(meteorobs) Chris of Cloudbait Observatory. Your thoughts on N.M. 10/09 Fireball....?

[Ed Majden]

Larry Roberto and Chris:
	Here is the reply I received from Dr. Bob Hawkes.

Hi Ed,

Nice to hear from you, and I hope that all is well in BC!

I am not sure I understand exactly what is being asked, but I take it  
whether the shape of the light curve can tell one the material.  I  
think the answer practically is no.  While it is true that a pure  
iron, for example, will have a different shape of light curve from a  
cometary carbon rich meteoroid, but given other variables it is  
difficult to do with any certainty, I think, and that spectra would  
be a better way to try to determine composition.  Ceplecha did some  
work quite a while ago on using beginning heights as a way to  
separate types of composition, and this can broadly be used.

Bob


Also see:  http://www.mta.ca/~rhawkes/research.html