Confirmation has been received that the asteroid impact fireball occurred at the predicted time and place. The energy recorded was estimated to be 0.9 to 1.0 kT of TNT and the time of detection was 02:45:45 on October 7 (Greenwich Standard Time).
More details on this detection will be forthcoming. An addition confirmation was apparently reported by a KLM airliner. As reported by Peter Brown (University of Western Ontario, Canada), a preliminary examination of infrasound stations nearest to the predicted impact point shows that at least one station recorded the event. These measurements are consistent with the predicted time and place of the atmospheric impact and indicate an estimated energy of 1.1 – 2.1 kT of TNT.
Don Yeomans
NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office
October 7, 2008
