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  • Xu, Z. J., Zhao, H. B., Mahomed, N., and Li, Y. (2026). Multi-station fireball observations combining all-sky spectroscopy and optical trajectory measurements. Earth Planet. Phys., 10(2), 1–10. DOI: 10.26464/epp2026026
    Citation: Xu, Z. J., Zhao, H. B., Mahomed, N., and Li, Y. (2026). Multi-station fireball observations combining all-sky spectroscopy and optical trajectory measurements. Earth Planet. Phys., 10(2), 1–10. DOI: 10.26464/epp2026026
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Multi-station fireball observations combining all-sky spectroscopy and optical trajectory measurements

  • Optical monitoring of fireballs can provide reconstructions of luminous trajectories and the derivation of heliocentric orbits, whereas spectral observations are able to supply information from an entirely different perspective, with composition and material data. Observing and analyzing a fireball by using both methods enables a complete characterization of its meteorite properties. We simultaneously collected luminous and spectral observations of fireballs through observation networks established in eastern China and the Western Cape of South Africa. The optical observations utilized 180° × 180° fisheye cameras, whereas spectral data were recorded by fixing gratings in front of each camera lens on the Allsky7 instrument so that both could monitor fireballs within an all-sky field of view. The spectra had an effective resolution of R = 200. During the first year of operation, the network detected spectra from 150 fireballs, most of which recognized at least Mg I and Na I emission lines, and both the spectra and trajectory were recorded for some. Preliminary analysis of four bright fireballs indicated they could be categorized as asteroidal orbits or Halley-type cometary orbits, with spectra classified as normal, Fe-rich, iron, and Na-poor, respectively. One Halley-type fireball belonged to the Perseid meteor shower. For the two fireballs on asteroid-like orbits, orbital comparisons with known near-Earth asteroids were performed using multiple D-criteria (orbital similarity functions). Under the D_\mathrmN criterion, SAFB20250713 (iron type) showed a loose possible match with 2021 BD, whereas JsFB20250110 (Fe-rich type) exhibited a closer potential similarity with 2017 BK ( D_\mathrmN = 0.03). Overall, the orbital comparison indicated possible associations but no definitive parent bodies, whereas the spectral characteristics were broadly consistent with the asteroid-like or comet-like nature implied by their orbital classes.
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