(meteorobs) Repost- Clear evidence for Meteoroidejecta/outgassing.

[Richard Kramer]

At 11:10 AM 9/14/2009, you wrote:
>Chris,
>
>Good advice about improving one's processes, *but*...
>
> > Certainly, there's nothing remotely scientific about "stick[ing] with
>your
> > beliefs" in the face of evidence to the contrary. That's pretty much the
>
> > definition of pseudoscience.
>
>Evidence can be a slippery thing. We had plenty of "evidence" that life
>could spring spontaneously from nonliving matter, until Louis Pasteur took
>your advice and created better tests.  Certainly take advantage of all the
>wisdom and tools at your disposal, but don't be afraid to take a fresh
>critical look at things either.
>
>Pardon the butting-in; your point about saturation is important, but I'd
>hate to see a potentially good idea squelched too soon.

I've been quietly watching this discussion. Thinking it through, the 
side jetting hypothesis seems physically impossible. The velocities 
and intensities of the side jets which would be required to produce a 
signature of that kind would a), require internal pressures far 
higher than even a substantial meteor could sustain, let alone a low 
density gob of sticky soot;  b), induce a substantial side force 
which would deflect the trajectory of the meteor; and c), would have 
to produce a side lobe which would appear on the film like a blurred 
"skirt" rather than the curved plumes which we see in the image.

Richard