Current Research
Bright fireballs that pass through the atmosphere, under the right conditions, can result in a meteorite falling to Earth. When observed from multiple locations, the atmospheric trajectory and orbit of the meteoroid can be determined. I work as part of the Australian Desert Fireball Network project and look at different methods of meteoroid trajectory analysis. These include extended Kalman filters, interactive multiple models (to investigate fragmentation modelling) and bootstrap particle filters (as this provides the ability to explore a larger range of poorly constrained trajectory parameters). The results aim to improve search area predictions for meteorite recoveries identified by fireball networks.
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2702-673X
PhD. thesis available here
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2702-673X
PhD. thesis available here
Publications
Sansom, E.K., Gritsevich, M., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Shober, P. M., Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B. A. D. ( in review ) “Determining fireball fates using the α–β criterion”
Shober, P. M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P. A., Cupak, M., Towner, M. C., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B. A. D. ( in review ) “Identification of a Minimoon Fireball”
Sansom, E. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Rutten, M.G., Bland, P. A., Devillepoix, H.A.R., Towner, M.C., Cupak, M., Howie, R.M., Cox, M., Desayes, J., Paxman, J. and Hartig, B.A.D., (2018) “3D meteoroid trajectories”. Icarus, 321: 15 pp 388-406. DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2018.09.026
Daubar, I., Lognonné , P., Teanby N. A. et al. with Sansom, E. K. (2018) “Impact-Seismic Investigations of the InSight Mission”. Space Science Reviews 214, pp. 132. DOI: 10.1007/s11214-018-0562-x
Devillepoix, H. A. R. , Bland, P. A., Sansom, E. K., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B. A., Jansen-Sturgeon, T. , Cox, M. A. (2018) “Observation of metre-scaleimpactors by the Desert Fireball Network”. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 483:4, pp. 5166–5178. DOI: 10.1093/mnras/sty3442
Devillepoix H. A. R., Sansom E. K., Bland P. A., Towner M. C., Cupak M., Howie R. M., Jansen-Sturgeon T., Cox M. A., Hartig B. A. D., Benedix G. K. and Paxman J. P. (2018) “The Dingle Dell meteorite: A Halloween treat from the Main Belt”. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 53:10, pp. 2212-2227. DOI: 10.1111/maps.13142
Abbott, B. P. et al. with Sansom, E. K. (2017) “Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger”. The Astrophysical Journal 848: L12. DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/aa91c9
Andreoni, I., et al. with Sansom, E. K. (2017) “Follow up of GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart by Australian-led observing programmes”. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia 34. DOI: 10.1017/pasa.2017.65
Howie, R. M., Paxman, J., Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H. A. (2017) “How to build a continental scale fireball camera network”. Experimental Astronomy, 1-30. DOI: 10.1007/s10686-017-9532-7
Howie, R. M., Paxman, J., Bland, P.A , Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K. and Devillepoix, H. A. R. (2017) “Submillisecond fireball timing using de Bruijn timecodes”. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 52, 1669-1682. DOI: 10.1111/maps.12878
Sansom, E. K., Rutten, M. G., Bland, P. A. (2017) “Analysing Meteoroid Flights Using Particle Filters”. The Astronomical Journal, 153, p. 87. DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/153/2/87
Sansom, E. K. (2016) “Tracking Meteoroids in the Atmosphere: Fireball Trajectory Analysis”. PhD Thesis, Curtin University. Available at: espace.curtin.edu.au/handle/20.500.11937/55061
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A., Rutten, M. G., Paxman, J. and Towner, M. C. (2016) “Filtering Meteoroid Flights Using Multiple Unscented Kalman Filters”. The Astronomical Journal, 152, p.148. DOI: 10.3847/0004-6256/152/5/148
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A., Paxman, J. and Towner, M. C. (2015) “A novel approach to fireball modeling: The observable and the calculated”. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 50, p.1423-1435. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/maps.12478
Reeve, M. T., Bell, R. E., Duffy, O. B., Jackson, C. A. L., Sansom, E. (2015) “The Growth of Non-Colinear Normal Fault Systems; What can we learn from 3D seismic reflection data”. Journal of Structural Geology, 70, 141-155. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2014.11.007
Shober, P. M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P. A., Cupak, M., Towner, M. C., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B. A. D. ( in review ) “Identification of a Minimoon Fireball”
