on ionized meteor trails, which is generally valid for underdense and intermediate meteor echoes. In the case of fireballs, however, trail echoes often become overdense and may exhibit non-specular reflections. On the other hand, some fireballs also produce head echoes whose reflections appear to remain compatible with the specularity condition.
We present preliminary results on constraining fireball velocities by measuring the slope of meteor head echoes observed at several receiving stations. This task is challenging because the available frequency bandwidth is often limited by overlap with trail echoes, contamination from sometimes strong airplane reflections, or low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in parts of the echo. To assess the quality of the derived velocities, we analyse BRAMS observations associated with well-documented fireball events simultaneously observed by the FRIPON optical network (Colas et al., 2020).
On 27 August 2024, the uncontrolled re-entry of a Starlink satellite produced a bright fireball widely observed by the public, with more than 450 witness reports submitted to the IMO fireball database. Although the initial part of the trajectory was located south of the BRAMS network, above northern France, the event was clearly detected by several stations, mainly in southern Belgium and France. We apply the same head-echo analysis technique to constrain the velocity and investigate possible early deceleration. In addition, a few stations recorded very clear pre-t0 phase curves with excellent SNR, opening the possibility of an independent velocity determination.
These preliminary results illustrate both the future capabilities of the BRAMS network for fireball and space-debris observations and the remaining challenges to be addressed.
Balis J., Lamy H., Anciaux M., Jehin E., De Keyser J., Kastinen D., Brown P. G., Enhanced Meteoroid Trajectory and Speed Reconstruction Using a Forward Scatter Radio Network: Pre-t0 Phase Technique and Uncertainty Analysis, Radio Science, Volume 60, Issue 8, 2025
Colas, F. et al, FRIPON: a worldwide network to track incoming meteoroids. Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 644, 2020.
How to cite: Lamy, H., Joly, H., Anciaux, M., and Calegaro, A.: Observations of fireballs and space debris with the BRAMS network : preliminary results, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-646, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-646, 2026.
Knowledge of flux, composition, and physical characteristics of natural objects entering Earth’s atmosphere is critical for understanding the formation and evolution of the Solar System [1], characterising the population of near-Earth objects (NEOs) [2], understanding the behaviour and survivability of impactors in the Earth’s atmosphere [3], and linking recovered meteorites to their source regions [4, 5]. The only comprehensive observational flux analysis of meteorites was performed several decades ago, using only a small number of photographic fireball observations [6]. Since then, digital networks have expanded dramatically, but a unified, calibrated flux estimate for meteorite-producing fireballs remains absent.
The Global Meteor Network (GMN) now provides continuous, standardized, multi-station fireball observations from over 1,600 complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) video cameras in 45 countries worldwide (updated from the data in [7]). These low-cost, wide-field cameras run open-source software on Raspberry Pi computers. The dataset has been used for quantifying meteor shower flux (mm-sized particles), the discovery of new meteor showers, and manual analysis of meteorite-dropping fireballs, with several successful meteorite recoveries [8-10]. However, the GMN fireball dataset, comprising of observations of several hundred fireballs, has not yet undergone a full, consistent re-measurement and physical interpretation. We present a comprehensive analysis of fireball observations from the GMN, based on a newly compiled and uniformly reprocessed dataset of multi-station detections. Using updated astrometric and photometric techniques, we re-measure fireball trajectories, velocities, and fragmentation behaviour, and perform physical modelling to estimate terminal masses and assess meteorite survival potential. The resulting dataset represents the first consistent, large-scale characterisation of GMN fireballs suitable for statistical analysis.
From this dataset, we derive a calibrated flux of meteorite-producing fireballs, broken down by composition and orbital type, and compare these values with the last major flux estimate produced in the 1980s [6], as well as additional studies that have been carried out since then [11-13]. These results provide new empirical constraints on meteoroid delivery to Earth and enable direct comparison with both historical flux estimates and modern dynamical models. In particular, linking fluxes across meteorite type to orbital source regions offers a pathway to testing models of Solar System formation and collisional evolution. The dataset and analysis framework also establish a foundation for future GMN-based studies and community-driven extensions. Scope for future works includes further analysing the orbital distribution of these events to constrain their source regions and delivery pathways from the asteroid belt and cometary reservoirs.
References:
[1] Lauretta, D. S. and McSween, H. Y. eds. 2006. Meteorites and the early Solar System II. Arizona: University of Arizona Press.
[2] Borovička, J. and Spurný, P. 2020. Physical properties of Taurid meteoroids of various sizes. Planetary and Space Science 182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2020.104849.
[3] Egal, A., Vida, D., Colas, F., Zanda, B., Bouley, S., Steinhausser, A., Vernazza, P., et al. 2025. Catastrophic disruption of asteroid 2023 CX1 and implications for planetary defence. Nature Astronomy 9: 1624–1637. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02659-8.
[4] Shober, P. M., Devillepoix, H. A., Vaubaillon, J., Anghel, S., Deam, S. E., Sansom, E. K., Colas, F., et al. 2025. Perihelion history and atmospheric survival as primary drivers of the Earth’s meteorite record. Nature Astronomy 9: 799–812. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02526-6.
[5] Vaubaillon J., Neslušan L., Sekhar A., Rudawska R. and Ryabova G. O. 2019. From parent body to meteor shower: The dynamics of meteoroid streams. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[6] Halliday, I., Blackwell, A. T. and Griffin, A. A. 1989. The Flux of Meteorites on the Earth's Surface. Meteoritics 24: 73–178. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1945-5100.1989.tb00959.x.
[7] Vida, D., Šegon, D., Gural, P. S., Brown, P. G., McIntyre, M. J. M., Dijkema, T. J., Pavletić, L., et al. 2021. The Global Meteor Network -- Methodology and First Results. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 506: 5046–5074. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab2008.
[8] Vida, D., Blaauw Erskine, R. C., Brown, P. G., Kambulow, J., Campbell-Brown, M. and Mazur, M. J. 2022. Computing optical meteor flux using global meteor network data. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 515: 2322–2339. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac1766.
[9] Vida, D., Scott, J. M., Egal, A., Vaubaillon, J., Ye, Q. Z., Rollinson, D., Sato, M. et al. 2024. Observations of the new meteor shower from comet 46P/Wirtanen. Astronomy & Astrophysics 682. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202449359.
