What optical light sustains a persistent train long after a bolide has vanished?
Answer
Recombination of atmospheric oxygen and ozone, catalyzed by residual sodium and iron atoms.
A persistent train, which can linger in the upper atmosphere for up to half an hour after an exceptionally bright meteor (bolide) has disappeared, is sustained by a complex chemical process involving atmospheric constituents and residual material left by the passage of the rock. The sustained optical light emission is specifically due to the recombination of atmospheric oxygen and ozone molecules. This recombination process is effectively catalyzed or initiated by the leftover sodium and iron atoms that were vaporized from the space rock and dispersed along its path, providing the necessary intermediaries for the long-duration glow.
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