Chelyabinsk superbolide explosion in the Earth’s atmosphere: A common phenomenon or unique coincidence?

The paper analyzes the disintegration of small cosmic bodies in a planetary atmosphere and most important facts observed during the fall of the Chelyabinsk superbolide: its speed loss during passage through the upper atmosphere, its strength and the character of destruction, the altitude of its explosion, and the energy release. Detailed data are presented on the aerodynamic phenomena accompanying the supersonic atmospheric entry and destruction of the superbolide. The strength of the original meteorite is evaluated as a function of its initial disintegration altitude. Principal data obtained on the collision between comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 and Jupiter are reported.