A bright fireball over the coast of the state of Bahia

Abstract

In February, 21st, 2018, around 01:27 (UT), inhabitants from the oceanfront cities of the states of Bahia, Sergipe and Alagoas observed a very bright fireball. Using four videos obtained with security cameras installed in metropolitan region of Salvador (Bahia) and in a car near Aracaju (Sergipe), it was possible determined the fireball trajectory. With a velocity of 15.94 km/s, the fireball exploded at 21 km of altitude, about 134 km ESE from the coast of the city of Salvador. The energy released was estimated in 8.5 × 10^{−3} kt of TNT, corresponding to a pre-atmospheric mass between 700 kg and 1100 kg. The meteoroid diameter was estimated between 0.7 m and 0.85 m. Applying the D-criterion in the estimate heliocentric orbit, we suggested that it was a sporadic meteor