SUMMARY

SUMMARY

This event plunged into the atmosphere at a remarkable 82 degrees below horizontal, yet still survived to lower than 14 km altitude. It occurred near the peak of the Taurid meteor shower but is not associated with it, originating from an orbit entirely inside Mars' orbit.

A single radar signature appears to be associated with this event, seen in the KGWX 0634 data suite for the 4.48 degree radar sweep. The signature appears at 7.1 km altitude and 137s after the bolide, with a calculated metoerite mass of 1g assuming average ordinary chondrite density. This radar signature would land directly in the calculated 1g landing zone for this fall and it appears well separated from any noise in the radar sweep. Doppler velocity measurement indicates it is moving eastward at the time, which would be the correct direction for meteorites from this event. Winds at the time were consistent out of the west around 25 m/s (56 mph), pushing the falling meteorites to the boundary of the Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area.

The orbit for this bolide was entirely within Mars' orbit, lending the possibility that it is an unsual type although this cannot be guaranteed.