[10] Scott, J. M., Vida, D., Behan, D., Boothroyd, M. R., Burgin, D. L., Grieg, D., McKellar, P., et al. 2024. New Zealand’s meteor camera network leads to recovery of the Tekapo/Takapō meteorite. eMetN Meteor Journal 9: 155-158.
[11] Le Feuvre, M. and Wieczorek, M. A. 2008. Nonuniform cratering of the terrestrial planets. Icarus 197: 291–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2008.04.011.
[12] Evatt, G. W., Smedley, A. R. D., Joy, K. H., Hunter, L., Tey, W. H., Abrahams, I. D., Gerrish, L. 2020. The spatial flux of Earth’s meteorite falls found via Antarctic data. Geology 48: 683–687. https://doi.org/10.1130/G46733.1.
[13] Robertson, D., Pokorný, P., Granvik, M., Wheeler, L. and Rumpfet, C. 2021. Latitude Variation of Flux and Impact Angle of Asteroid Collisions with Earth and the Moon. The Planetary Science Journal 2: 88. https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/abefda.
Acknowledgements:
This work was supported by the Meteoritical Society and a Mitacs Globalink Research Award, with PhD funding provided through a MADSIM studentship at the University of Manchester. This work makes extensive use of data from the Global Meteor Network, and I gratefully acknowledge the contributions of its camera operators and data providers, without whom this project would not be possible.
How to cite: Kadir, C., R. D. Smedley, A., W. Evatt, G., J. King, A., H. Joy, K., and Vida, D.: A comprehensive survey of meteorite flux to Earth using the Global Meteor Network, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-92, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-92, 2026.
We report the analysis and meteorite recovery of the Pampean superbolide, a daylight fireball observed over central Argentina on September 13, 2025, at 19:24 UTC (UTC−3 local time). The event was widely recorded by mobile phones and security cameras across southern Buenos Aires Province and La Pampa, and was additionally detected by USG space-based sensors, GLM observations, and five infrasound stations of the CTBTO network. An international collaboration, together with local observers from the Grupo de Astronomía Pampeano, enabled the compilation of eyewitness reports and audiovisual records for trajectory reconstruction, orbital analysis, and strewn-field modelling.
The calibrated atmospheric trajectory derived from three video recordings indicates an observed luminous phase between 65.3 and 15.4 km altitude, with an entry slope of 29° relative to the horizon. Although the beginning of the trajectory was not directly observed, non-calibrated videos indicate a total duration of at least 8 s. Extrapolation of the initial trajectory parameters suggests a lower limit for the beginning height of approximately 91.7 km. The fireball reached a peak brightness of at least −20 mag and released an estimated impact energy of 0.48 kt, based on the information reported by CNEOS. GLM data captured approximately the last 4 s of the event. The light curve exhibits three main brightness peaks, likely associated with fragmentation episodes.
The trajectory reconstruction indicates an atmospheric entry velocity of 19 km/s, while the derived geocentric radiant is located at R.A. = 334.76°, Dec = −9.29°, with a geocentric velocity of 15 km/s. The computed heliocentric orbit (a = 2.35 AU, e = 0.658, i = 0.49°) is consistent with an origin in the inner main asteroid belt. The radiated energy suggests that the object was an asteroid of ~2 m diameter.
A meteorite search campaign conducted in October 2025 between the Lihuel Calel Hills and Cuchillo Có resulted in the recovery of two meteorite fragments of approximately 80 g. Preliminary analyses indicate an ordinary H chondrite composition. Dark-flight modelling using local atmospheric sounding data shows excellent agreement between the recovered meteorites and ejection from the first major fragmentation event at ~28 km altitude with an initial dark-flight velocity of 5 km/s. Dynamical modelling suggests that meteorites in the 4–30 kg range may also have survived atmospheric passage, and new search campaigns are currently being prepared. Pending official Meteoritical Society classification and naming, these samples could represent the first meteorites recovered in Argentina with an instrumentally determined heliocentric orbit.
How to cite: Peña-Asensio, E., Velasco, L., Neuss, F., Trógolo, N. E., San Sebastián, I. L., Tancredi, G., Spagnuolo, M. G., Osio, M., Spagnotto, J., Arrese, F., Sardiña, M., and Tourn, F.: The First Recovered Meteorite Fall in Argentina with an Instrumentally Determined Orbit, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-853, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-853, 2026.
Meteorite falls can occur at any given place on Earth, and instrument observations of their fireballs can help constrain search areas to recover freshly fallen fragments. Rapid recovery is essential in European field settings, where exposure to soil, moisture, and vegetation can quickly affect meteorite preservation. Drone-assisted aerial surveys of strewn fields combined with machine learning can offer a novel approach to assist in search and recovery efforts. Other studies have explored drone-based meteorite detection as well [1-4], yet existing approaches are often tied to specific terrains and are difficult to adapt to the diverse land-cover types that we encounter across Europe.
Here we present a flexible training-data generation strategy and detection pipeline that leverages transfer learning with a pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture to identify fusion-crusted meteorites. Museum specimens were photographed from multiple orientations on an automated rotating stage and composited onto representative ground backgrounds to synthesize a varied training set. After fine-tuning the network on this dataset, we validated it on drone imagery containing hidden meteorites in grassy environments at multiple flight levels and in a demarcated search area that was surveyed by drone. The system consistently detected meteorites across these controlled field tests, while also highlighting the importance of tuning image scale, flight altitude, and detection-window size.
As our approach to training data generation is adaptive, we can tune the pipeline to strewn field-specific land cover types, providing a practical route toward deployment in future search campaigns. With the pipeline tested in a controlled field setting, we now await the next meteorite-dropping fireball event in the Netherlands or surrounding countries to conduct real-world field trials to validate this novel airborne detection strategy.
References
[1] Anderson, et al. "Machine learning for semi‐automated meteorite recovery." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55.11 (2020): 2461-2471. [2] Anderson et al. "Successful recovery of an observed meteorite fall using drones and machine learning." The Astrophysical Journal Letters 930.2 (2022): L25. [3] Citron, Robert I., et al. "Recovery of meteorites using an autonomous drone and machine learning." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 56.6 (2021): 1073-1085. [4] Zender et al. (2018). Meteorite detection with airborne support—A study case. In International Meteor Conference, Petnica, Serbia (pp. 145-152).
