The Experts below are selected from a list of 78 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Alexios Liakos - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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neliota methods statistics and results for meteoroids impacting the moon
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2020Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, P. Boumis, A Z Bonanos, D Koschny, I Bellasvelidis, V Charmandaris, Anastasios Fytsilis, A MaroussisAbstract:This paper contains the results from the first 30 months of the NELIOTA project for Impacts of NEOs/meteoroids on the Lunar surface. Our analysis on the statistics concerning the efficiency of the campaign and the parameters of the projectiles and the Impacts is presented. The parameters of the Lunar impact flashes based on simultaneous observations in two wavelength bands are used to estimate the distributions of the masses, sizes and frequency of the impactors. These statistics can be used both in space engineering and science. The photometric fluxes of the flashes are measured using aperture photometry and their apparent magnitudes are calculated using standard stars. Assuming that the flashes follow a black body law of irradiation, the temperatures can be derived analytically, while the parameters of the projectiles are estimated using fair assumptions on their velocity and luminous efficiency of the Impacts. 79 Lunar impact flashes have been observed with the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope in Greece. The masses of the meteoroids range between 0.7 g and 8 kg and their respective sizes between 1-20 cm depending on their assumed density, impact velocity, and luminous efficiency. We find a strong correlation between the observed magnitudes of the flashes and the masses of the meteoroids. Moreover, an empirical relation between the emitted energies of each band has been derived allowing the estimation of the physical parameters of the meteoroids that produce low energy impact flashes. The NELIOTA project has so far the highest detection rate and the faintest limiting magnitude for Lunar Impacts compared to other ongoing programs. Based on the impact frequency distribution on Moon, we estimate that sporadic meteoroids with typical masses less than 100 g and sizes less than 5 cm enter the mesosphere of the Earth with a rate ~108 meteoroids/hr and also impact Moon with a rate of ~8 meteoroids/hr.
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NELIOTA Lunar Impact Flash Detection and Event Validation
arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 2019Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, Alceste Z. Bonanos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. Fytsilis, Athanassios Maroussis, Detlef KoschnyAbstract:NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) is an ESA-funded Lunar monitoring project, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. A prime focus, high-speed, twin-camera system providing simultaneous observations in two photometric bands at a rate of 30 frames-per-second on the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope of the National Observatory of Athens was commissioned for this purpose. A dedicated software processes the images and automatically detects candidate Lunar impact flashes, which are then validated by an expert user. The four year observing campaign began in February 2017 and has so far detected more than 40 Lunar impact events. The software routinely detects satellites, which typically appear as streaks or dots crossing the Lunar disk. To avoid confusing these events with real flashes, we check different available catalogs with spacecraft orbital information and exclude spacecraft identifications.
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NELIOTA: First Temperature Measurement of Lunar Impact Flashes
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: Alceste Z. Bonanos, C. Avdellidou, Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Detlef Koschny, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. FytsilisAbstract:We report the first scientific results from the NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) project, which has recently begun Lunar monitoring observations with the 1.2-m Kryoneri telescope. NELIOTA aims to detect faint impact flashes produced by near-Earth meteoroids and asteroids and thereby help constrain the size-frequency distribution of near-Earth objects in the decimeter to meter range. The NELIOTA setup, consisting of two fast-frame cameras observing simultaneously in the $R$ and $I-$bands, enables - for the first time - direct analytical calculation of the flash temperatures. We present the first 10 flashes detected, for which we find temperatures in the range ~1,600-3,100 K, in agreement with theoretical values. Two of these flashes were detected on multiple frames in both filters and therefore yield the first measurements of the temperature drop for Lunar flashes. In addition, we compute the impactor masses, which range between ~100 g and ~50 kg.
