Every year, thousands of meteors enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Most are very small and completely disintegrate with frictional forces from the air before reaching the ground. They then burn violently, creating spectacular shooting stars (like the Perseids or the Geminids). Only the strongest fragments manage to pass through the atmosphere and reach the cow’s floor, we then call them meteorites.
Although there are relatively many of them that reach Earth, seeing one crash to the ground live remains a very rare event. However, on July 25, 2024, a home surveillance camera on a quiet street in Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island, Canada) filmed this brief moment.
A camera placed in the right place
The Ring surveillance device (a brand specializing in connected home security systems), installed in the home of Joe Velaidum and Laura Kelly, accomplished much more than its primary function. The device captured not only the trajectory of the meteorite, but also the distinct sound of its impact on the ground – a world first according to experts.
Chris Herd, geologist at the University of Alberta, did not hide his joy given the exceptional nature of the recording : “ The Charlottetown meteorite, being the first and only meteorite in the province of Prince Edward Island, undoubtedly made a remarkable entrance. No other meteorite fall has been documented in this way, with a sound recording “.
The proximity of the meteorite to Joe and Laura’s home, coupled with the sensitivity of the camera’s microphone, made it possible to capture a unique, high-quality sound recording. As you can see in the video below, the impact is extremely violent.
Stardust at our doorstep
Analysis of the recovered fragments revealed that it is an ordinary chondrite, a category of meteorite that offers us a unique window into the first moments of our solar system. Their particular composition lies in their characteristic structure: they contain chondrules, tiny silicate spherules which formed around 4.56 billion years ago, when the primitive solar nebula began to condense.
These meteorites are called “ ordinary » not due to a lack of scientific interest, but rather by their relative frequency among samples found on Earth, rrepresenting nearly 90% of discovered meteorites. Their preservation is explained by the fact that they have never undergone the processes of planetary differentiation – these mechanisms which, on planets like the Earth, have led to the separation of elements into distinct layers (core, mantle, crust) .
A double stroke of luck
Current data demonstrates that our planet intercepts daily 48.5 tonnes of meteoritic material in its atmosphere. The study of atmospheric processes shows that the majority of this mass disintegrates during its crossing, as explained in the introduction. Statistical analyzes indicate that only a few dozen meteors per year develop sufficient mass to reach the fireball stage. Among the latter, a minimal fraction manages to cross the atmospheric layers to the ground.
In the case of the Charlottetown meteorite, it dug a crater of two centimeters in diameterwhich indicates that it must have measured only a few centimeters. For comparison, the Chicxulub meteorite, which caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, is estimated to be between 10 and 15 km in diameter.
This discovery almost remained anonymous without the intervention of Laura’s parents, who heard the sound of the impact. Velaidum’s examination of the debris led to the identification of meteoritic fragments, distributed throughout the surrounding grass. Professor Herd’s analyzes subsequently confirmed the authenticity of these fragments.
The remarkable aspect of this event lies in the convergence of two factors : the complete audiovisual recording of the fall and the absence of victims. As Velaidum noted in his interview with CBC News: “ The most surprising thing for me was that I was in this exact spot a few minutes before impact. If I had been present at the time of the fall, the meteorite probably would have pierced me “.
On average, meteorites enter the atmosphere at speeds between between 11 and 72 km/s (i.e. between 40,000 and 259,200 km/h). No need to draw a picture to explain to you that the inhabitants of this house were extremely lucky. not to find yourself underneath. A chance that is almost miraculous.
- A meteorite was filmed and its sound impact recorded for the first time in Charlottetown, Canada, using a surveillance camera.
- The recovered fragments show that it is an ordinary chondrite, a type of meteorite giving us valuable information about the formation of the solar system 4.56 billion years ago.
- The event is exceptional for its complete recording and the absence of victims, despite the impact which took place close to the residents.
