Numerical modeling and impact analysis of the Chinicuila meteoroid event

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of a meteoroid that impacted near Chinicuila, Michoacán, through detailed trajectory reconstruction and numerical modeling. Key physical parameters–including initial velocity, mass, entry angle, and altitude–were estimated to characterize its atmospheric behavior and energy deposition. An advanced numerical model was employed to simulate the meteoroid’s interaction with Earth’s atmosphere, using initial conditions such as velocity (Formula: see text), mass (Formula: see text), height (Formula: see text), and angle (Formula: see text). The model does not require an explicit equation for the flight angle and imposes no constraints on atmospheric density or the meteoroid’s morphology. For this study, a flat-parallel atmospheric profile was assumed, and the meteoroid was modeled as a homogeneous sphere. The numerical analysis produced detailed profiles of vertical and horizontal velocities, mass loss, trajectory angle, and density throughout the meteoroid’s descent. These results enabled a thorough evaluation of the meteoroid’s behavior during atmospheric entry and facilitated the estimation of additional parameters such as radiant energy and stagnation pressure. The resulting energy deposition profile revealed a peak energy release of approximately 0.4 kilotons at the burst altitude, consistent with data reported by NASA’s CNEOS. Overall, this work provides a detailed numerical assessment of the Chinicuila meteoroid event, offering new insights into its physical characteristics, atmospheric interactions, and the underlying dynamics of its entry process.