Electron-Microscopy to unravel meteorite mystery
Times of India - 5JUN09
KANPUR: The detailed probe into the meteorite, which had fallen on Karimatti village of Hamirpur district on May 28, extended into another day on Thursday. ... (more)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kanpur/Electron-Microscopy-to-unravel-meteorite-mystery/articleshow/4617971.cms
04 June 2009
India Meteorite News- 3JUN09
`Object that fell from sky was a meteorite'
The Times of India 3 Jun 2009, 2224 hrs IST, Abhinav Malhotra, TNN
KANPUR: "Meteorite is a rocky material which enters into earth's atmosphere from outside the earth (for eg, Mars) whereas numerous small and big rocks circulating in between the planets Mars and Jupiter are known as asteroids," said Prof Harish Chandra Verma of department of Physics of IIT-K while talking to TOI, specifying the difference between a meteorite and an asteroid.
Prof Verma ruled out the possibility of the stone being an asteroid as reported in some newspapers and emphatically remarked that the initial study of the piece of the rock done on Wednesday confirms that it's a meteorite. Usually such pieces of rock (debris) come from asteroid belt only but sometimes they may very well be a part of other celestial bodies also.
Prof Verma was referring to the incident of May 28, when a 1 kg stone resembling a meteorite fell down from the sky about 12 noon and left the people of the Karimatti hamlet in Hamirpur district amazed and puzzled. The stone which is ten inches in length and five inches in width was put in water to bring down its high temperature. Eyewitness to the entire incident, Mannu Lal, a villager was the first to observe this heavenly body. In no time, the news of the incident had spread like a wild fire in the entire village. The matter was then referred to the administration, which took the stone in its possession.
Prof Verma, travelled 200 km and brought the stone to IIT-K on Tuesday last for detailed study. Visibly excited with the discovery of the magnetic stone, Prof Verma shared his experience and said, "It's confirmed now that it is a meteorite due to its properties. As it was getting attracted towards a magnet and also the whole of the stone was covered with a black layer it gave us an idea of it being a meteorite.''
"Genuine scientific tests done on this meteorite will help us to know more about the secrets of the solar system like what was the composition of the solar system when it was formed, what was the early solar system like etc," he further said.
Prof Verma went on to say that the researchers from Physical Research Lab, Ahmedabad, University of Jodhpur, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and IIT-K will carry out tests in collaboration.
SOURCE: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kanpur/Object-that-fell-from-sky-was-a-meteorite/articleshow/4614002.cms
The Times of India 3 Jun 2009, 2224 hrs IST, Abhinav Malhotra, TNN
KANPUR: "Meteorite is a rocky material which enters into earth's atmosphere from outside the earth (for eg, Mars) whereas numerous small and big rocks circulating in between the planets Mars and Jupiter are known as asteroids," said Prof Harish Chandra Verma of department of Physics of IIT-K while talking to TOI, specifying the difference between a meteorite and an asteroid.
Prof Verma ruled out the possibility of the stone being an asteroid as reported in some newspapers and emphatically remarked that the initial study of the piece of the rock done on Wednesday confirms that it's a meteorite. Usually such pieces of rock (debris) come from asteroid belt only but sometimes they may very well be a part of other celestial bodies also.
Prof Verma was referring to the incident of May 28, when a 1 kg stone resembling a meteorite fell down from the sky about 12 noon and left the people of the Karimatti hamlet in Hamirpur district amazed and puzzled. The stone which is ten inches in length and five inches in width was put in water to bring down its high temperature. Eyewitness to the entire incident, Mannu Lal, a villager was the first to observe this heavenly body. In no time, the news of the incident had spread like a wild fire in the entire village. The matter was then referred to the administration, which took the stone in its possession.
Prof Verma, travelled 200 km and brought the stone to IIT-K on Tuesday last for detailed study. Visibly excited with the discovery of the magnetic stone, Prof Verma shared his experience and said, "It's confirmed now that it is a meteorite due to its properties. As it was getting attracted towards a magnet and also the whole of the stone was covered with a black layer it gave us an idea of it being a meteorite.''
