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(meteorobs) Excerpt from "CCNet 40/2001 - 13 March 2001"




There was not much of direct interest to meteor enthusiasts in this issue of
CCNet. But among ELIDED items was one on a new - putative - test for ancient
cometary (as distinct from asteroidal) impacts. This "criterion", involving
assay of residual buckminsterfullerenes in soil samples taken near supposed
impacts, leaves an open question which MAY be of interest to meteoricists:
Namely, if a comet shared an orbital osculation point with the earth at any
point in the past 5000-10000 years, then presumably its debris stream would
still share a quite substantial intersection area as well. A careful search
to find minor streams (if any in fact exist) with elements indicative of a
possible impactor, might serve as a reliable check on historical indicators.

Those interested in pursuing this (admittedly far-fetched) line of thought,
and with a specific interest in the ancient impact debate, are recommended
to refer directly the CCNet site for references with which to follow up.

Clear skies!
Lew Gramer


------- Forwarded Message

From: Peiser Benny <B.J.Peiser@livjm.acdot uk>
To: cambridge-conference <cambridge-conference@livjm.acdot uk>
Subject: CCNet, 13 March 2001 
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 09:51:40 -0000

CCNet 40/2001 - 13 March 2001 
------------------------------

[...]

(3) THIRD EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON SPACE DEBRIS
    ESA <esaweb@esa.int>

[...]

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

(3) THIRD EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON SPACE DEBRIS

>From ESA <esaweb@esa.int>

Nr. 14-2001 - Paris, 12 March 2001

Third European Conference on Space Debris

The European Space Agency is hosting the third European Conference on Space
Debris from 19 to 21 March at ESOC, its European Space Operations Centre in
Darmstadt, Germany. The British, French, German and Italian space agencies
(BNSC, CNES, DLR, ASI), the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), and the
International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) are co-sponsoring this event,
which will draw over 200 experts from all over the world.

While the use of space is expanding in nearly all areas - e.g.
telecommunication, navigation, Earth observation, science - space debris is
of growing concern as a threat to manned and unmanned spaceflight. The
purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for presentations of results
from research topics ranging from ground- and space-based techniques for
detection of orbital debris, trends in the orbital debris environment in Low
Earth Orbit and the geostationary ring, the design of protective shields, to
the removal of debris by tethers. 

The aspects that will be discussed include methods and computer tools to
predict the growing number of man-made objects in space, analysis of
material returned from space, risks run by satellites in low-Earth and
geostationary orbit, risks on the ground from reentering objects, standards
addressing safety and mitigation of space debris, and legal issues.

The conference programme can be found at the ESA website at:
http://www.estec.esadot nl/pr/conferences/conferencelist.php3

On 21 March a round table discussion will address mitigation measures and
their application. The topicality of this theme is underlined by the
deliberations on space debris at the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee
of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
(UNCOPUOS) where protection and preventive measures play a key role. 

The conference will be followed on 22/23 March by the 19th meeting of the
Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), at DLR in Cologne,
Germany.

IADC currently has 11 members (founder members: ESA, NASA, the Russian
Aviation and Space Agency, Rosaviakosmos, and Japan), which will exchange
results on space debris research, identify options for space debris
mitigation, and promote joint research activities. 

Journalists are welcome to attend the third European Conference on Space
Debris. For more information or requests for accreditation, please contact
the Public Relations Office at ESOC, Darmstadt (Germany), Tel:
(0)49.6151.90.2696/2459 - Fax: (0)49.6151.90.2961 or the conference
organisation: (0)49.6151.90.2270.

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