Estimation of the initial shape of meteoroids based on statistical distributions of fragment masses

Abstract

An approach to the estimation of the initial shape of a meteoroid based on the statistical distributions of masses of its recovered fragments is presented. The fragment distribution function is used to determine the corresponding scaling index of the power law with exponential cutoff. The scaling index is related empirically to the shape parameter of a fragmenting body by a quadratic equation, and the shape parameter is expressed through the proportions of the initial object. This technique is used to study a representative set of fragments of the Bassikounou meteorite and compare the obtained data with the results of statistical analysis of other meteorites.