"Genuine scientific tests done on this meteorite will help us to know more about the secrets of the solar system like what was the composition of the solar system when it was formed, what was the early solar system like etc," he further said.
Prof Verma went on to say that the researchers from Physical Research Lab, Ahmedabad, University of Jodhpur, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and IIT-K will carry out tests in collaboration.
SOURCE: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kanpur/Object-that-fell-from-sky-was-a-meteorite/articleshow/4614002.cms
German Meteorite News 3JUN09
Meteorit war offenbar doch aus Eisen
Heidenheimer Zeitung - Heidenheim,Baden-Württemberg,Germany
STEINHEIM. Bürgermeister Rainer Schaller ist davon überzeugt, dass „die bisherige Geschichte über die Entstehung des Steinheimer Beckens in wesentlichen ... (more)
Heidenheimer Zeitung - Heidenheim,Baden-Württemberg,Germany
STEINHEIM. Bürgermeister Rainer Schaller ist davon überzeugt, dass „die bisherige Geschichte über die Entstehung des Steinheimer Beckens in wesentlichen ... (more)
03 June 2009
Polish Meteor/Meteorite News- Polish Superbolide 31MAY09 3JUN09
009 05 31/01 20:50:49 UT PFN 24 Gniewowo Krzysztof Polakowski
POWIĘKSZ/SEE LARGE SIZE (photo)
" BLINDING FLASH: On May 31st, evening sky watchers in northern Poland were temporarily blinded by a sudden flash of light brighter than the full Moon. An automated camera in the town of Gniewowo captured this snapshot of the "un-night" sky
(see at http://www.spaceweather.com/ )
What happened? A meteoroid of unknown origin hit Earth's atmosphere and exploded. "It was a huge fireball, probably brighter than magnitude -13," reports Gniewowo resident Przemyslaw Zoladek. "The explosion occured at 20:48 UT and was observed by many casual witnesses and at least two Polish Fireball Network video stations." No one knows if fragments of the object reached the ground. "
http://www.spaceweather.com/
Relacje naocznych świadków: (Report witnesses:)
1. Dzisiaj o godzinie 22.48 zaobserwowałem bolid przelatujący w kierunku zachodnim, zachdnio północnym. Z Gdyni bolid byl widoczny 15-30 st. zachód od zenitu. Bolid oświetlił budynki i pozostawił po sobie smugę dymu. Pozdrawiam. Maciej
2. Witam wszystkich! Dzisiaj tzn. 31.05 o godzinie 22:48 zaobserwowałem piękny bolid, lecący w kierunku północno-zachodnim na wysokości ~30 stopni. Moją uwagę zwrócił rozbłysk trwający około 2 sek. Nie słyszałem żadnego dźwięku. Przypuszczalnie wleciał w atmosferę kilkadziesiąt kilometrów od mojego miejsca obserwacji, czyli Częstochowy. (...)
3. (...) 31 maja ok godziny 23:10 zauważyłem dość duży obiekt spadający z nieba, któremu towarzyszył silny rozbłysk. Zauważyłem to we Władysławowie w południowej części nieba. pozdrawiam Michał
4.Wczoraj 31.05.2009 ok. godziny 23:00 nad Rumią (woj. pomorskie) widziałam niesamowite zjawisko - wielką paląca się kulę. Leciała z zawrotną prędkością zostawiając za sobą długi ognisty ogon. Leciała jak petarda ale bardzo wysoko. Pojawiła się jakby znikąd by po chwili zniknąć. Bolid/kometa pozostawiła za sobą długą smugę pyłu i dymu. Wygładało to jakby kometa wdarła się w atmosferę ziemską paląc się jasnym płomieniem a potem nagle z niej wyleciała. Nie wiem czy to był bolid czy kometa - nie umiem ich rozróżnić ale to było wyjątkowo piękne i nieoczekiwane zjawisko!!!(...)