Sansom, E. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Rutten, M.G., Bland, P. A., Devillepoix, H.A.R., Towner, M.C., Cupak, M., Howie, R.M., Cox, M., Desayes, J., Paxman, J. and Hartig, B.A.D., (2018) “3D meteoroid trajectories”. Icarus, 321: 15 pp 388-406. DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2018.09.026
Daubar, I., Lognonné , P., Teanby N. A. et al. with Sansom, E. K. (2018) “Impact-Seismic Investigations of the InSight Mission”. Space Science Reviews 214, pp. 132. DOI: 10.1007/s11214-018-0562-x
Devillepoix, H. A. R. , Bland, P. A., Sansom, E. K., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B. A., Jansen-Sturgeon, T. , Cox, M. A. (2018) “Observation of metre-scaleimpactors by the Desert Fireball Network”. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 483:4, pp. 5166–5178. DOI: 10.1093/mnras/sty3442
Devillepoix H. A. R., Sansom E. K., Bland P. A., Towner M. C., Cupak M., Howie R. M., Jansen-Sturgeon T., Cox M. A., Hartig B. A. D., Benedix G. K. and Paxman J. P. (2018) “The Dingle Dell meteorite: A Halloween treat from the Main Belt”. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 53:10, pp. 2212-2227. DOI: 10.1111/maps.13142
Abbott, B. P. et al. with Sansom, E. K. (2017) “Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger”. The Astrophysical Journal 848: L12. DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/aa91c9
Andreoni, I., et al. with Sansom, E. K. (2017) “Follow up of GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart by Australian-led observing programmes”. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia 34. DOI: 10.1017/pasa.2017.65
Howie, R. M., Paxman, J., Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H. A. (2017) “How to build a continental scale fireball camera network”. Experimental Astronomy, 1-30. DOI: 10.1007/s10686-017-9532-7
Howie, R. M., Paxman, J., Bland, P.A , Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K. and Devillepoix, H. A. R. (2017) “Submillisecond fireball timing using de Bruijn timecodes”. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 52, 1669-1682. DOI: 10.1111/maps.12878
Sansom, E. K., Rutten, M. G., Bland, P. A. (2017) “Analysing Meteoroid Flights Using Particle Filters”. The Astronomical Journal, 153, p. 87. DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/153/2/87
Sansom, E. K. (2016) “Tracking Meteoroids in the Atmosphere: Fireball Trajectory Analysis”. PhD Thesis, Curtin University. Available at: espace.curtin.edu.au/handle/20.500.11937/55061
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A., Rutten, M. G., Paxman, J. and Towner, M. C. (2016) “Filtering Meteoroid Flights Using Multiple Unscented Kalman Filters”. The Astronomical Journal, 152, p.148. DOI: 10.3847/0004-6256/152/5/148
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A., Paxman, J. and Towner, M. C. (2015) “A novel approach to fireball modeling: The observable and the calculated”. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 50, p.1423-1435. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/maps.12478
Reeve, M. T., Bell, R. E., Duffy, O. B., Jackson, C. A. L., Sansom, E. (2015) “The Growth of Non-Colinear Normal Fault Systems; What can we learn from 3D seismic reflection data”. Journal of Structural Geology, 70, 141-155. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2014.11.007
Conference Abstracts
Sansom, E. K. , Grtisevich, M., DFN team (2019) “Visualising the fate of DFN fireballs using the α-β plot”. Meteoroids2019.
Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P. A., Sansom E. K. , Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B.A., Shober, P. M., Anderson, S. (2019) “A Global Fireball Observatory”. Meteoroids2019.
Shober, P. M., Bland, P. A., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H. A. R. (2019) “Detections of Minimoon Fireballs within the Desert Fireball Network” LPI Contribution No. 2132, 1055 (50th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conference).
Sansom, E. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Rutten, M. G., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P.A. (2018) “Investigating fireball flight in three dimensions” EPSC2018-1226 (solicited talk).
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A. , Devillepoix, H. A. R., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B. A. D., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Cox, M. A., Benedix, G. K., Forman, L. V. (2018) “Bridging the Gap between Asteroids and Meteorites using the Global Fireball Observatory” XXXth General Assembly of the IAU - FM1 A Century of Asteroid Families.
Macke, R. J., Benedix, G. K., Bland, P. A. and the Desert Fireball Network Team (2017) Dingle Dell density and other physical properties” LPI Contribution No. 1987, 6197. (80th Ann. Meeting Meteorit. Soc.).
Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K., Howie, R. M., Cupak, M., Benedix, G. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Hartig, B. A. D., Cox, M. A. and Paxman, J. P. (2017) “Fall and recovery of the Dingle Dell meteorite” LPI Contribution No. 1987, 6211. (80th Ann. Meeting Meteorit. Soc.).
Sansom, E. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Rutten, M. G., Bland, P.A., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Towner, M. C., Cupák, M., Howie, R. M., Cox, M., Desayes, J., Paxman, J., Hartig, B. A. D. (2017) “Modelling fireball network data in three dimensions” Asteroids Comets and Meteors Conference (http://acm2017.uy/abstracts/Parallel1.c.2.pdf).
Benedix, G. K., Forman, L. V., Daly, L., Godel, B., Esteban, L., Meier, M. M. M., Maden, C., Busemann, H., Yin,Q-Z., Sanborn, M., Ziegler, K., Friedrich, J. M., Strasser, J. W., Welten, K. C., Caffee, M. W., Glavin, D. P., Dworkin, J. P., Bland, P. A., Paxman, J. P., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Sansom, E. K., Howie, R. M., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Cox, M. A., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Hartig, B. A. D. and Bevan, A. W. R. (2017) “Mineralogy, petrology and chronology of the Dingle Dell meteorite”. LPI Contribution No. 1987, 6229. (80th Ann. Meeting Meteorit. Soc.).
Paxman, J. P., Bland, P. A., Howie, R. M., Towner, M. C., Cupák, M., Devillepoix, H. A., Sansom, E. K. (2016) “The desert fireball network: A sensor network for meteorite tracking and recovery”. In Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision (ICARCV) 14th International Conference on (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Cadogan, J. M., Bland, P. A., Benedix, G. K., Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H., Howie, R., Paxman, J., Cupak, M., Cox, M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T. (2016) “Fe-57 Mössbauer Study of the Murrili Ordinary Chondrite”. LPI Contributions, 1921.
Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H., Howie, R. M., Paxman, J. Benedix, G., Cupak, M., Cox, M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T. (2016) “Fall and recovery of the Murrili meteorite, and an update on the desert fireball network”. LPI Contributions, 1921.
Sansom, E. K. , Bland, P. A., Rutten, M. G., Paxman, J., Towner, M. C., (2016) “Exploring Uncertainties in Fireball Modelling Using Estimators”. Meteoroids2016.
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A., Rutten, M. G. (2016) “Exploring Advanced Estimators from Guidance, Navigation and Control in Fireball Modelling”. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, p. 1892 (47th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conference)
Miljković, K., Sansom, E. K., Daubar, I. J., Karakostas, F., Lognonné, P. (2016) “Fate of Meteoroid Impacts on Mars Detectable by the InSight Mission”. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, p. 1768 (47th Lunar Planetary Science Conference)
Sansom, E. K. , Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Paxman, J. P., Howie, R. M., Cupak, M., Galloway, M. J., Benedix, G. K. (2015) “Initial Results from the Expanded Desert Fireball Network”. LPI contributions, p. 5172 (78th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society)
Galloway, M. J., Sansom, E. K., & Bland, P. A. (2015) “Automating sub-pixel fireball position identification in long exposure digital images”. In 78th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (Vol. 1856, p. 5160).
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P.A , Paxman, J. and Towner, M. C. (2014) “Characterising fireballs for mass determination: Steps toward automating the Australian Desert Fireball Network”. 31st URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium.
Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Paxman, J. P., Howie, R. M., Sansom, E. K., Cupak, M., Bevan, A. W. R. (2014) “Digital Expansion of the Desert Fireball Network”. In 77th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (Vol. 1800).
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A. and Paxman, J. (2014) “Automated dynamic modelling of fireballs from the Australian Desert Fireball Network”. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston #1591 (45th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf.)
Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P. A., Sansom E. K. , Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B.A., Shober, P. M., Anderson, S. (2019) “A Global Fireball Observatory”. Meteoroids2019.
Shober, P. M., Bland, P. A., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H. A. R. (2019) “Detections of Minimoon Fireballs within the Desert Fireball Network” LPI Contribution No. 2132, 1055 (50th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conference).
Sansom, E. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Rutten, M. G., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P.A. (2018) “Investigating fireball flight in three dimensions” EPSC2018-1226 (solicited talk).
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A. , Devillepoix, H. A. R., Howie, R. M., Hartig, B. A. D., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Cox, M. A., Benedix, G. K., Forman, L. V. (2018) “Bridging the Gap between Asteroids and Meteorites using the Global Fireball Observatory” XXXth General Assembly of the IAU - FM1 A Century of Asteroid Families.
