Variations of the Geomagnetic Field Accompanying the Fall of the Kyiv Meteoroid

Abstract

The theoretical and experimental study of the geomagnetic effect of cosmic bodies remains an urgent problem. This is especially true for meter-sized meteoroids, for which the very existence of the magnetic effect remains in question. The purpose of this article is to present the results of the analysis of temporal variations of the X-, Y-, and Z-components of the geomagnetic field detected by the International Real-time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET) on the day of the Kyiv meteoroid fall and on reference days. The analysis of temporal variations has shown that the levels of these components on the day of the cosmic body explosion and on reference days were significantly different. The level of X-component with a 6 min delay decreased by 2…5 nT, which lasted approximately 60 min. With a delay of 25 min and a duration of 25 min, a quasi-periodic disturbance was observed with a variable period within 4…12 min and an amplitude increasing from 0.3…0.4 to 1.2…1.5 nT. The first disturbance, which had a speed of approximately 300 m/s, could have been caused by a blast wave. The second disturbance was most likely associated with the generation and oblique propagation of an atmospheric gravity wave with a speed of hundreds of meters per second. Within the ionosphere, the disturbance propagated at a speed of approximately 660 km/s by means of magnetohydrodynamic waves. The temporal variations of the Y- and Z-components on the day of the explosion fluctuated for 60 min and decreased by 5…10 nT. The mechanism of long-lasting disturbances of these components remains unknown. It is likely that it could be related to the diamagnetic effect. There are reasons to believe that meter-sized cosmic bodies can cause the detected magnetic effect.