How to cite: Heinczinger, H. and de Vet, S.: Meteorite Search and Recovery: a drone-assisted machine learning approach to recover fusion-crusted meteorites, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-936, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-936, 2026.
Introduction: The Blaubeuren meteorite was discovered in 1989 in southern Germany by a homeowner digging a cable trench in his garden, though it remained unrecognized as a meteorite until 2020. It is an H4-5 ordinary chondrite breccia weighing over 30 kg and the largest recovered stony meteorite in Germany [1]. 14C-10Be dating revealed a terrestrial age of 9.2 ± 0.3 ka. Repeated search campaigns by private meteorite hunters led to a newly recognized specimen in a forest close to the city of Schelklingen, ~3 km from the find location of the Blaubeuren meteorite.
Figure 1: Cut face of the new specimen. The metal grains are remarkably unweathered.
Results: To verify a potential relationship to Blaubeuren, the new specimen has been studied using various techniques (optical and electron microscopy, bulk chemical, radionuclide [14C, 26Al, 41Ca] and noble gas analyses). It is an only moderately weathered single stone with a mass of ~17 g showing remnants of weathered fusion crust. Its O isotopic composition places it in the field of H chondrites. Petrographic study shows a rock with chondrules and chondrule relics (Figure 2) and an only slightly weathered interior (W1/2) [2]. The rock is unbrecciated at the thin section scale. Olivine grains show mosaicism indicating a shock degree of C-S4 [3]. The mean composition of olivine is Fa18.4±0.3 and the low-Ca pyroxenes have a mean composition of Fs16.1±0.3. The terrestrial age of the specimen has been determined by 14C-dating and found to be 9.4±1.3 ka. Preliminary noble gas data give gas retention ages of ~3.1 Ga and ~3.7 Ga for 4He and 40Ar, respectively, and cosmogenic 3He, 21Ne, and 38Ar concentrations 2–4× lower than measured for Blaubeuren. Cosmogenic radionuclides (26Al/27Al and 41Ca/40Ca) of the Schelklingen specimen are comparable to those of Blaubeuren [1] pointing to similar recent exposure conditions.
Figure 2: (a) Cross-polarized photograph of an area in the new specimen from close to Schelklingen with a chondrule and more metamorphosed material. (b) Cross-polarized photograph of an area in the Blaubeuren meteorite showing various types of chondrules and relics thereof.
Discussion: A comparison of the newly found specimen found close to Schelklingen with Blaubeuren shows a very similar mineralogy. Major differences compared to the Blaubeuren meteorite are that the newly found specimen shows (1) a significantly lower degree of terrestrial weathering, (2) a higher shock degree (C-S4 versus C-S2 for Blaubeuren), and (3) lower cosmogenic noble gas concentrations. The significantly fresher appearance of the new specimen may be attributed to different alteration conditions on the different locations (forest slope vs. soil inside a valley for Blaubeuren). This could have resulted in lower soil moisture and therefore favorable preservation of the Schelklingen specimen as the type and extent of terrestrial alteration depends on various aspects [4]. Differences in the shock degree can easily be explained by heterogeneity at the sample size studied because shock effects can vary from clast to clast at the cm-scale [5]. Thus, C-S4 shocked clasts may well be present elsewhere in the main mass of Blaubeuren. The differences in the cosmogenic noble gas concentrations of Blaubeuren and the new specimen may indicate they originated from strongly different depths within a large meteoroid (i.e., >120 cm radius). This, however, is not consistent with the similar cosmogenic radionuclide data obtained for both meteorites. Instead, this could suggest a more complex exposure history, (1) either on the parent body with Blaubeuren having experienced pre-exposure close to the surface or (2) that the meteoroid was a rubble pile consisting of individual fragments that experienced individual exposure histories. We consider it extremely unlikely that Blaubeuren and the new Schelklingen specimen originate from different meteoroids, which impacted Earth roughly at the same time and same place: Although. H ordinary chondrites represent the second most abundant class of meteorite falls [6,7], finding two meteorites from separate fall events within ~3 km seems statistically not favorable.
Conclusion: The new Schelklingen specimen and the Blaubeuren meteorite may be part of the same strewn field and therefore of the same meteoroid with a complex exposure history impacting Earth about 9 ka ago. Their differences in the shock degree and weathering may be explained by sample heterogeneity (as typical for breccias) at the cm-scale and different alteration conditions during the ~9 ka of terrestrial weathering.
References: [1] Bischoff, A. et al. (2022) Meteoritics & Planetary Science 57:136-153. [2] Wlotzka, F. (1993). A weathering scale for the ordinary chondrites. Meteoritics, vol. 28, no. 3, volume 28, page 460-460, 28. [3] Stöffler, D., Hamann, C., & Metzler, K. (2018). Shock metamorphism of planetary silicate rocks and sediments: Proposal for an updated classification system. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 53(1), 5-49. [4] Bland, P. A., et al. (2006). Meteorites and the early solar system II, 1, 853-867. [5] Sharp, T. G., & DeCarli, P. S. (2006). Meteorites and the early solar system II, 943, 653-677. [6] Kouvatsis, I., & Hofmann, B. A. (2020). Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 55(1), 67-76. [7] The Meteorite Bulletin Database, 2026; https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/
How to cite: Patzek, M., Paliwal, D., Krietsch, D., Barrat, J. A., Merchel, S., Jull, A. J. T., Heinlein, D., Degering, D., DiRocco, T., Marchhart, O., Martschini, M., Wieser, A., Molnár, M., Busemann, H., Berndt, J., Bischoff, A., and Pack, A.: The Blaubeuren Meteorite and its new Sibling: New Find in Close Vicinity Suggests a Complex Exposure History, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-981, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-981, 2026.
How to cite: Moorhead, A.: Expanding the capabilities of meteoroid environment models, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-727, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-727, 2026.
