The Maribo Meteorite

Solutions
Top view

T1

C 195 km B

Frame 155 C N Frame 161 E G

M E D

Turned sideview, not to scale

1.1

Top view: Triangle MBC: | , so ( ) | | Then | | ( ) Triangle DBC: | | so ( | | Then | | ( Triangle EBC: | | so ( | | Then | | ( Triangle EDC: Maribo:| |
| | ( ) )

| . , . ,

, .

, and 1.3 ,and ,

, and . . Horizontal distance traveled by

) ) ( ) )

( ) Side view: Triangle CDF: | | | | ( ) Triangle CEG: | | | | Thus vertical distance travelled by Maribo: | | | | Total distance travelled by Maribo from frame 155 to 161: | | | | (| | | |) . The speed of Maribo is

Newton's second law: By integration ( )

yields .

1.2a Alternative solution: The average force on the meteoroid when the speed decreases from 0.7 ( ) . Using that the acceleto can be estimated to ( ) ration is approximately constant, , results in .

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The Maribo Meteorite

1.2b
( )

T1
0.3

. ] [ ] , ( ) and ( ) [ ] [ ] [ [ ] . ] [ , and . . ( ) ( ) [ ( ), and dividing by

( )

[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ so [ ] [ ] [ ] 1.3a Thus , From which ( 1.3b ( ) 1.6 mm )

] , . 0.6

0.4 0.3

1.4a Rb-Sr decay scheme: and Rb Sr: ( ) ( ) ( Thus ) 1.4b equation of a straight line:
( )

( )

( )

( ) ( )]. we obtain the

0.7

)
( )

( )

. . 0.4

Slope: 1.4c So ( )
( ( ) )

and .

Kepler's 3rd law on comet Encke and Earth, with the orbital semi-major axis of Encke 1.5 given by ( ). Thus ( ) . 0.6

For Earth around its rotation axis: Angular velocity Moment of inertia Angular momentum 1.6a Asteroid: . . and angular momentum . is perpendicular to , so by conservation angular momentum: ( ) = .The axis tilt (so the North Pole moves ). At vertical impact 1.6b in rotation period is 1.6c At tangential impact thus ( so ( ( ) . Thus we obtain ) so ) ( ( )

0.7

, and since . The change . ) and .

0.7

is parallel to ) (

)(

0.7

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The Maribo Meteorite

T1

Maximum impact speed (I) The velocity

arises from three contributions: (Earth orbit radius) from the Sun,

of the body at distance .

. 1.7 (II) The orbital velocity of the Earth, (III) Gravitational attraction from the Earth and kinetic energy seen from the Earth: ( ) ( ) . In conclusion: ( ) .

1.6

Total

9.0

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