A critical component in assessing the impact hazard posed by near-Earth objects is the accurate modeling of their atmospheric entry. Understanding the physical processes that occur as a meteoroid penetrates the atmosphere enables reliable characterization, simulation, and classification of potential impact outcomes. For well-observed fireball events, reconstructing the atmospheric trajectory is essential for determining the pre-impact heliocentric orbit of the meteoroid. At the same time, this reconstruction provides the foundation for dark-flight modeling, which is crucial for predicting strewn fields and guiding meteorite recovery efforts.

Using dimensionless formulations based on pre-atmospheric meteoroid parameters, we have developed a physically grounded parameterization that describes the evolution of mass, altitude, velocity, and luminosity along the atmospheric path. The model enables robust estimation of key physical quantities that are typically unknown, including the shape-change coefficient, ablation efficiency, and the surviving meteorite mass. It also allows prediction of the terminal height of the luminous trajectory, thereby constraining the duration and observable characteristics of the fireball phase.

We demonstrate the versatility of this approach across a broad spectrum of observational datasets, ranging from radar-detected events to meteorite-producing falls such as Ådalen, Košice, and Neuschwanstein, as well as larger-scale impact events including Chelyabinsk, Sikhote-Alin, and the Tunguska event. The methodology has also directly contributed to successful meteorite recoveries, including Annama and Ozerki, through detailed analysis of fireball observations.

Together, these results demonstrate that a dimensionless, physically based framework provides a powerful and practical tool for linking atmospheric entry dynamics with impact hazard assessment and meteorite recovery.

Zapisy mailowe: Konrad.Kossacki@fuw.edu.pl