Introduction: The abundance of fossil micrometeorites (MMs) within sedimentary formations provides empirical evidence for changes in flux of cosmic dust throughout geological time. When compared to modern flux estimates, temporal variations in dust input can be reconstructed once terrestrial concentration or reduction factors are shown to be minimal. A high quantity of fossil MMs associated with a change in flux across the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary can ultimately be used to predict the sources of the dinosaur-killing asteroid and its orbital dynamics prior to impact.
Methods: Host rocks from sedimentary sequences along the K-Pg boundary exposed at four sites (Gubbio, Italy; Stevns Klint, Denmark; Algorri, Spain, and; Gams, Austria) were processed by a mechanical crusher and the dust fraction was magnetically separated at least three times to extract any potential magnetic fossil MMs. Cosmic spherules (CSs) were optically identified based on their spherical shape, dark color, and vitreous/metallic luster. These were then categorized and analyzed further by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), noble gas mass-spectrometry (MS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to obtain information on their petrography, chemistry, and He- and O-isotopic compositions. Sediment chemistry was also obtained through bulk rock analyses using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), He-isotopic measurements, and organic analyses using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
Results and discussion: From the four K-Pg sampling locations, a total of 602 fossil CSs were identified, including 526 I-types, 33 G-types, and 9 S-types. The average diameters of spherules within the Stevns Klint, Algorri, and Gams sediments are all ~32 µm, but slightly higher at 45 µm in the Gubbio samples, which is similar to other fossil MM studies [1] [2] [3], yet lower than those from modern collections [4] [5] [6]. The highest concentration of CSs/kg were discovered in the sediments directly below the boundary clay (~2 orders of magnitude higher than those above). Despite differences in depositional setting and palaeobathymetry, most I-types exhibit quench-cooling textures comparable to Antarctic (ANSMET) spherules and other fossil MMs. Gubbio preserves the most pristine I-types, with well-defined surface crystallites and low mottling (<4%), yet the lowest abundance of G- and S-types, suggesting differing preservation pathways for Fe-rich and silicate-bearing spherules. From 15 analyzed fossil I-types, one was enriched in 3He, implying conservation of the isotope, although rare, is possible for highly heated and altered spherules. Almost all the fossil I-types plot near the TFL and are generally depleted in δ¹⁸O relative to Antarctic I-types. Additionally, four I-types plot distinctly above the TFL (Δ¹⁷O = 1.88 to 3.49‰) with very low δ¹⁸O (-20 to -30‰), which is unique and not previously reported in literature. Interestingly however, these spherules have no significant differences in their petrographic or bulk chemical properties than those comparatively enriched in d18O, suggesting that any extensive hydration that may have taken place does not cause mottling or anomalous implantation of lithophile cations. The He-isotopic abundance and concentration of extraterrestrial amino acids within the fossil MM-enriched units are similar to background levels, suggesting chemical signals of the elevated dust flux may have been removed by diagenetic processes, or is influenced by the original properties of the impactor. The concentration of CSs when compared with local sedimentation rates and modern flux rates show a significant enhancement in cosmic dust flux occured prior to the K-Pg. Further investigations into the chemical and isotopic composition of spherules and their entry dynamics (modelled by numerical simulations) could provide insight into the source of the K-Pg impactor.
Acknowledgments: This work would not be possible without the help of project students and lab technicians. Thank you to the research team Mark Boyd, Bogdana Nica, Ally Wong, Stefania Ton, Michael Wilkonson, & Ren Foley, and the analytical assistors Alejandro Calderon, Pierre-Henri Blard, Gabriel Fénisse, Johan Villeneuve, Dani Fuller, & Diptimayee Behera.
References: [1] T. Onoue, T. Nakamura, T. Haranosono and C. Yasuda, (2011) Geology, 39 (6): pp. 567-570. [2] M. D. Suttle and M. J. Genge, (2017) Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 476: pp. 132-142. [3] L. Krämer Ruggiu, J. Villeneuve, A.-C. Da Silva, V. Debaille, S. Decrée, L. Hecht, F. Kaufmann and S. Goderis, (2025) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta., 405: pp. 114-131. [4] S. Taylor and D. E. Brownlee, (1991) Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 26 (3): pp. 203-211. [5] M. D. Suttle and L. Folco, (2020) Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125 (2). [6] J. Rojas, J. Duprat, C. Engrand, E. Dartois, L. Delauche, M. Godard, M. Gounelle, J. Carrillo-Sánchez, P. Pokorný and J. Plane, (2021) Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 560: p. 116794.
How to cite: Mattia, I., Genge, M., Suttle, M., and Chan, Q.: Variation in Cosmic Dust Flux Across the Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary: Implications on the K-Pg Impactor, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-1209, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-1209, 2026.
The Belgian RAdio Meteor Stations (BRAMS) network is used to analyse the dynamics of the upper atmosphere at altitudes of 80 to 110 km, also known as Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere (MLT), towards a better understanding of the coupling between atmospheric layers [1].
BRAMS is a Continuous Wave (CW) forward-scatter radar using a dedicated transmitter and more than 50 receiving stations located in Belgium and neighbouring countries. The transmitter emits a pure sine wave without modulation at 49.97 MHz with a power of approximately 340 W. Although BRAMS operates with lower transmitted power than classical meteor radars, this can be partly compensated by its large number of receiving stations, which may provide multiple reflection points for a single meteor and therefore sample a substantial portion of an individual trajectory.
In this work, the effect of radio interferometry on the wind field calculation is analysed. Since there is no range information available for a CW radar like BRAMS, the position of the meteor’s specular reflection point, which is required to calculate the wind speeds, is derived from the meteor trajectory reconstruction using the trajectory reconstruction tool pyBRAMS [2,3]. Providing pyBRAMS with angle of arrival data for meteors seen by the interferometer improves the meteor trajectory reconstruction and hence improves the geometric information required for the wind retrieval.
The first results show that the meteor observations and hence the trajectory reconstruction using BRAMS are sufficient for wind retrieval. The additional information provided by the interferometry delivers improved trajectories producing more accurate specular point calculations and hence an improved wind field. However, at the present stage, only a limited data set of events was retained after quality filtering ensuring sufficient signal-to-noise ratio and excluding contamination by other signals such as airplane reflections. Further optimization on the event selection is subject of future work to increase the number of events available for wind retrieval. Additionally, higher-order wind velocity effects need to be analysed.
