Numerical modeling and impact analysis of the Chinicuila meteoroid event

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of a meteoroid that impacted near Chinicuila, Michoacán, through detailed trajectory reconstruction and numerical modeling. Key physical parameters — including initial velocity, mass, entry angle and altitude — were estimated to characterize its atmospheric behavior and energy deposition. An advanced numerical model was employed to simulate the meteoroid’s interaction with Earth’s atmosphere, using initial conditions such as velocity ([Formula: see text]), mass ([Formula: see text]), height ([Formula: see text]) and angle ([Formula: see text]). The model does not require an explicit equation for the flight angle and imposes no constraints on atmospheric density or the meteoroid’s morphology. For this study, a flat-parallel atmospheric profile was assumed, and the meteoroid was modeled as a homogeneous sphere. The numerical analysis produced detailed profiles of vertical and horizontal velocities, mass loss, trajectory angle and density throughout the meteoroid’s descent. These results enabled a thorough evaluation of the meteoroid’s behavior during atmospheric entry and facilitated the estimation of additional parameters such as radiant energy and stagnation pressure. The resulting energy deposition profile revealed a peak energy release of approximately 0.4 kilotons at the burst altitude, consistent with data reported by NASA’s CNEOS. Overall, this work provides a detailed numerical assessment of the Chinicuila meteoroid event, offering new insights into its physical characteristics, atmospheric interactions and the underlying dynamics of its entry process.