A. Dapergolas - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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neliota methods statistics and results for meteoroids impacting the moon
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2020Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, P. Boumis, A Z Bonanos, D Koschny, I Bellasvelidis, V Charmandaris, Anastasios Fytsilis, A MaroussisAbstract:This paper contains the results from the first 30 months of the NELIOTA project for Impacts of NEOs/meteoroids on the Lunar surface. Our analysis on the statistics concerning the efficiency of the campaign and the parameters of the projectiles and the Impacts is presented. The parameters of the Lunar impact flashes based on simultaneous observations in two wavelength bands are used to estimate the distributions of the masses, sizes and frequency of the impactors. These statistics can be used both in space engineering and science. The photometric fluxes of the flashes are measured using aperture photometry and their apparent magnitudes are calculated using standard stars. Assuming that the flashes follow a black body law of irradiation, the temperatures can be derived analytically, while the parameters of the projectiles are estimated using fair assumptions on their velocity and luminous efficiency of the Impacts. 79 Lunar impact flashes have been observed with the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope in Greece. The masses of the meteoroids range between 0.7 g and 8 kg and their respective sizes between 1-20 cm depending on their assumed density, impact velocity, and luminous efficiency. We find a strong correlation between the observed magnitudes of the flashes and the masses of the meteoroids. Moreover, an empirical relation between the emitted energies of each band has been derived allowing the estimation of the physical parameters of the meteoroids that produce low energy impact flashes. The NELIOTA project has so far the highest detection rate and the faintest limiting magnitude for Lunar Impacts compared to other ongoing programs. Based on the impact frequency distribution on Moon, we estimate that sporadic meteoroids with typical masses less than 100 g and sizes less than 5 cm enter the mesosphere of the Earth with a rate ~108 meteoroids/hr and also impact Moon with a rate of ~8 meteoroids/hr.
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NELIOTA Lunar Impact Flash Detection and Event Validation
arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 2019Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, Alceste Z. Bonanos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. Fytsilis, Athanassios Maroussis, Detlef KoschnyAbstract:NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) is an ESA-funded Lunar monitoring project, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. A prime focus, high-speed, twin-camera system providing simultaneous observations in two photometric bands at a rate of 30 frames-per-second on the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope of the National Observatory of Athens was commissioned for this purpose. A dedicated software processes the images and automatically detects candidate Lunar impact flashes, which are then validated by an expert user. The four year observing campaign began in February 2017 and has so far detected more than 40 Lunar impact events. The software routinely detects satellites, which typically appear as streaks or dots crossing the Lunar disk. To avoid confusing these events with real flashes, we check different available catalogs with spacecraft orbital information and exclude spacecraft identifications.
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neliota the wide field high cadence Lunar monitoring system at the prime focus of the kryoneri telescope
arXiv: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, P. Boumis, A Z Bonanos, I Bellasvelidis, V Charmandaris, A Maroussis, A Liakos, I Alikakos, G DimouAbstract:We present the technical specifications and first results of the ESA-funded, Lunar monitoring project "NELIOTA" (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) at the National Observatory of Athens, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. For the purposes of this project a twin camera instrument was specially designed and installed at the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope utilizing the fast-frame capabilities of scientific Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor detectors (sCMOS). The system provides a wide field-of-view (17.0' $\times$ 14.4') and simultaneous observations in two photometric bands (R and I), reaching limiting magnitudes of 18.7 mag in 10 sec in both bands at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level. This makes it a unique instrument that can be used for the detection of NEO Impacts on the Moon, as well as for any astronomy projects that demand high-cadence multicolor observations. The wide field-of-view ensures that a large portion of the Moon is observed, while the simultaneous, high-cadence, monitoring in two photometric bands makes possible, for the first time, the determination of the temperatures of the Impacts on the Moon's surface and the validation of the impact flashes from a single site. Considering the varying background level on the Moon's surface we demonstrate that the NELIOTA system can detect NEO impact flashes at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level of ~12.4 mag in the I-band and R-band for observations made at low Lunar phases ~0.1. We report 31 NEO impact flashes detected during the first year of the NELIOTA campaign. The faintest flash was at 11.24 mag in the R-band (about two magnitudes fainter than ever observed before) at Lunar phase 0.32. Our observations suggest a detection rate of $1.96 \times 10^{-7}$ events $km^{-2} h^{-1}$.
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NELIOTA: First Temperature Measurement of Lunar Impact Flashes
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: Alceste Z. Bonanos, C. Avdellidou, Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Detlef Koschny, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. FytsilisAbstract:We report the first scientific results from the NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) project, which has recently begun Lunar monitoring observations with the 1.2-m Kryoneri telescope. NELIOTA aims to detect faint impact flashes produced by near-Earth meteoroids and asteroids and thereby help constrain the size-frequency distribution of near-Earth objects in the decimeter to meter range. The NELIOTA setup, consisting of two fast-frame cameras observing simultaneously in the $R$ and $I-$bands, enables - for the first time - direct analytical calculation of the flash temperatures. We present the first 10 flashes detected, for which we find temperatures in the range ~1,600-3,100 K, in agreement with theoretical values. Two of these flashes were detected on multiple frames in both filters and therefore yield the first measurements of the temperature drop for Lunar flashes. In addition, we compute the impactor masses, which range between ~100 g and ~50 kg.