Overall, this study gives a first assessment of the effect of radio interferometry on the BRAMS wind retrieval signal-processing chain. It demonstrates how interferometry improves the wind speed estimates using a low-power CW forward-scattering radar like BRAMS, which has no range information available for meteor events.
References
- [1] Stober, G., and J. L.Chau, Radio Science 2015, 50, 431–442.
- [2] Balis J., Lamy H., Anciaux M., Jehin E., Radio Science 2023, Volume 58, Issue 6.
- [3] Balis J., Lamy H., Anciaux M., Jehin E., De Keyser J., Kastinen D., Brown P. G., Radio Science 2025, Volume 60, Issue 8.
How to cite: Laur, J. S., Lamy, H., Joly, H., Anciaux, M., and Calegaro, A.: Interferometry Improved Wind Retrieval from BRAMS Forward-Scatter Meteor Radar Observations, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-958, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-958, 2026.
Previous radar and visual studies (e.g., Šimek & McIntosh, 1989; Zigo et al., 2009; Uchiyama, 2010) have shown that brighter Geminid meteors exhibit systematically later peak activity times and narrower activity profiles compared to fainter meteors. This is generally interpreted as evidence for size sorting within the meteoroid stream, driven by long-term dynamical evolution and Poynting–Robertson drag.
Here, we test whether these size-dependent activity profile effects persist when the Geminid shower is measured with forward-scatter radio observations from the BRAMS/RMZ network, using echo durations as an observationally accessible proxy tied to meteoroid mass. We carefully note that echo duration is not solely intrinsic to particle size, but also depends on observational geometry and the evolution of the ionized trail.
We apply the multi-observer inversion framework developed by De Keyser et al. (2026). Radio meteor detections are categorized into duration classes, and for each class we fit the shower activity profile with a double-exponential model parameterized by the peak time, rise time-scale, and decay time-scale. We examine whether a single (universal) observability function can be applied across all duration classes, or whether duration-dependent observability effects must be incorporated to reconcile the inferred activity profiles.
We further assess whether the fitted profile parameters reproduce the size-dependent trends reported in prior literature. As an additional, independent constraint, we analyze cumulative echo-duration distributions to derive estimates of the Geminid mass index (Belkovich et al., 2005).
If successful, this study will clarify whether the apparent size sorting inferred from visual/radar brightness carries over to radio-based measurements after accounting for measurement biases, strengthening our physical understanding of Geminid meteoroid evolution.
How to cite: Calders, S., De Keyser, J., Lamy, H., and Kolenberg, K.: Testing size-dependent Geminid activity profiles using BRAMS/RMZ radio echo durations, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-379, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-379, 2026.
The DIMS project (Dark matter and Interstellar Meteoroid Study) is an international collaboration with a twofold scientific goal: the search for hypothetical macroscopic dark matter candidates and the study of meteoroids of interstellar origin. To pursue these objectives, DIMS deployed highly sensitive CMOS cameras, that were operated from 2021 to 2025 in central Japan and at the Telescope Array site in Utah.
In this contribution we present the architecture of the pipeline developed for the analysis of DIMS observations of meteor events, that includes custom astrometry and elliptical aperture photometry, together with the adaptation of the PRISMA fireball network pipeline to the DIMS case. We discuss the preliminary results of multi-station triangulation, atmospheric dynamic model, and reconstructions of pre-atmospheric orbits of a selected sample of events. In particular, we focus on the search of interstellar meteor candidates and the assessment of measurement uncertainties.
How to cite: Ardizzone, P. S., Barghini, D., Bertaina, M. E., Gardiol, D., Durisova, S., Hajdukova, M., Kajino, F., Kim, S.-W., Koten, P., Przybylak, M., Shinozaki, K., and Vrabel, M.: Study of Interstellar Meteor Candidates Based on Optical Meteor Observations from the DIMS Project, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-642, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-642, 2026.
The Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager (MTG-LI) has been operational since late 2024, providing continuous optical measurements optimized for lightning detection over Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic region. Beyond its nominal objective, MTG-LI has also demonstrated sensitivity to the optical flashes produced by bright meteors (fireballs).
This study aims to systematically distinguish meteor-induced flashes from lightning and to extract fireball characteristics, including their brightness evolution and projected trajectories. These capabilities are being integrated into a data pipeline with the final objective of delivering a comprehensive operational ESA/EUMETSAT fireball portal.
In ongoing collaboration with NASA, MTG-LI complements the fireball monitoring capabilities of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) by extending coverage to the Eastern Hemisphere, enabling near-global geostationary observation of fireball activity. This emerging application for lightning imagers onboard weather satellites provides valuable data for meteor science and planetary defence while also synergising with existing ground-based meteor networks to enhance event characterization and coverage.
How to cite: Rubbrecht, N., Kokou, P., Cano, J. L., Moissl, R., Viticchie, B., Enno, S.-E., and Navia, D.: Towards automated meteor detection from space with MTG-LI, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-399, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-399, 2026.
MeteorCam - A meteor camera for ESA's LightShip mission
Koschny, D., Christou, A., Bontognali, T, Frühauf, M., Josset, J.-L., Oberst, J., Ruesch, O.
ESA had put out a call for payload for the expected 'LightShip' mission to Mars in 2025. Part of the science to be addressed is to study the meteoroid environment around Mars. MeteorCam has been preliminarily selected as one of the PI-led instruments on this mission. LightShip will be in an orbit about 6000 km away from Mars, monitoring its environment for many years.
MeteorCam is a camera which will detect fireballs and meteors from Mars orbit. It will use a Teledyne e2v CIS-120 detector and fast optics, allowing to detect meteors down to about magnitude +4 on the non-illuminated part of Mars. While the camera will have the complete disk of Mars in its field of view, we expect to detect meteors only on the dark side of the planet. Rejection of straylight from the illuminated portion of the disk is a critical technical challenge.
We expect about 500 detections per Earth year, possibly a factor of 4 more. For each detection, MeteorCam will download the detection time, as well as information about the brightness profile and the position on the planet. This will allow to better constrain the meteoroid flux density environment around and on Mars, important for preparing future missions. From a scientific point, the observations will allow to constrain flux densities of meteoroids in Mars' vicinity and estimate mass and size distributions. The current impact rate on Mars and formation of new craters can be estimated. This will also constrain existing meteoroid models, which were derived from Earth-based observations.
