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Re: (meteorobs) Pictures of the Spanish 'ice meteorit



In a message dated 1/18/00 10:19:48 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
meteors@eclipsedot net writes:

<< There is a 2nd point. Finding a way to get rock to the ground is fairly 
 easy, but finding a way for ice to survive deceleration from cosmic (such 
 as > 20 kps geocentric velocity) requires a much larger stretch of physics. 
 In my mind, the only way and ice structure could survive a trip to the 
 ground would be to have zero velocity at some point in the atmosphere, so 
 that the maximum velocity would be 200 or 300 mph.(360-540 kph). Anything 
 coming fro orbit is doing at least 18000 mph( 900 times faster), and 
 anything from space is doing at least 25000 (1250 times faster) mph. At 
 that speed, the atmosphere acts like a brick wall. Only a substantial, rock 
 or metallic object could survive such deceleration intact. IMNSHO >>

We then have to wonder about meteorites such as Norton County and... the name 
escapes me but it was recovers in Sweden, I have a sample of both in my 
collection. These Aubrite meteorites are white and gray in color and very 
friable. They consist of almost pure MgSIO3, and no metal and very little 
iron-bearing pyroxene. The Cumberland Falls fall was seen visually creating a 
fireball and smaoke train.  How do these survive entry? Why don't they just 
explode just like those powder golf balls hit from a tee? Is it the extreme 
cold that glues these particle together? Would the same cold hold a piece a 
ice together? Just food for thought.

BTW I liked Kim Y's observation that how likely would it be that Spain seems 
to have the bulls eye on it. I'd just like to point out that 3 houses on one 
block in Connecticut USA were hit by separate meteorites on separate 
occassions...

Kevin K
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