[meteorite-list] Daytime fireball 16 Oct 2021

[Fries, Marc D. (JSC-XI211)]

There was a daytime bolide over the AZ/NM/Mexico area this morning (16 Oct 2021) at 1323 UTC which may have generated a meteorite fall.  The American Meteor Society is reporting it here: https://fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo_view/event/2021/6611

At the time of this writing, the AMS is reporting a ground track just east of Tucson. This event shows up clearly on both the GOES East and West satellite data, in the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) imagery, but with a ground track that appears to be farther to the SE and in northern Mexico. 

NOAA weather radar imagery from the KEPZ radar (El Paso, TX) reveals a striking feature which appears near the location suggested by GLM and at the time reported by GLM and eyewitness accounts.  This feature is a rapidly-spreading circular feature centered on: 

107.9987°W 30.7232°N

This feature appears as an expanding circle at low altitude, moving at 30 mph outward in all directions following the time of the bolide.  This circular signature may be birds scared into flight by the sonic boom. This same bird feature is visible in radar data for the Monahans and Indian Butte meteorite falls. No falling meteorites are obvious, but the event occurred at long range from the radar and the weak radar signatures of falling meteorites may not appear.  

In summary, GLM, eyewitness, and weather radar data indicate that a meteorite fall may have occurred in Mexico near the coordinates listed above.  This site is populated and features a few farming communities, with the "El Chocolate" dry lake bed to its south.  Conditions should be good for recovery of meteorites.  Analysis of radar data will continue.

Cheers,
Marc Fries