ESA's call described the possibility of having multiple missions. In that case, several cameras could perform stereoscopic observations of meteor tracks. This would allow precise reconstruction of the meteoroid's orbit. An objective grating would allow to constrain the composition of the meteoroid.
How to cite: Koschny, D., Christou, A., Oberst, J., Josset, J.-L., Frühauf, M., Rüsch, O., and Bontognali, T.: MeteorCam - A meteor camera for ESA's LightShip mission, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-41, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-41, 2026.
Earth has continuously accreted extraterrestrial material, ranging from kilometer-scale impactors to microscopic dust particles, providing a long-term record of the Solar System debris flux across Earth’s geological time. An estimated 40,000 ± 20,000 metric tons of extraterrestrial material reaches Earth yearly, primarily in the form of micrometeorites (microscopic dust particles between 10 µm and 2 mm) [1], [2]. They provide a sensitive archive of Solar System dynamics, as temporal variations in micrometeorite flux may reflect asteroid family-forming events and highlight broader dynamical processes shaping the evolution of the Solar System. These records are crucial for contextualizing sample return data from current and future space missions.
While the extraterrestrial flux during the Ordovician period has been well documented through fossil chromite analysis and associated with the L-chondrite parent body breakup, Silurian micrometeorite records remain restricted to a single study from 1963 [3]. The Silurian Period (443.1 – 419.0 Ma [4]) forms a critical time interval, as it bridges the Ordovician breakup event (~466 Ma) [5] and established micrometeorite records from the Meso- and Cenozoic [6, 7]. Here, we present one of the first Silurian micrometeorite collections, recovered from Wenlock-aged (~433-427 Ma) limestones on Gotland (Sweden). In parallel, complementary material from one section on Anticosti Island (Canada) targets Hirnantian strata near the Ordovician-Silurian boundary (~445-444 Ma), approximately 20 Myr after the L-chondrite parent body breakup at ~466 Ma, whereas the Wenlock material from Gotland tests whether a residual micrometeorite signal persisted into the Silurian.
Micrometeorites were extracted after acid dissolution (15% HCl) of limestone samples, followed by magnetic separation and optical microscopy. To date, 7.5 kg of Gotland material from three locations have been processed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) identified six I-type cosmic spherules, including four recovered from marly limestone. This observation challenges the common assumption that purer carbonate lithologies preferentially preserve micrometeorites. Electron microprobe analyses (EPMA) indicate typical I-type texture and compositions, consistent with magnetite-dominated mineralogy. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) triple oxygen isotope analyses of three particles yield variable results: one plots within the ordinary chondrite field (δ18O = 6.30‰, ∆17O = 0.51‰), while two (δ18O = 4.22‰, ∆17O = 0.44‰ and δ18O = 8.04‰, ∆17O = 0.17‰) fall near the terrestrial fractionation line (~ δ17O = 0.52 x δ18O, [8]), potentially reflecting terrestrial overprinting or isotopic exchange during diagenesis. From the Anticosti Island rock samples, 5.2 kg have been dissolved and are currently undergoing magnetic separation and optical picking for candidate micrometeorites.
These preliminary results demonstrate that Silurian sediments can preserve micrometeorites and may indicate a continued, but potentially reduced extraterrestrial flux following the Ordovician L-chondrite breakup. Ongoing geochemical, mineralogical and isotopic analyses will further constrain preservation effects and parent body affinities. Comparisons between Baltic and Laurentian paleoenvironments, alongside existing Paleozoic records [9-11], will help refine reconstructions of the mid-Paleozoic extraterrestrial flux. Such reconstructions are critical for linking Solar System dynamics and planetary processes, and for improving interpretative frameworks used in planetary geology and sample return missions.
References. [1] Genge et al. (2008) Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 43(3)497-515. [2] Love & Brownlee (1993) Science 262:550-553. [3] Mutch (1964) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 119:166-185. [4] Melchin et al. (2020) Geologic Time Scale 2020, Elsevier 695-732. [5] Terfelt and Schmitz (2021) PNAS 118(24), e2020977118. [6] Suttle and Genge (2017) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 476:132–142. [7] Suttle et al. (2023) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 355:75-88. [8] Clayton (1993) Annu. Rev. Earth. Planet. Sci. 21:115-149. [9] Krämer Ruggiu et al. (2025) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 405:114-131. [10] Dredge et al. (2010) Scottish J. Geol. 46(1)7. [11] Voldman et al. (2013) Geol. J. 48(2-3)222-235.
How to cite: Jonckheere, F. M. R., Krämer Ruggiu, L., Pesola, J., Binu Beena, D., Zelinksy, C., Prestgard, T., Desrochers, A., Vandenbroucke, T. R. A., and Goderis, S.: Ordovician-Silurian fossil micrometeorites from Gotland (Sweden) and Anticosti Island (Canada): implications for the post-Ordovician cosmic dust flux, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-561, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-561, 2026.
Introduction
The accuracy of calculating the mass loss of meteoroids based on optical observations depends on the accuracy of its input parameters. Currently, some, including their velocity and magnitude, can be determined with sufficient preciseness. However, the luminous efficiency is hard to determine through observations. Estimations based on observations and simulations range from 0.02% to 40% (Drolshagen, et al., 2021). Therefore, to provide better estimates of the luminous efficiency the authors propose the mission AllBert EinStein.
Proposed Mission Outline
The mission AllBert EinStein launches artificial meteoroids as a 3U CubeSat onboard a rocket to a sun-synchronous orbit. From this orbit, they are deorbited along with the upper stage. Before entering Earth’s atmosphere, they get deployed to separate from the upper stage. The following reentry is observed from an airplane fitted with multiple cameras and spectrometers. The following figure displays the different mission phases. By knowing the exact reentry velocity and all material and mass properties of the artificial meteoroids, the luminous efficiency can be derived from the observed magnitude of the meteors.
Figure 1: Mission phases based on Frühauf, et a., 2022: 1 – Launch, 2 – Target orbit, 3 – Separation of other payloads, 4 – Deorbit burn, 5 – Separation of AllBert EinStein, 6 – Reentry of AllBert EinStein, 7 – Airborne observation.