P. Boumis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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neliota methods statistics and results for meteoroids impacting the moon
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2020Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, P. Boumis, A Z Bonanos, D Koschny, I Bellasvelidis, V Charmandaris, Anastasios Fytsilis, A MaroussisAbstract:This paper contains the results from the first 30 months of the NELIOTA project for Impacts of NEOs/meteoroids on the Lunar surface. Our analysis on the statistics concerning the efficiency of the campaign and the parameters of the projectiles and the Impacts is presented. The parameters of the Lunar impact flashes based on simultaneous observations in two wavelength bands are used to estimate the distributions of the masses, sizes and frequency of the impactors. These statistics can be used both in space engineering and science. The photometric fluxes of the flashes are measured using aperture photometry and their apparent magnitudes are calculated using standard stars. Assuming that the flashes follow a black body law of irradiation, the temperatures can be derived analytically, while the parameters of the projectiles are estimated using fair assumptions on their velocity and luminous efficiency of the Impacts. 79 Lunar impact flashes have been observed with the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope in Greece. The masses of the meteoroids range between 0.7 g and 8 kg and their respective sizes between 1-20 cm depending on their assumed density, impact velocity, and luminous efficiency. We find a strong correlation between the observed magnitudes of the flashes and the masses of the meteoroids. Moreover, an empirical relation between the emitted energies of each band has been derived allowing the estimation of the physical parameters of the meteoroids that produce low energy impact flashes. The NELIOTA project has so far the highest detection rate and the faintest limiting magnitude for Lunar Impacts compared to other ongoing programs. Based on the impact frequency distribution on Moon, we estimate that sporadic meteoroids with typical masses less than 100 g and sizes less than 5 cm enter the mesosphere of the Earth with a rate ~108 meteoroids/hr and also impact Moon with a rate of ~8 meteoroids/hr.
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NELIOTA Lunar Impact Flash Detection and Event Validation
arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 2019Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, Alceste Z. Bonanos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. Fytsilis, Athanassios Maroussis, Detlef KoschnyAbstract:NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) is an ESA-funded Lunar monitoring project, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. A prime focus, high-speed, twin-camera system providing simultaneous observations in two photometric bands at a rate of 30 frames-per-second on the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope of the National Observatory of Athens was commissioned for this purpose. A dedicated software processes the images and automatically detects candidate Lunar impact flashes, which are then validated by an expert user. The four year observing campaign began in February 2017 and has so far detected more than 40 Lunar impact events. The software routinely detects satellites, which typically appear as streaks or dots crossing the Lunar disk. To avoid confusing these events with real flashes, we check different available catalogs with spacecraft orbital information and exclude spacecraft identifications.
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neliota the wide field high cadence Lunar monitoring system at the prime focus of the kryoneri telescope
arXiv: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, P. Boumis, A Z Bonanos, I Bellasvelidis, V Charmandaris, A Maroussis, A Liakos, I Alikakos, G DimouAbstract:We present the technical specifications and first results of the ESA-funded, Lunar monitoring project "NELIOTA" (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) at the National Observatory of Athens, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. For the purposes of this project a twin camera instrument was specially designed and installed at the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope utilizing the fast-frame capabilities of scientific Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor detectors (sCMOS). The system provides a wide field-of-view (17.0' $\times$ 14.4') and simultaneous observations in two photometric bands (R and I), reaching limiting magnitudes of 18.7 mag in 10 sec in both bands at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level. This makes it a unique instrument that can be used for the detection of NEO Impacts on the Moon, as well as for any astronomy projects that demand high-cadence multicolor observations. The wide field-of-view ensures that a large portion of the Moon is observed, while the simultaneous, high-cadence, monitoring in two photometric bands makes possible, for the first time, the determination of the temperatures of the Impacts on the Moon's surface and the validation of the impact flashes from a single site. Considering the varying background level on the Moon's surface we demonstrate that the NELIOTA system can detect NEO impact flashes at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level of ~12.4 mag in the I-band and R-band for observations made at low Lunar phases ~0.1. We report 31 NEO impact flashes detected during the first year of the NELIOTA campaign. The faintest flash was at 11.24 mag in the R-band (about two magnitudes fainter than ever observed before) at Lunar phase 0.32. Our observations suggest a detection rate of $1.96 \times 10^{-7}$ events $km^{-2} h^{-1}$.
