Fireballs Captured by the UAE Meteor Monitoring Network

Maryam E. Sharif, Aisha Al-Owais, Ilias Fernini, Masa Alnaser, Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Ahmed Al-Darei

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Space debris is often perceived as a severe threat to planet Earth. This can be natural ones such as meteors and fireballs or artificial like rocket boosters. The UAE Meteor Monitoring Network (UAEMMN) was established to monitor space debris in the UAE sky. The UAEMMN is hosted by the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) and is sponsored by the UAE Space Agency (UAESA) and the University of Sharjah (UoS). The network consists of three towers distributed over three different UAE locations. The top of each tower is equipped with 17 cameras placed around a ring-like structure directed towards the sky. The system automatically captures any movement from sunset till sunrise. In this paper, we are showcasing the fireballs detected by the UAEMMN system over the UAE. The UFO Analyzer and Orbit programs were utilized to define and analyze fireballs based on their apparent magnitude and visual assessment by the observer. From the date of operation of the system (September 2018) until December 2020, the network made 864 detections, among which 223 were fireballs, while the rest were regular meteors. The number of fireball detections varied over the period. However, the study reports a consistent pattern, showing that the number of fireballs tends to increase by the end of each year in November and December, coinciding with the Leonids and Geminids showers. Our UAE fireballs observations help the International Meteor Organization build a worldwide database to compensate for the region's lack of reported observations.

Original languageEnglish
JournalProceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC
VolumeA6
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes
Event19th IAA Symposium on Space Debris 2021 at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2021 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Duration: Oct 25 2021Oct 29 2021

Keywords

  • Bolide
  • Fireball
  • Meteorites
  • Meteoroids
  • UAEMMN

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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