Qualification Model
Figure 2: The AllBert EinStein CubeSat. An aluminum structure is holding four artificial meteoroids (three visible).
The payload of the proposed AllBert EinStein mission is shown in figure 2 and consists of four spheres, which are supposed to create the artificial meteors upon reentry. Two spheres are made from iron and two are made from basalt, one each with a diameter of 90 mm and 50 mm. The material is chosen to closely resemble real meteoroids. All spheres together have a mass of 4.86 kg.
To safely hold the spheres during launch, an aluminum structure is developed. To avoid any damage to the spheres by direct contact to the aluminum, spacers made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are inserted between the spheres and the remaining structure. The structure’s outer dimensions are based on a standard 3U CubeSat structure in order to fit into any 3U deployer. To reduce friction and the risk of cold welding, all parts in direct contact to the deployer are hard anodized. The structure itself weighs 1.05 kg, leading to a total mass of the payload of 5.91 kg.
Qualification
To ensure mission success, the payload has to be qualified to withstand launch conditions. Rocket launches pose strict requirements on the load bearing capability of the payload and its eigenfrequencies. NASA has developed the standard GSFC-STD-7000A, which establishes requirements for CubeSats testing. The proposed payload has been subject to random vibration testing as required by standard GSFC-STD-7000A and sine sweeps to identify its eigenfrequencies.
To be able to conduct the shaker tests, the payload is inserted into a TestPod provided by Exolaunch GmbH. The sine sweeps show that the first response peak is at 260 Hz with an amplification of 4. This means that an externally applied acceleration of 0.1 g leads to a measured acceleration of the structure of 0.4 g.
The structure and the spheres survive the applied load equivalent of the root mean square of 14.1 g over the frequency range from 0 to 2,000 Hz with no signs of damage, as required by standard GSFC-STD-7000A. The PTFE spacers show signs of limited plastic deformation as they are clamped between the spheres and structure.
Risk Analysis
As artificial meteoroids pose the same threat to people and property on the ground as natural meteoroids, a thorough risk assessment is mandatory. For this mission, the risk assessment is carried out with the ESA tool Debris Risk Assessment and Mitigation Analysis (DRAMA) (European Space Agency, 2024). While DRAMA is originally designed for satellite parts such as thin plates, solar arrays, or rods, the authors adapted it to model solid spheres. In order to do this, the spheres are modelled as layered spheres with heat transfer between the different layers. However, DRAMA is not well-suited to assess basalt spheres as key features that occur during the reentry of stony materials, including fragmentation, are not accounted for.
The risk assessment proves that the iron spheres dissolve completely before reaching an altitude of 60 km. This does not change significantly if the target orbit cannot be reached or the reentry burn fails or does not proceed as intended. Using DRAMA despite its limitations, the large basalt sphere has an impact energy of 160 J in the worst-case scenario. However, in reality the basalt spheres are expected to ablate completely. Nevertheless, the target reentry position is chosen in a way that any remaining debris would impact south of Tasmania.
Conclusion
The proposed AllBert EinStein mission aims at improving the understanding and estimation of the luminous efficiency of meteoroids. Therefore, it launches four artificial meteoroids made of iron and basalt and observes their reentry. The developed payload is both safe and qualified to be launched.
References
Drolshagen, E., Ott, T., Koschny, D., Drolshagen, G., Vaubaillon, J., Colas, F., . . . Poppe, B. (2021). Luminous efficiency based on FRIPON meteors and limitations of ablation models. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 650, A159. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202040204
European Space Agency. (2024). Debris Risk Assessment and Mitigation Analysis (DRAMA) Software User Manual. Retrieved from https://sdup.esoc.esa.int/drama/downloads/documentation/DRAMA-Software-User-Manual.pdf
Frühauf, M., Gscheidle, C., Löhle, S., Drolshagen, G., Poppe, B., Reiß, P., & Walter, U. (2022). AllBert EinStein - Eine experimentelle Studie zum Eintritt von Meteoriden in die Erdatmosphäre für planetare Abwehr und Analyse von Space Debris. Munich.
How to cite: Mansel, L., Frühauf, M., and Koschny, D.: Proposed AllBert EinStein Mission to Improve Understanding of Luminous Efficiency of Meteors, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-1043, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-1043, 2026.
Micrometeorites dominate the flux of extraterrestrial material that reaches Earth [1]. They are classified according to the degree of melting experienced during atmospheric entry heating into three groups: melted micrometeorites or cosmic spherules, partially melted or scoriaceous micrometeorites and unmelted micrometeorites [2]. About 10% of cosmic dust particles collected at the Earth’s surface are unmelted or scoriaceous, thus preserving, at least in part, primary features of their parent bodies [3]. A significant number of large unmelted and scoriaceous micrometeorites were recovered from 1–2 Myr-old sediment traps in the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) [4,5]. Based on the petrographic characterization of 207 micrometeorites, we report a statistically significant study of the size-frequency distribution of unmelted and scoriaceous micrometeorites in the ~170–1650 μm size range. This study complements previous assessments of micrometeorite size distributions based on totally melted TAM cosmic spherules [5], providing additional constraints on the micrometeorite flux reaching Earth during the Quaternary.
Micrometeorites were identified based on their morphological and petrographic features using a stereomicroscope. To determine mass and size, particles were weighed using a microbalance and imaged under a Field Emission Gun – Scanning Electron Microscope at CISUP (Pisa, Italy). Backscattered electron images provided textural criteria for the identification of unmelted and scoriaceous micrometeorites, including magnetite rims, dehydration cracks, scoriaceous textures, angular to sub-rounded morphologies and characteristic weathering products. Subsequently, all particles were characterised using high-resolution X-ray computed microtomography at the ZAG institute (Ljubljana, Slovenia), allowing non-destructive 3D textural classification into fine-grained, coarse-grained and composite micrometeorites. Twenty-two representative particles were sectioned and examined using backscattered electron imaging to validate the textural classification.