5. Zauwazylem bolid tuz nad glowa popijajac smaczna karkowke jeszcze smaczniejszym piwkiem gdzies ok 23-ej w Starogardzie Gdanskim. Przyznam, ze pierwszy raz widzialem cos podobnego i jestem pod ogromnym wrazeniem. Bolid roswietlil na kilka chwil cala okolice po czym spadal rozzarzony przez pare sekund pozostawiajac jasna, powykrecana smuge podejrzewam ze dymu. Bartek
6. Witam serdecznie! Wczoraj wieczorem ok. 22:50 między Trzebnicą a Zmigrodem (na trasie z Wrocławia do Poznania) zaobserwowałem b. jasny bolid. Mimo warstwy chmur zjawisko było dobrze widoczne: najpierw doszło do rozbłysku z kierunku pn-zach na wysokości ok. 45-50 stopni następnie po 2-3 sekundach w dziurach między chmurami dostrzegliśmy wygasające mniejsze fragmenty o wyraźnym zielonym kolorze. Bolid zaobserwowało w sumie 6 osób (4 z naszego auta i 2 z pierwszego z którym podróżowaliśmy). Nie słyszeliśmy żadnych dźwięków. Sam rozbłysk (wybuch?) był na tyle mocny, że na czas ok. 1,5 s rozświetlił kabiny naszych pojazdów. Michał
- Słowa kluczowe dla googleboota:
- 31 maja 2009, 31 05 09 meteor, bolid, (meteoryt), (kometa), (kula ognia) fireball, bolide, meteorite, poland
Polish Fireball Network
http://www.pkim.org/
Historical Meteorite Falls from the Month of June 03JUN09
METEORITE FALLS HISTORICAL CALENDAR JUNE
JUNE: 100 Meteorite Falls--
1688 Vago
1723 Ploschkovitz
1741 Ogi, Japan
1794 Siena
1818 Seres
1819 Jonzac
1821 Juvinas
1822 Angers
1828 Richmond
1834 Charwallas
1838 Chandakapur
1840 Uden
1841 Chateau-Renard
1842 Aumieres
1843 Manegaon
1843 Utrecht
1850 Kesen, Japan
1855 Avilez
1855 St. Denis
1860 Kusiali
1861 Grosnaja
1863 Buschhof
1864 Dolgovoli
1866 Knyahinya
1866 Sone, Japan
1867 Tadjera
1868 Pnompehn
1870 Ibbenb・en
1871 Laborel
1872 Tennasilm
1873 Jhung
1873 Virba
1875 Vavilovka
1876 Storldalen
1877 Jodzie
1878 La Charca
1879 Nogoya
1881 Pacula
1889 Mighei
1890 Farmington
1890 Kakangari
1890 Nawapali
1897 Lancon
1900 Forsbach
1900 N'Goureyma
1901 Sindhri
1902 Marjalahti,India
1903 Rich Mountain
1903 Uberaba
1906 Kijima
1908 Kagarlyk
1908 Tunguska
1911 Kilbourn
1911 Nakhla, Egypt
1912 Leeuwfontein
1915 Meester-Cornelis
1918 Richardton
1919 Cacak
1919 St. Mary's County
1921 Tuan Tuc
1924 Béréba
1924 Olivenza
1925 Renca
1926 Lua
1927 Trysil
1928 Yoshiki
1931 Malotas
1931 Tatahouine
1931 Wuzhi
1934 Sazovice
1935 Madiun
1938 Chicora
1938 Kukschin
1938 Pantar
1939 Chervony Kut
1939 Dresden (Ontario, CA)
1940 Erakot
1944 Fort Flatters
1944 Mtola
1949 Kunashak
1950 Thal
1952 Abee
1954 Hokmark
1956 Hotse
1957 Ibitira
1962 Ste. Marguerite
1963 Usti nad Orlici
1966 Saint Severin
1977 Fuyang
1980 Guangrao
1983 Ningqiang
1984 Aomori, Japan
1984 Nantong
1986 Lanxi
1989 Uchkuduk
1993 Ban Rong Du
1994 St-Robert
1996 Piplia Kalan
1998 Kunya-Urgench
1998 Portales Valley
JUNE: 100 Meteorite Falls--
1688 Vago
1723 Ploschkovitz
1741 Ogi, Japan
1794 Siena
1818 Seres
1819 Jonzac
1821 Juvinas
1822 Angers
1828 Richmond
1834 Charwallas
1838 Chandakapur
