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(meteorobs) Excerpt from "CCNet, 14 December 1999"




Here's more from Duncan Steel on meteorite falls! Timely. :)

Lew


------- Forwarded Message

From: Benny J Peiser <b.j.peiser@livjm.acdot uk>
To: cambridge-conference@livjm.acdot uk
Subject: CCNet, 14 December 1999
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 12:08:59 -0500 (EST)

CCNet, 14 December 1999
------------------------

[...]

(3) ON THE VELOCITY OF METEORITE FALLS
    Duncan Steel <D.I.Steel@salford.acdot uk> 

[...]

====================================================

(3) ON THE VELOCITY OF METEORITE FALLS

>From Duncan Steel <D.I.Steel@salford.acdot uk> 
 
At 36,000 kph = 10 km/sec, any mass possesses as the kinetic energy 
12 times the chemical energy of TNT. That is, one expects it to explode
& evaporate on impact (sudden deceleration). Small objects like this
I would not expect to be travelling at hypervelocity when they reach the
ground: any mass surviving atmospheric entry of such a small size would
have decelerated to free-fall speed by the time it reaches the ground
(circa 200 kph but dependent upon mass/cross-sectional area ratio, drag
parameters etc.). I would have guessed that the 'impactor' was actually a
fairly dense lump (metal?) dropped off of a plane, with a size around half
(or more) of the hole it produced. It hit the dam at 200-300 kph
and buried itself in the soft bottom. But that would not explain the
'seismic' record (I would think that Gordon is correct as suspecting
a sonic boom), hence I would stab at it having been space debris.
Sonic boom = final deceleration at an altitude of circa 5-10 km having
entered the atmosphere at 7.5 km/sec.
 
Cheers,
 
Duncan

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