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Re: (meteorobs) Hot meteors and self heating metal powders.




From: Nick Martin <bonnyton@ednet.codot uk>

> Following up  and refining on my previously posted hypothetical mechanism
> whereby meteorites could become incandescent in the lower atmosphere.
>
> Nickel in a fine powder form is spontaneously inflammable in
air(pyrophoric)
> becoming incandescent in the process of oxidation.  Finely divided iron is
> readily inflammable if ignited.
> Is it  possible that some meteors  could contain losely consolidated fine
> particles of nickel and iron derived from cosmic dust particles from the
> primaeval solar nebula which have not undergone any melting before being
> consolidated into the meteor particles? Do any meteorites contain micron
> sized particles of nickel or iron?
>
> Meteors containing or composed of nickel dust loosely consolidated into a
> porous mass either alone or admixed with iron and carbonaceous material
> could generate enough heat through oxidation to achieve incandescence when
> in the oxygen rich lower atmosphere. Such oxidation would probably result
in
> the complete disintegration of the meteorite thus explaining why no
> meteorite is found assosciated with such reports. Combustion of finely
> divided iron could also produce sparking another feature of reports of hot
> meteors.
>
> Any comments would be gratefully received for this hypothesis. Going for
it
> is that it is based on known chemical processes and it does not require
the
> meteorite to retain heat from the kinetic heating stage of its flight.
> Nick Martin, Bonnyton House, By Ayr, Ayrshire KA6 7EW ,Scotland, UK.
>  Latitude 55 24'56" Longitude 4 26' 00".
>

Nick:
    As interesting as your comments are, I would think they would be better
addressed to a meteorite newsgroup.  Meteorobs mainly deals with the
astronomical aspects of meteors, in particular, the atmospheric phenomenon
called a meteor.  Questions such as yours should be asked of planetary
geologists and the like.  Most astronomers, be they amateur or professional
don't have a solid background in the geochemistry of meteorites.  Since you
are from the UK the British Museum (Natural History) would be a good place
to begin.  They have a world class collection of meteorites and are the
authors of the classic book the "Catalogue of Meteorites".  Another person
you might try and contact is, Philip M. Bagnall, author of the book, The
Meteorite & Tektite Collectors Handbook.  Unfortunately, I don't have e-mail
addresses but they might be searched for on the web.  You could also contact
the B.A.A. and they might be able to give you some leads.
    I'm sure the subscribers of meteorobs would be interested in what you
find out, so post your results.

Best regards: Ed Majden

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