1840 Uden
1841 Chateau-Renard
1842 Aumieres
1843 Manegaon
1843 Utrecht
1850 Kesen, Japan
1855 Avilez
1855 St. Denis
1860 Kusiali
1861 Grosnaja
1863 Buschhof
1864 Dolgovoli
1866 Knyahinya
1866 Sone, Japan
1867 Tadjera
1868 Pnompehn
1870 Ibbenb・en
1871 Laborel
1872 Tennasilm
1873 Jhung
1873 Virba
1875 Vavilovka
1876 Storldalen
1877 Jodzie
1878 La Charca
1879 Nogoya
1881 Pacula
1889 Mighei
1890 Farmington
1890 Kakangari
1890 Nawapali
1897 Lancon
1900 Forsbach
1900 N'Goureyma
1901 Sindhri
1902 Marjalahti,India
1903 Rich Mountain
1903 Uberaba
1906 Kijima
1908 Kagarlyk
1908 Tunguska
1911 Kilbourn
1911 Nakhla, Egypt
1912 Leeuwfontein
1915 Meester-Cornelis
1918 Richardton
1919 Cacak
1919 St. Mary's County
1921 Tuan Tuc
1924 Béréba
1924 Olivenza
1925 Renca
1926 Lua
1927 Trysil
1928 Yoshiki
1931 Malotas
1931 Tatahouine
1931 Wuzhi
1934 Sazovice
1935 Madiun
1938 Chicora
1938 Kukschin
1938 Pantar
1939 Chervony Kut
1939 Dresden (Ontario, CA)
1940 Erakot
1944 Fort Flatters
1944 Mtola
1949 Kunashak
1950 Thal
1952 Abee
1954 Hokmark
1956 Hotse
1957 Ibitira
1962 Ste. Marguerite
1963 Usti nad Orlici
1966 Saint Severin
1977 Fuyang
1980 Guangrao
1983 Ningqiang
1984 Aomori, Japan
1984 Nantong
1986 Lanxi
1989 Uchkuduk
1993 Ban Rong Du
1994 St-Robert
1996 Piplia Kalan
1998 Kunya-Urgench
1998 Portales Valley
Poland Meteorite News- Meteoryt rozleciał się nad Polską? 2JUN09
Meteoryt rozleciał się nad Polską?
Zobacz zdjęcie płonącej kuli
poniedziałek 1 czerwca 2009 17:57
Mieszkańcy województwa zachodniopomorskiego opowiadają o dziwnym zjawisku, które zaobserwowali na niebie. Płonącą kula, która miała spadać na ziemię była ponoć dużo jaśniejsza niż piorun. Towarzyszące zjawisku fajerwerki trwały na tyle długo, że można je było sfotografować.
Russia Meteorite News-Новая гипотеза: метеориты принесли на Землю воду и тепло 2JUN09
Новая гипотеза: метеориты принесли на Землю воду и тепло
02.06.2009, 14:32Большая метеоритная бомбардировка, которой Земля подвергалась около четырех миллиардов лет назад, могла сделать нашу планету более пригодной для жизни, став одним из источников земной атмосферы и океанов, сообщает Imperial Colledge London.
Когда метеориты достигали атмосферы планеты, то в условиях крайне высокой температуры при входе в атмосферу некоторые минералы и органические составляющие в их внешнем слое выделяли значительное количество водяного пара и углекислого газа.
Ученые считают, что имено эта вода могла сделать атмосферы Земли и Марса более насыщенными влагой. А высвобождение "парникового" углекислого газа позволяло удерживать солнечную энергию, чтобы сделать атмосферу Земли и Марса достаточно теплой для возникновения океанов.
В новом исследовании ученые из Королевского Лондонского колледжа проанализировали минеральный и органический состав пятнадцати фрагментов древних метеоритов, найденных в разных местах земного шара, нагрев их до очень высокой температуры, сопоставимой с той, которая возникает при вхождении метеоритов в атмосферу.
