Geophysical effects caused by the bolide fall on September 02, 2023 (Turkey)

Abstract

We present the results of instrumental observations of acoustic oscillations, geomagnetic variations and variations of the atmospheric electric field during the fall and explosive destruction of the bolide in the southeast of Turkey on September 02, 2023. It is shown that the destruction of the bolide under the action of aerodynamic forces, which occurred in three stages, was accompanied by an acoustic signal of a characteristic shape and manifested in variations of the magnetic and electric fields in the near-surface layer atmosphere. The total energy of the event, estimated by the acoustic effect, was ~ 9×1012 J, which corresponds to about 2.15 kt in TNT equivalent. The maximum amplitude of geomagnetic variations caused by the explosion of the bolide ranged from 0.2 to 2.1 nT depending on the distance. At the same time, the amplitude of variations of the vertical component of the atmospheric electric field at the Mikhnevo observatory (distance ~1900 km) was ~70 V/m. The ionospheric effect of the event under consideration is demonstrated in the form of variations of the critical frequency f0F2 obtained as a result of processing ionograms of height-frequency sounding of the ionosphere at the Rome station.