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(meteorobs) More on the Vitim bolide



Dear All,

Here is some info just posted by the leader of the expedition to the Vitim
bolide epicenter
V. Chernobrov in Russian (below a little bit improved on-line English
translation I have done).  I have no additional comments on this.

Sincerely,
Andrei Ol'khovatov
=============
On 12 June all members of expedition left the taiga into the settlement, new
raid into the mountains is planned/glided.The health of all members of
expedition good, all 9 people are situated in the local hospital (not
because of the injuries, but faster of the preventive targets/purposes).The
disappeared Khabarovsk group of 3 people also left and it will at present go
home.Several reasons for their long delay:1) they greater than our fed by
the poisoned water and possibly because of this they tested sharp
worsening/deterioration in the health;2) they went to the side from the
matched route - the reason for this solution it was the heard by them
version about the fact that immediately after the fall of the meteorite in
the same region suffered catastrophe the aircraft (according to precise now
data, aircraft An-2 has burned after forced landing in the side from the
epicentre). As earlier it communicated, on 29 May actually our basic group
discovered the assumed epicentre of the explosion of the Vitim bolide (its
coordinate they do not coincide with those previously assumed, they were as
a result of the independent analysis of the azimuths of the thrown
out/fallen out by blast wave trees/wood).TMembers of "Kosmopoiska" proved to
be in the region of epicentre by the first (hunters, as it was explained,
they were not in this region more half a year, the foregoing expeditions of
Irkutsk scientists they did not arrive at this place).Precise
sizes/dimensions:the incorrect/distorted ellipsis of 10 by 6 km - of
continuous forest-fall, 3 by 2 km - fire in the assumed epicentre, the
assumed radiation burn at the mountain peaks are outlined at a distance not
less than 10 km of the epicentre, the single trees/wood, whose tops are
biased/beaten by blast wave, they are outlined at a distance to 50 km of
epicentre.In the epicentre everything surprisingly resembles old Kulik's
documentaries about the consequences of Tunguska explosion.Probably, a basic
quantity of fragments flew away further epicentre. Approximately in 10-12 km
from the epicentre the place, where the radiation burn ends, is discovered,
here is located a maximum quantity of broken trees/wood with the tracks of
impacts/shocks on stems (density of the incidence/drop in the fragments -
approximately 1 fragment on 8-10 square meters of area). Here are damaged or
moved from their "long occupied" places the majority of large stones
(including by weight to the ton. In the epicentre are found several samples,
which will be given into the academic institutes for the analysis. Water and
snow in the epicentre of explosion sharply differ in the taste from the
water in the remaining regions (strong bitterness), preliminary analysis did
not reveal the reasons for the pollution/contamination (to pH of water it
was close to the standard)dot it became reliable known that at the moment of
explosion (24/25 September 2002) in the region was noted a sharp increase in
the radioactive background (at the present moment, according to our
measurements, it is within the standard and other sharp and substantial
changes in the state of environment, water and health of the local
population, which at present are systematizeddot it is not excluded, the
Vitimskoye body was not only that fallen on that night, persistent hearing
indicate the presence still at least of one epicentre (by checking this
version at present of "Kosmopoisk" it is occupied). Weather in the region of
searches is not stable (in the beginning of expedition from -15 C at night
to +40 C in the daytime, were snow-storm and tightening rains, now - stable
heat, fires). Bears are many, several of them almost constantly accompanied
groups (without the attacks), an enormous quantity of ticks, numerous
mosquitoes. Local rivers because of the abundant thaw of snow are
impenetrable (crossing/passage through one of them, for example, is engaged
almost twenty-four hours). At the heights more than kilometer, until now
there are remains of snow cover by depth sometimes to several meters.The
attitude of local authorities and militia toward the members of expedition -
is more than kind-hearted (after that it separate thanks). Preliminary
conclusion/derivation to make still early, but even now increasingly more is
more than data in favor of the fact that the Vitim bodide was not the
meteorite containing iron, most probably - this was the icy fragment of
comet. It is unquestionable that found "Kosmopoiskom" the epicentre requires
further fixed study.There is hope, that the study of Vitim bolide shed
light, also, to the mystery of Tunguska explosion. Expedition continues...



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