Where did the meteorite fall in Chelyabinsk? Photo and details from the site of the meteorite fall
Chelyabinsk is a large city of the Russian Federation, scientific,industrial and cultural center of the Urals. It is a city of working people, famous for its industrial power and industrial records. But on February 15, 2013 the city became famous all over the world after the meteorite fell in Chelyabinsk.
What really happened?
At about 9:30 local residents, not only in Chelyabinsk, but also in remote areas, observed in the sky a rapid flight of a brightly glowing unidentified object, behind which a powerful jet track was stretching. Then a shock wave swept through, which caused many devastations, from which more than 1500 city residents suffered.
The city declared a state of emergency,the suspected place of the fall of the unknown body sent forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, soldiers, police. There also came forward scientists and curious. Each channel of the Russian media sent its reporters to the scene of the incident, everyone wanted to take pictures and fragments of the celestial body.
This event shocked not only the local residents. Worried by NASA, the European Space Agency. The event was interested in astronomers of the Czech Republic, Sweden, France, Britain, Canada, and America. A whole year has passed, but the truth about the Chelyabinsk meteorite continues to bother the population and scientists minds.
Restoring the chronicle of events
The winter morning began as usual. People went to work, identifying children in schools and kindergartens, students went to school.
In the sky at 9:23 residents of Chelyabinsk noticed a strange flash and unusual stripes, both from a jet plane. After a couple of minutes each person felt the trembling of the soil, the whole Chelyabinsk shuddered. Explosion of the meteorite caused a shock wave, which swept in a radius of several kilometers. The trees fell down, the windows flew out of the buildings, the car alarm went off, the zinc plant demolished the wall.
Guesses and truth
Versions of the phenomenon were different, sometimes fantastic. Someone decided that they were enemy missiles, some assumed the crash of the plane, there were those who believed in the attack on the planet of aliens.
In fact, on the ground near the city of Chelyabinsk, a large meteorite fell, the second largest in size after the Tunguska meteorite, which fell in Eastern Siberia in June 1908.
February 2013 - "Space Guest" entered thethe atmosphere of the planet at an acute angle of about 20 °. According to experts' estimates, at about 20-25 km altitude the meteorite split into parts. The wreckage fell to the ground with great speed.
Physical characteristics of "guest from space"
According to experts, including NASA specialists, the meteorite in Chelyabinsk was 10 tons in weight and at least 17 meters in diameter, entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 18 km / h.
The flight of a meteorite after entering our atmospherelasted no more than 40 seconds. Explode the cosmic body began at an altitude of 20 kilometers. From an explosion of about 470 kilotons (which is 30 times more than when the Hiroshima bomb was blown up), numerous fragments and pieces were formed that quickly crashed into Chelyabinsk lands. The bright light from the fall was visible at long distances. He was observed in the Kurgan, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen regions, in Kazakhstan and Bashkortostan. The furthest point where the traces of the meteorite's flight were seen is the Samara region, located 750 km from Chelyabinsk.
Consequences of falling meteorite
When the meteorite fell in Chelyabinsk caused a seriesshock waves. In the city, a lot of trees were felled, about 3000 buildings and buildings were damaged. In many houses, the shock wave raised glass, for a time the connection disappeared. The strongest blow fell on the Satka district. There was partially destroyed the zinc plant.
Many asked the question, where did the meteorite fall intoChelyabinsk and how dangerous it is. An emergency was declared in the city, all units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were sent to the scene of the incident. A conversation was held with the population, panic was suppressed, and the situation was tried to keep under control.
In addition to Chelyabinsk, the following districts of the region were affected: Korkino, Emanzhelinsk, Yuzhnouralsk, Kopeysk and Etkul village.
According to scientists, if the meteorite exploded 5-6 km lower, the consequences would be much more sad.
Fall Place
Each celestial body represents a hugeinterest from a scientific point of view. To study the nature of the origin of the meteorite, its chemical composition, it was necessary to find as many fragments and pieces of the celestial body as possible. To do this, it was important to establish the exact location of the meteorite fall in Chelyabinsk.