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NELIOTA: First Temperature Measurement of Lunar Impact Flashes
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: Alceste Z. Bonanos, C. Avdellidou, Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Detlef Koschny, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. FytsilisAbstract:We report the first scientific results from the NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) project, which has recently begun Lunar monitoring observations with the 1.2-m Kryoneri telescope. NELIOTA aims to detect faint impact flashes produced by near-Earth meteoroids and asteroids and thereby help constrain the size-frequency distribution of near-Earth objects in the decimeter to meter range. The NELIOTA setup, consisting of two fast-frame cameras observing simultaneously in the $R$ and $I-$bands, enables - for the first time - direct analytical calculation of the flash temperatures. We present the first 10 flashes detected, for which we find temperatures in the range ~1,600-3,100 K, in agreement with theoretical values. Two of these flashes were detected on multiple frames in both filters and therefore yield the first measurements of the temperature drop for Lunar flashes. In addition, we compute the impactor masses, which range between ~100 g and ~50 kg.
E. M. Xilouris - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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neliota methods statistics and results for meteoroids impacting the moon
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2020Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, P. Boumis, A Z Bonanos, D Koschny, I Bellasvelidis, V Charmandaris, Anastasios Fytsilis, A MaroussisAbstract:This paper contains the results from the first 30 months of the NELIOTA project for Impacts of NEOs/meteoroids on the Lunar surface. Our analysis on the statistics concerning the efficiency of the campaign and the parameters of the projectiles and the Impacts is presented. The parameters of the Lunar impact flashes based on simultaneous observations in two wavelength bands are used to estimate the distributions of the masses, sizes and frequency of the impactors. These statistics can be used both in space engineering and science. The photometric fluxes of the flashes are measured using aperture photometry and their apparent magnitudes are calculated using standard stars. Assuming that the flashes follow a black body law of irradiation, the temperatures can be derived analytically, while the parameters of the projectiles are estimated using fair assumptions on their velocity and luminous efficiency of the Impacts. 79 Lunar impact flashes have been observed with the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope in Greece. The masses of the meteoroids range between 0.7 g and 8 kg and their respective sizes between 1-20 cm depending on their assumed density, impact velocity, and luminous efficiency. We find a strong correlation between the observed magnitudes of the flashes and the masses of the meteoroids. Moreover, an empirical relation between the emitted energies of each band has been derived allowing the estimation of the physical parameters of the meteoroids that produce low energy impact flashes. The NELIOTA project has so far the highest detection rate and the faintest limiting magnitude for Lunar Impacts compared to other ongoing programs. Based on the impact frequency distribution on Moon, we estimate that sporadic meteoroids with typical masses less than 100 g and sizes less than 5 cm enter the mesosphere of the Earth with a rate ~108 meteoroids/hr and also impact Moon with a rate of ~8 meteoroids/hr.
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NELIOTA Lunar Impact Flash Detection and Event Validation
arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 2019Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, Alceste Z. Bonanos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. Fytsilis, Athanassios Maroussis, Detlef KoschnyAbstract:NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) is an ESA-funded Lunar monitoring project, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. A prime focus, high-speed, twin-camera system providing simultaneous observations in two photometric bands at a rate of 30 frames-per-second on the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope of the National Observatory of Athens was commissioned for this purpose. A dedicated software processes the images and automatically detects candidate Lunar impact flashes, which are then validated by an expert user. The four year observing campaign began in February 2017 and has so far detected more than 40 Lunar impact events. The software routinely detects satellites, which typically appear as streaks or dots crossing the Lunar disk. To avoid confusing these events with real flashes, we check different available catalogs with spacecraft orbital information and exclude spacecraft identifications.
