A rare asteroid explosion occurred in France two years ago, raising alarms regarding the planet’s defense against certain rocky bodies.

On February 13, 2023, a small asteroid named 2023 CX1 entered Earth’s atmosphere, creating a streak across the Normandy sky. This event marked one of the rare instances of meteors monitored before atmospheric entry, happening approximately 7 hours ago.

Bright fireballs resulted from the event, with multiple meteorites collected from the ground. Only two asteroids were monitored, and debris was recovered from their descent. The second one was located in Germany in 2024.

Analysis of footage capturing the asteroid’s descent by Aurian Egal from Western University of Ontario and her team revealed remarkable findings. While most asteroids disintegrate upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, the 2023 CX1 maintained its integrity almost entirely until it reached an altitude of 28 km, where it exploded with an energy equivalent to about 0.029 kilotons, resembling 29 tons of TNT.

“It resembled a bomb,” Egal noted, emphasizing that it was “a singular blast that generated a single spherical shockwave, rather than numerous explosions throughout its course.”

At just 72 centimeters, asteroid 2023 CX1 is roughly the size of a beach ball, which posed no significant threat to the ground. However, should a larger asteroid explode in a similar fashion, the potential for damage could be greater compared to one that disintegrates more gradually in the atmosphere.

In 2020, the Novomest Meteor in Slovenia lost around 80% of its mass due to a singular explosion.

This type of fragmentation poses an even greater threat,” Egal warned. “If a larger asteroid exhibits similar behavior, the consequences could be severe. Evacuations may be necessary for extensive areas surrounding the predicted impact site.”

The exact reason for the asteroid’s survival at such lower altitudes in the atmosphere remains somewhat enigmatic but may pertain to its origin. 2023 CX1 belongs to the L-chondrite category, likely formed from a precursor body in the inner asteroid belt known as Massalia and contributing to approximately one-third of Earth’s rock samples.

“We observe multiple impact veins within the meteorite,” remarked the eyewitness, highlighting its significant collision history.

This implies that vigilance is imperative for monitoring similar L-chondrite asteroids, especially larger ones, according to Thomas Burbin from Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts. “Given that this type of meteorite is quite prevalent, it raises considerable concern,” he elaborated. “L-chondrites can inflict more damage than one might anticipate.”

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