Speaker
Description
Uncontrolled space debris re-entries are a growing international concern, posing an increasingly greater risk on the ground as Earth orbit grows more crowded. Characterising the passage of these objects through the atmosphere is key to understanding the risks they pose, especially in evaluating whether any debris may have reached the ground. Using an example of a spent orbital module re-entering over California in 2024, we show that existing seismic networks are able to track the object's acoustic emission and hence constrain its trajectory, speed, and source dimensions and properties. This work demonstrates the potential use of seismology as a tool to track and characterise re-entering space debris, complementing measurements made from radar and optical stations. Further work will explore using IMS stations in debris trajectory inversions, potentially involving both seismic and infrasound data.
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