Для этого ученые использовали новую технологию FTIR-пиролиза (pyrolysis-FTIR), которая с помощью электричества позволяет за секунду нагреть фрагменты метеоритов до температуры 20000 градусов по Цельсию.
Потом ученые измерили выделившийся газ.Оказалось, что в среднем каждый метеорит может высвободить воду, равную 12% их собственной массы и углекислый газ, равный около 6% массы. На основе этого ученые пришли к выводу, что вклад от отдельных метеоритов был слишком мал и вряд ли мог иметь важное влияние на атмосферу.
Однако далее ученые проанализировали данные по метеоритному дождю, получившему название "Последняя тяжелая бомбардировка" (Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB)), которая происходила 4 млрд лет назад на протяжении 20 млн лет, когда миллионы метеоритов падали на Землю и Марс.
Они подсчитали, что предполагаемое количество метеоритов могло высвобождать около 10 млрд тонн углекислого газа и 10 млрд тонн воды ежегодно, в то время как масса современной земной атмосферы составляет около 5 тысяч триллионов тонн. А этого бы хватило для того, чтобы сделать атмосферы обеих планет более теплыми и влажными и, соответственно, более пригодными для жизни.
Профессор Марк Сефтон (Mark Sephton) считает исследование крайне важным ключом к разгадке прошлого Земли.
"В течение долгого времени ученые пытались понять, откуда на Земле столько воды по сравнению с другими планетами Солнечной системы. "Последняя тяжелая бомбардировка" может оказаться ключом к разгадке".
"Благодаря своему химическому составу, древние метеориты могли оказаться теми, кто "населил" нашу Землю водой. И вот сейчас у нас есть данные, показывающие, как много воды и углекислого газа принесли на нашу планету метеориты. Эти газы могли сразу начать оказывать действие - за счет парникового эффекта удерживая воду и согревая нашу планету", - говорит Сэфтон.
Правда, по словам ученых, Марс в отличие от Земли не смог удержать свою птицу счастья - гидросфера и атмосфера Марса, некогда почти такая же мощная, как и на Земле, не сохранилась из-за слабого магнитного поля планеты и недостаточной вулканической деятельности. Все это вызвало смещение жидких океанов к полюсам, где они превратились в лед.
Результаты исследования опубликованы в журнале Geochimica et Cosmochima Acta.
Динозавры вымерли не от столкновения с астероидом
Российские ученые разгадали тайну свечения Галактики
Ученые NASA: Земле удалось избежать экологической катастрофы
Движущийся задом наперед: ученые обнаружили потенциально опасный астероид
Ученые увидели звезду, взорвавшуюся 13,1 млрд световых лет назад
Автор: САН-Новосибирск01 June 2009
Meteorite storms brought Earth alive 1JUN09
Meteorite storms brought Earth alive
Researchers at Imperial College London analysed the remains of 15 fragments of ancient meteorites that had crashed around the world. They then baked them at very high temperatures just like they would experience when entering the ...
Skymania News | Space headlines - http://news.skymania.com/
by Skymania.com
Researchers at Imperial College London analysed the remains of 15 fragments of ancient meteorites that had crashed around the world. They then baked them at very high temperatures just like they would experience when entering the ...
Skymania News | Space headlines - http://news.skymania.com/
Buzzard Coulee Meteorite Photos Link 1JUN09
Geoff Notkin of www.aerolite.org has posted some photos of his recent meteorite hunt at Buzzard Coulee, Canada.
http://www.aerolite.org/expeditions/bc/buzzard-coulee-meteorite.htm
http://www.aerolite.org/expeditions/bc/buzzard-coulee-meteorite.htm
31 May 2009
Japan Meteorite News: 32nd Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites 31MAY09
32nd Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites to be Held
Tokyo, Japan
The 32nd Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites will be held at National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa City, Tokyo, Japan, on June 3 and 4, 2009.
http://www.metsoc2008.jp:80/nipr/symposium/2009/symposium3rd.html
The program and abstracts are downloadable from
http://www.metsoc2008.jp/nipr/symposium/2009/Program2009.pdf
Tokyo, Japan
The 32nd Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites will be held at National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa City, Tokyo, Japan, on June 3 and 4, 2009.
http://www.metsoc2008.jp:80/nipr/symposium/2009/symposium3rd.html
The program and abstracts are downloadable from
http://www.metsoc2008.jp/nipr/symposium/2009/Program2009.pdf
Response to Searching for Meteorites in the Deserts of Oman 31MAY09
Response to "Searching for Meteorites in the Deserts of Oman "
by Martin Altmann, Germany:
I just want to add some information, partially missing in the article, and
maybe not so well known.