The two main parts were quickly found inChebarkul region. In the Zlatoust district, the third main fragment was found. But the fourth had to look. It was believed that he fell in the area of Lake Chebarkul. Local residents who caught fish on the lake in the morning, confirmed that the space stone was, and fell into the lake itself. Eyewitnesses said that the blow caused a huge wave. The water rose 3-4 meters.
Selecting a name
After the fall of the meteorite, 2a variant of its name - Chebarkulsky or Chelyabinsk. In favor of the first name, arguments were given that the main fragment fell into Lake Chebarkul near the village of Chebarkul. However, supporters of the name "Chelyabinsk" said that the meteorite brought the greatest damage to the regional center. As a rematch, he must get the name of Chelyabinsk.
Academician E. Galimov - head of the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry - announced that the meteorite will be included in the International catalog under the name "Chelyabinsk".
Collecting parts of a meteorite
In places of fall, hundreds of small debris were found. Special expeditions were sent for the search. Only three kilograms of meteorite stones were collected near Lake Chebarkul. The search lasted more than six months. In August, it was reported that a local resident found a 3.5 kg chip near the village of Timiryazevsky.
But the greatest interest was represented by a hugea piece of wood that fell into the lake. Its weight according to preliminary estimates was 300-400 kg, it went deep into the bottom silt. On its rise, local authorities allocated 3 million rubles.
A huge chunk in August 2013 was extractedfrom the bottom of the lake. Its weight was 600 kg. After the survey by scientists and making a verdict on radioactive and chemical safety, a fragment of the meteorite was transferred to the local museum of local lore.
Mineral composition
After a while, the researchers explained whichmeteorite fell in Chelyabinsk. The cosmic object is an ordinary chondrite. It contains olivine, iron, sulfites, magnetic pyrite and other complex minerals. Chelyabinsk meteorite contains traces of titaniferous iron ore and impregnation of native copper, which is unusual for chondrites. Cracks of the body are filled with a vitreous substance with an admixture of silicates. The thickness of the melting crust is 1 mm.
Scientists have determined that the age of the mother's body,from which the piece that subsequently became a Chelyabinsk meteorite broke away, at least 4 billion (!) years. "Our" piece before falling to Earth for a while wandered in open space, colliding with other cosmic bodies ...
Fearfully? It's troubling ...
Scientists around the world to this day with zealstudy the presented material. Many knowledgeable experts have suggested that this is not just a meteorite, but a harbinger of an asteroid. Some even believed that a large asteroid would soon arrive on Earth, and then the devastation would be catastrophic. But Anatoly Zaitsev, director of the Center for Planetary Earth Protection from Asteroids, explained that this is only a theory. And he assured that the population of the planet does not threaten anything, but behind the heavenly bodies, flying by, are closely watched.
Life after the fall of the meteorite
The meteorite that fell in Chelyabinsk attracted attentionmasses, caused a lot of controversy and guesswork. Talks and talk about the event do not cease to this day. The city at Lake Chebarkul became known to the whole world. Scientists went there: geochemists, physicists, astronomers. Everyone wanted to see with his own eyes the messenger from the cosmic distances.
The fall of the meteorite in Chelyabinsk has become profitable withpoint of view of tourism. The owner of a major travel agency, Andrei Orlov, tells us that shortly after the event, calls from America and Japan began to arrive. Someone wanted an individual tour, many wanted to organize a group trip to the site of the fall of the famous meteorite.
Demand generates an invitation, which is why allguidebooks added to the important places of Chelyabinsk region and a zone called "Chebarkul meteorite". The price for a trip to the now historic lake varies from 5,000 to 20,000 rubles.
There is no thin without good: at the official level
Chelyabinsk authorities with the help of the event 15.02.2013 decided to enter the history of the Olympic Games. They created several medals of precious metal with an insert from a meteorite. Such an award will be given to every sportsman who will take the prize in the competitions held on February 15. All that remains unused from the found fragments, will disperse to museums in Russia and private collections.
