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(meteorobs) Re: Meteor crashes into Yorkshire field
Hi,
Meteorites were (rightly) banned from meteorobs recently but this deserves a
comment. I've read the stories and seen the pictures and descriptions with it.
I am 100% sure that this is NOT a meteorite impact. The picture of the hole is
reveiling, as is the smoke and popping noises described. I heard similar
popping and crackling or hissing noises during my archaeological fieldwork when
we were coring with an auger through buried peat layers. It is methane gas
released from the peat that causes the popping and hissing and crackling. It is
highly inflamable and when ignited (which we once did, since you need some fun
during boring fieldwork) it burns well and initially gives a clear "bhufff" as
a sound. A somewhat larger amount released might easily give a true explosion.
Anyway, the hole pictured clearly is scorched so I strongly doubt a meteorite
impact. I think this was methane released from a peat layer which somehow
combusted. The results is a small explosion and a scorched hole in the ground.
Sorry Lew that it is meteorites again. Hope my comment is clear enough to end
the discussion directly.
Marco Langbroek
Dutch Meteor Society
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