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(meteorobs) Hot Meteoroids and Scientific Reasoning



July 31, 2001
          
Greetings Meteor Enthusiasts!
          
The recent discussion about whether or not meteorites
impact earth hot or frosty cold has grasped my
attention, and inspired me to write this.
          
I for one, do not see why meteorites can't be found
both hot or cold moments after their fiery plunge.  In
addition to being a meteor enthusiast, I am also an
amateur meteorite hunter having some good books
describing the ablation process.  This process, which
I'm certain many meteorobs readers are already
familiar with, involves the intense heat that
liquefies the outer surface of a meteoroid in its
travel through the upper atmosphere.  As taught, this
heat, caused by the friction of the air around it,
happens only briefly, preventing any significant
amount of heat if at all, from affecting the inside of
a meteorite.  Once the atmosphere has overcome the
initial velocity of a space rock (assuming that we are
talking about a typical sized meteorite with average
initial velocity) the ablation process ceases and dark
flight begins where the rock finishes its journey by
gravity alone.  It is generally accepted that
somewhere during its final moments in space, the
molten outside solidifies into what is known as a
fusion crust before hitting the ground.   
          
In support of hot meteorites, I must agree that it
seems possible that some meteorites, preferably the
iron types, can undergo a kind of "preheating" in
outer space by the influence of the sun.  After all,
isn't the sun's radiation how comets grow their
dazzling tails?  The exact temperature rise it may
cause in a meteorite can depend upon a great deal of
factors, including size, composition, distance, the
orbit, etc. In any event, it boils down to the fact
that if a meteoroid is hot right before beginning its
fiery descent, that heat will be largely unaltered if
some of the rock survives as a meteorite on earth. 
The same reasoning, I think, will hold true for
whatever the original temperature the meteoroid is at
right before entering our planet's atmosphere.  Of
course, this is just one of many ways that could
explain the possible existence of hot space rocks.  
        
In regard to scientists' objections to hot meteorites
on the basis of naive or deceitful witnesses or by how
the idea collides with their thinking is highly
deplorable.  Firstly, a scientist should always keep
an open mind, as it is unscientific to do otherwise. 
Moreover, it should be in the interest of a scientist,
even if it is only subconscious, to seek the "truth"
in all things and not a quick "plausible" explanation
to satisfy his own minute understanding of the
universe.  Adding to that, it is illogical to dismiss
the reports of hot space rocks, since as far as I
know, no scientist has ever been present moments after
such a celestial impact area to take readings. 
Needless to say, it is also unfair to quickly jump to
the conclusion that all people are feeble-minded and
unscrupulous.   
             
Lastly, it should not be forgotten that the common
layperson was the essential key in braking the closed
minds of scientists some two hundred years ago, to
except that rocks really do fall from the sky, and
that fireballs can make some strange static-like
sounds known as electrophonics.  If it weren't for
them, the science of meteoritics and our appreciation
of meteor hunting would have been delayed for some
time and probably not nearly as understood as it is
now.  
     
My e-mail is marktfoxvdb@yahoo.com.
          
Please forgive me if I have strayed off topic too
much.
          
Best regards,
          
Mark Fox
Newaygo, MI

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