A new study provides insight into the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor that exploded over Russia, injuring over 1,500 people and damaging more than 7,000 buildings. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton, used a high-fidelity simulation of the meteor’s journey to gain a better understanding of the physics involved in its destructive explosion. The simulation showed that the meteor’s high speed and shallow flight path was the primary cause of the blast, as well as the intense pressure that caused the intense shockwave that resulted in the damage and injuries. The researchers have now used this simulation to develop a better understanding of how small meteors, like the one that exploded over Chelyabinsk, can cause so much destruction.

Read Full Article Here

source: Phys.org