Some very large exhibits were collected andthe corresponding documentation has been prepared. A tour of the museums of the Russian Federation will be made with this material. Every inhabitant of the country should see a piece of a meteorite. In Moscow, the demonstration took place on January 17, 2014. Many materials will supplement the collection of the famous Moscow planetarium. Several thematic stands and posters were developed for this event.
The birth of brands
While rescuers raked the consequences of the disaster,who did a meteorite that fell in Chelyabinsk, many entrepreneurs did not waste time and actively used the fall of the celestial body for commercial purposes. Andrei Orlov, the Mayor of the Chebarkul urban district, distinguished himself by an excellent reaction in this area. Here, with his light hand, a contest was organized for the most interesting brand name. The winner was promised a piece of a meteorite as a prize. Under interesting names, such as "Chebarkul Meteor", "Ural Meteorite", "Chelyabinsk - meteorite's capital", "Meteorite in Chelyabinsk" and "Che!", Confectionery products and spirits began to be produced.
Strike while the iron is hot
Various firms began to produce clothing withcorresponding print, mugs, plates and even puzzles. First among the local, and then the inhabitants of all of Russia, became popular T-shirts with a comic inscription: "Nothing so invigorates, as in the morning meteorite!" It is worth noting the very original idea of the Chelyabinsk perfume company. She decided to create unusual spirits called "Chebarkul Meteorite". Perfumers say that the fragrance of this "cosmic object" will include the components of stone and metal.
Ordinary residents of the Urals also showedenterprise. His work was done by a meteorite in Chelyabinsk. His photos scattered with great speed on the Internet. Thousands of requests per minute indicated how many there are who want to see the place of the fall and the heavenly object itself. One resourceful resident of the Urals town sold a microwave oven on the Internet market, which was burned by the shock wave. I bought this strange thing from an unknown American, but I was asked to send a couple of local newspapers with news about the meteorite fall in Chelyabinsk. Some exhibited fragments of glass, which flew from the explosion during the fall. And all these things snapped up by strange collectors. Particularly prized pieces of the meteorite itself. The lowest price for a fragment began from 10,000 rubles, the highest was 10,000,000 rubles. Police encountered natural scammers, who gave out ordinary stones for the heavenly object.
"Healing" properties of a meteorite
The inhabitants came to the lake Chebarkul anddreamed of finding not only an expensive stone, but also "healing". Charlatans - mages and sorcerers - with the help of such fragments were removed from the spoilage and treated from the most terrible diseases, expelled evil spirits. Thought out entire legends and myths about the influence of the "space guest" on a person, depending on the sign of the zodiac. And how many amulets with a piece of this body has already spread all over the world! The meteorite was attributed simply to magical properties, although in reality it does not possess any healing power.
Interesting facts about the fall of the Chelyabinsk meteorite
In Chelyabinsk, a meteorite has fallen, which has done a lotnoise in the whole world. Scientists were able to once again study the cosmic body, and someone just made good money at this event. It is worth noting and some interesting moments and facts about the Chelyabinsk meteorite:
- The largest piece of the meteorite fell to the bottom of Lake Chebarkul.
- The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia claimed that it informed the residents about the upcoming event via SMS, but this turned out to be a lie.
- Many TV channels showed not a funnel from the fall of the meteorite, but a gas crater in Turkmenistan.
- Many residents of Chelyabinsk deliberately smashed their windows, imitating the consequences of the blast wave. They wanted to get new plastic windows from the state as material assistance to the victims.
- The diameter of the funnel from the fall of the meteorite was 6 meters.
- 470 kilotons of energy was released during the explosion of the celestial body.
- Scientists have calculated that such a meteorite falls to Earth once in a hundred years.
- It is believed that the meteorite went unnoticed because it flew from the sun. That is why telescopes did not fix the approaching celestial body. </ ul </ p>