The size-frequency distribution of the TAM unmelted and scoriaceous micrometeorites is bimodal, with two main peaks centred at ~305 and 470 μm. A similar bimodal distribution was previously observed in TAM cosmic spherules, although shifted toward smaller sizes, with peaks at ~145 and 250 μm [5]. The discrepancy between the distributions of unmelted-scoriaceous micrometeorites and melted cosmic spherules is consistent with size-mass reduction produced by atmospheric entry heating and evaporative mass loss acting on a single population of extraterrestrial dust particles. Using the empirical mass–diameter relationship established in this study, we estimate a first-order average mass loss of ~87% associated with complete melting during atmospheric entry. The analysis of fine- and coarse-grained micrometeorites also reveals robust bimodality. The two distinct peaks in the unmelted plus scoriaceous micrometeorite population are centred at ~315 µm and 550 µm for fine- and coarse-grained micrometeorites, respectively. Fine-grained particles are dominated by matrix-rich, hydrous materials typical of primitive carbonaceous precursors, whereas coarse-grained particles are characterised by chondrule-bearing, comparatively dry or weakly hydrated materials associated with more evolved precursors. The identification of chondrules in several coarse-grained and composite particles further supports this interpretation. Composite micrometeorites provide direct evidence for the coexistence of fine- and coarse-grained lithologies within heterogeneous precursor materials. The observed bimodality therefore likely reflects contrasting physical properties, fragmentation behaviour and atmospheric survivability of end-member materials within the near-Earth interplanetary dust complex [6,7]. Based on current micrometeorite mass flux estimates derived from TAM cosmic spherules [5], and accounting for the inferred ~87% atmospheric mass loss, we estimate a time-averaged pre-atmospheric cosmic dust flux of ~12,000 (±6,000) t/yr over the Quaternary. This value is broadly consistent with estimates derived from the LDEF experiment [1] and recent CABMOD-ZoDy models [8], suggesting that the flux of large micrometeorites reaching Earth has remained relatively stable over the last few million years.
Acknowledgments: PRIN2022 Cosmic Dust II, ID# 2022S5A2N7. ASI-MUR SpaceitUP! ID# 2024-5-E.0 – CUP n. I53D24000060005
References: [1] Love S. G. and Brownlee D. E. (1993) Science, 262, 550–553. [2] Genge M. J. et al. (2008) Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 43, 497–515. [3] Van Maldeghem F. et al. (2023) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 354, 88–108. [4] Rochette P. et al. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 105, 18206–18211. [5] Suttle M. D. and Folco L. (2020) JGR: Planets, 125, e2019JE006241. [6] Suavet C. et al. (2010) Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 293, 313–320. [7] Cordier C. and Folco L. (2014) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 146, 18–26. [8] Rojas J. et al. (2021) Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 560, 116794.
How to cite: Ottaviani, S., Folco, L., Suttle, M. D., Repič, R., Mancini, L., Battiston, T., Iannini Lelarge, S., and Masotta, M.: Cosmic Dust Flux During the Quaternary: The Record of Large Scoriaceous and Unmelted Micrometeorites from the Transantarctic Mountains Collection, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-1135, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-1135, 2026.
BRAMS (Belgian RAdio Meteor Stations) is a Belgian meteor radio forward scatter network using a dedicated transmitter and more than 50 receiving stations located in Belgium and neighboring countries. The transmitter emits a pure sine wave with no modulation at 49.97 MHz with a power of ∼ 340 Watts.
The use of continuous wave implies that the total range traveled by the radio wave is unknown and that the only available information are the time delays between the detections of meteor echoes at different receiving stations, due to the specular reflection of the wave off the meteor trail. This makes the inverse problem of inferring meteoroid trajectories from time delays alone ill-posed, yielding high uncertainties — particularly in altitude and inclination, as the BRAMS stations are nearly coplanar. Two additional sources of information have been investigated to better constrain the problem: interferometric data providing the direction of the specular point, and measurements of the pre-t0 phase, constraining the meteoroid velocity.
Both methods have independently shown promising results [1,2], but the former will only be available for a limited number of trajectories, while the latter requires very bright echoes, as the pre-t0 phase is highly sensitive to noise.
Other characterization techniques, such as ones based on the Fresnel transform [3] and the analysis of the echo’s spectrum [4], are currently investigated.
Further difficulties arise from the lack of information on range and direction: reflections from airplanes, which, with a radar setup, would be removed based on altitude, often overlap with echoes in both frequency and time, complicating their characterization. Furthermore, determining whether echoes recorded at different stations originate from the same event is non-trivial and is expected to become especially problematic during periods of high activity such as meteor showers.
PyBRAMS is a Python package designed for accessing data from the BRAMS network, extracting and characterizing echoes and retrieving meteor trajectories. After successfully demonstrating that accurate trajectory reconstruction was possible [2], the next steps aim at large-scale and autonomous processing of BRAMS data, which requires tackling the aforementioned issues.
A fully modular trajectory retrieval scheme has been developed, allowing for the straightforward implementation and coupling of different types of measurements, as well as the use of various trajectory parametrizations: rectilinear or curved geometries, different deceleration models, and prospectively, meteor ablation or ionization curves. Preliminary efforts have also been made towards a Selector algorithm, able to partition echoes into groups likely to originate from the same event and filter out potential outliers.
A flexible echo characterization algorithm is under development, using a least-squares approach to model the meteor echoes and the parasitic signals conjointly using progressively more complex models as the signal-to-noise ratio increases.
References
- Balis J., Lamy H., Anciaux M., Jehin E., Radio Science, 2023, Volume 58, Issue 6, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023RS007697.
- Balis J., Lamy H., Anciaux M., Jehin E., De Keyser J., Kastinen D., Brown P. G., Radio Science, 2025, Volume 60, Issue 8, https://doi.org/10.1029/2025RS008305.
- Roy, A., Doherty, J.F. & Mathews, J.D. Analyzing Radar Meteor Trail Echoes using the Fresnel Transform Technique: A Signal Processing Viewpoint. Earth Moon Planet 101, 27–39 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11038-007-9147-5
- Korotyshkin, D., Radio meteor velocity estimation based on the Fourier transform, Advances in Space Research 74, 4134-4145, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2024.06.080
How to cite: Joly, H., Lamy, H., Anciaux, M., and Calegaro, A.: Meteor trajectory retrieval from BRAMS data: updates and improvements, Europlanet Science Congress 2026, The Hague, The Netherlands, 7–11 Sep 2026, EPSC2026-1321, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-1321, 2026.