Macke, R. J., Benedix, G. K., Bland, P. A. and the Desert Fireball Network Team (2017) Dingle Dell density and other physical properties” LPI Contribution No. 1987, 6197. (80th Ann. Meeting Meteorit. Soc.).
Devillepoix, H. A. R., Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K., Howie, R. M., Cupak, M., Benedix, G. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Hartig, B. A. D., Cox, M. A. and Paxman, J. P. (2017) “Fall and recovery of the Dingle Dell meteorite” LPI Contribution No. 1987, 6211. (80th Ann. Meeting Meteorit. Soc.).
Sansom, E. K., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Rutten, M. G., Bland, P.A., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Towner, M. C., Cupák, M., Howie, R. M., Cox, M., Desayes, J., Paxman, J., Hartig, B. A. D. (2017) “Modelling fireball network data in three dimensions” Asteroids Comets and Meteors Conference (http://acm2017.uy/abstracts/Parallel1.c.2.pdf).
Benedix, G. K., Forman, L. V., Daly, L., Godel, B., Esteban, L., Meier, M. M. M., Maden, C., Busemann, H., Yin,Q-Z., Sanborn, M., Ziegler, K., Friedrich, J. M., Strasser, J. W., Welten, K. C., Caffee, M. W., Glavin, D. P., Dworkin, J. P., Bland, P. A., Paxman, J. P., Towner, M. C., Cupak, M., Sansom, E. K., Howie, R. M., Devillepoix, H. A. R., Cox, M. A., Jansen-Sturgeon, T., Hartig, B. A. D. and Bevan, A. W. R. (2017) “Mineralogy, petrology and chronology of the Dingle Dell meteorite”. LPI Contribution No. 1987, 6229. (80th Ann. Meeting Meteorit. Soc.).
Paxman, J. P., Bland, P. A., Howie, R. M., Towner, M. C., Cupák, M., Devillepoix, H. A., Sansom, E. K. (2016) “The desert fireball network: A sensor network for meteorite tracking and recovery”. In Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision (ICARCV) 14th International Conference on (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Cadogan, J. M., Bland, P. A., Benedix, G. K., Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H., Howie, R., Paxman, J., Cupak, M., Cox, M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T. (2016) “Fe-57 Mössbauer Study of the Murrili Ordinary Chondrite”. LPI Contributions, 1921.
Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Sansom, E. K., Devillepoix, H., Howie, R. M., Paxman, J. Benedix, G., Cupak, M., Cox, M., Jansen-Sturgeon, T. (2016) “Fall and recovery of the Murrili meteorite, and an update on the desert fireball network”. LPI Contributions, 1921.
Sansom, E. K. , Bland, P. A., Rutten, M. G., Paxman, J., Towner, M. C., (2016) “Exploring Uncertainties in Fireball Modelling Using Estimators”. Meteoroids2016.
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A., Rutten, M. G. (2016) “Exploring Advanced Estimators from Guidance, Navigation and Control in Fireball Modelling”. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, p. 1892 (47th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conference)
Miljković, K., Sansom, E. K., Daubar, I. J., Karakostas, F., Lognonné, P. (2016) “Fate of Meteoroid Impacts on Mars Detectable by the InSight Mission”. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, p. 1768 (47th Lunar Planetary Science Conference)
Sansom, E. K. , Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Paxman, J. P., Howie, R. M., Cupak, M., Galloway, M. J., Benedix, G. K. (2015) “Initial Results from the Expanded Desert Fireball Network”. LPI contributions, p. 5172 (78th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society)
Galloway, M. J., Sansom, E. K., & Bland, P. A. (2015) “Automating sub-pixel fireball position identification in long exposure digital images”. In 78th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (Vol. 1856, p. 5160).
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P.A , Paxman, J. and Towner, M. C. (2014) “Characterising fireballs for mass determination: Steps toward automating the Australian Desert Fireball Network”. 31st URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium.
Bland, P. A., Towner, M. C., Paxman, J. P., Howie, R. M., Sansom, E. K., Cupak, M., Bevan, A. W. R. (2014) “Digital Expansion of the Desert Fireball Network”. In 77th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (Vol. 1800).
Sansom, E. K., Bland, P. A. and Paxman, J. (2014) “Automated dynamic modelling of fireballs from the Australian Desert Fireball Network”. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston #1591 (45th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf.)