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neliota the wide field high cadence Lunar monitoring system at the prime focus of the kryoneri telescope
arXiv: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, P. Boumis, A Z Bonanos, I Bellasvelidis, V Charmandaris, A Maroussis, A Liakos, I Alikakos, G DimouAbstract:We present the technical specifications and first results of the ESA-funded, Lunar monitoring project "NELIOTA" (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) at the National Observatory of Athens, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. For the purposes of this project a twin camera instrument was specially designed and installed at the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope utilizing the fast-frame capabilities of scientific Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor detectors (sCMOS). The system provides a wide field-of-view (17.0' $\times$ 14.4') and simultaneous observations in two photometric bands (R and I), reaching limiting magnitudes of 18.7 mag in 10 sec in both bands at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level. This makes it a unique instrument that can be used for the detection of NEO Impacts on the Moon, as well as for any astronomy projects that demand high-cadence multicolor observations. The wide field-of-view ensures that a large portion of the Moon is observed, while the simultaneous, high-cadence, monitoring in two photometric bands makes possible, for the first time, the determination of the temperatures of the Impacts on the Moon's surface and the validation of the impact flashes from a single site. Considering the varying background level on the Moon's surface we demonstrate that the NELIOTA system can detect NEO impact flashes at a 2.5 signal-to-noise level of ~12.4 mag in the I-band and R-band for observations made at low Lunar phases ~0.1. We report 31 NEO impact flashes detected during the first year of the NELIOTA campaign. The faintest flash was at 11.24 mag in the R-band (about two magnitudes fainter than ever observed before) at Lunar phase 0.32. Our observations suggest a detection rate of $1.96 \times 10^{-7}$ events $km^{-2} h^{-1}$.
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NELIOTA: First Temperature Measurement of Lunar Impact Flashes
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: Alceste Z. Bonanos, C. Avdellidou, Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Detlef Koschny, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. FytsilisAbstract:We report the first scientific results from the NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) project, which has recently begun Lunar monitoring observations with the 1.2-m Kryoneri telescope. NELIOTA aims to detect faint impact flashes produced by near-Earth meteoroids and asteroids and thereby help constrain the size-frequency distribution of near-Earth objects in the decimeter to meter range. The NELIOTA setup, consisting of two fast-frame cameras observing simultaneously in the $R$ and $I-$bands, enables - for the first time - direct analytical calculation of the flash temperatures. We present the first 10 flashes detected, for which we find temperatures in the range ~1,600-3,100 K, in agreement with theoretical values. Two of these flashes were detected on multiple frames in both filters and therefore yield the first measurements of the temperature drop for Lunar flashes. In addition, we compute the impactor masses, which range between ~100 g and ~50 kg.
A. Fytsilis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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NELIOTA Lunar Impact Flash Detection and Event Validation
arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 2019Co-Authors: Alexios Liakos, Alceste Z. Bonanos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. Fytsilis, Athanassios Maroussis, Detlef KoschnyAbstract:NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) is an ESA-funded Lunar monitoring project, which aims to determine the size-frequency distribution of small Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) via detection of impact flashes on the surface of the Moon. A prime focus, high-speed, twin-camera system providing simultaneous observations in two photometric bands at a rate of 30 frames-per-second on the 1.2 m Kryoneri telescope of the National Observatory of Athens was commissioned for this purpose. A dedicated software processes the images and automatically detects candidate Lunar impact flashes, which are then validated by an expert user. The four year observing campaign began in February 2017 and has so far detected more than 40 Lunar impact events. The software routinely detects satellites, which typically appear as streaks or dots crossing the Lunar disk. To avoid confusing these events with real flashes, we check different available catalogs with spacecraft orbital information and exclude spacecraft identifications.
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NELIOTA: First Temperature Measurement of Lunar Impact Flashes
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2018Co-Authors: Alceste Z. Bonanos, C. Avdellidou, Alexios Liakos, E. M. Xilouris, A. Dapergolas, Detlef Koschny, Ioannis Bellas-velidis, P. Boumis, Vassilis Charmandaris, A. FytsilisAbstract:We report the first scientific results from the NELIOTA (NEO Lunar Impacts and Optical TrAnsients) project, which has recently begun Lunar monitoring observations with the 1.2-m Kryoneri telescope. NELIOTA aims to detect faint impact flashes produced by near-Earth meteoroids and asteroids and thereby help constrain the size-frequency distribution of near-Earth objects in the decimeter to meter range. The NELIOTA setup, consisting of two fast-frame cameras observing simultaneously in the $R$ and $I-$bands, enables - for the first time - direct analytical calculation of the flash temperatures. We present the first 10 flashes detected, for which we find temperatures in the range ~1,600-3,100 K, in agreement with theoretical values. Two of these flashes were detected on multiple frames in both filters and therefore yield the first measurements of the temperature drop for Lunar flashes. In addition, we compute the impactor masses, which range between ~100 g and ~50 kg.
