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(meteorobs) from Peiser Benny's ccnet



(9) THINGS THAT GO BANG

>From Matthew Genge <M.Genge@nhm.acdot uk>

Hi Benny,

Have I told this story before?

Yesterday's article on a possible meteorite fall in Sri Lanka has
parallels
with the discovery of the Bur Abor meteorite in Kenya. This was a large
300
kg iron meteorite found within a few miles of the border which was
brought
into the Natural History Museum a few years ago by a relative of the
land
owner. The sample was analysed and was indeed a fragment of a new iron
meteorite.

The eye witness accounts suggested that it was a meteorite fall since
farm
workers had heard an explosion and saw a pall of smoke rising above a
copse
of trees. Investigating they discovered a large mass of metal, which
turned
out to be the meteorite, and thin shards embedded in the trees. The only

problem with this very believable scenario was that the iron meteorite
was
weathered and had evidently been on Earth for quite some time.

When asked whether there was any other possible explanation the land
owner's
representative said that the farm workers had first assumed that a land
mine
or shell had exploded. He said this was a relatively common occurrence
in
the area.

Perhaps meteorite falls are not the simplest explanation for explosions
in
an area where heavy fighting has occurred up until seven month's ago. I
do
hope, however, that in this case that the unlikely turns out to be the
correct explanation.

Matthew Genge
Web Manager & Meteoriticist

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