To avoid any misunderstanding I first have to say,
that the Suisse searching campaign are exemplary and a success.
"Amateur collectors of meteorites have been accused of inappropriately
handling them and inadequately documenting their finds, making life
difficult for the scientists who want to study the rocks."
There is missing a "wrongly" and the term "amateur" is somewhat improper.
Because these searchers documented each find with all data, took the
geographical coordinates, made in-situ photos, were sometimes describing the
properties of the surrounding soils and brought them to the normal
classification process, so that they were published by the Meteoritical
Society.
Furthermore the finds were available to everyone, of course to scientists
too and that more readily than e.g. the Antarctic finds with their
distribution system.
Several of these searchers were trained geologists and some of them even
were employed at one of the leading institutes of meteorites.
Additionally many of them were responsible for the earlier desert finds in
Libya, before they opened up with their activities the desert of Oman for
research.
Another hint, that these searchers should rather be called "professionals"
might be their find record.
Let's take a look on the lunaites and Martians, because they are highlighted
in the article.
These searchers found all in all
78 stones of lunaites, representing 19 different falls, with a combined
weight of 10,077 grams.
The Suisse campaigns from 2001 on found
1 stone, representing 1 lunaite, weighing 206g.
Martians:
The "amateurs" found 3 different Martian meteorites, totaling 12,282grams
Suisse teams: 1 stone, 223grams - an additional find of a Martian, where of
the amateur searcher had found the 2 years before more than 10kgs.
Nowadays, since a few years, searching and export permits are issued by the
Omani authorities only for the Suisse-Oman-team and for nobody else anymore.
A situation, where one could come to the opinion, which is far from being
ideal, at least seeing the requirements of planetology and science.
A solution could be, to involve the so successful searchers from former
times into the official campaigns.
"in fact it was the appearance (and sale) of those rocks"
The commercial argument is proven to be weak.
E.g. seen the costs for the expedition, salaries & insurances and the
classification and lab equipment, there wouldn't have any difference, if the
authorities of Oman would have acquired ready classified chondrites up to
5-10kgs from these private searchers, if I remember their prices correcly.
(didn't made the stats, but I would be surprised, if less than 80%++ of all
finds in Oman would be ordinary chondrites).
And in general, as explained here several times - the acquiring costs of
annual World-output of new meteorites by the private/commercial side
do not exceed the costs of 3-4 normal midsized research projects in other
displines of 1st-World-universities.
"the Oman project is the only long-term search program currently being
conducted in a hot desert."
Unfortunately that is true.
Which leads two to questions:
How legitimate or how meaningful are then the restrictive legislation, which
was enforced (and which is about to be enforced) in other countries with
deserts similar productive like the Omani desert, prohibiting private
searching
if the research policy in these countries isn't able to conduct continously
official meteorite expeditions?
The complete break-down of the number of finds in Libya and Australia is
documented in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database published by the
Meteoritical Society:
http://tin.er.usgs.gov/meteor/metbull.php
The same type of legislation is planned for the NWA-sector,
Possibly leading to similar results.
And secondly,
one could feel a wrong weighting of meteorite science, if not more of such
expeditions are carried out.
Here the article is very good, in outlining, that the research on meteorites
is the essential research about the solar system, our origins and in
gathering basic information for planetology.
Seen the expenses for Earth-bound observatories and space-flight missions,
handling similar questions,
it is hardly understandable that so few means are used for the search for
meteorites and the scientific work on them,
as there exist no research on our solar system, which is so efficient like
the research on meteorites.
To invest in a more sufficient way in labs and expeditions for meteorites,
especially for desert meteorites, where the cost compared to the Antarctic
campaigns are lower with a factor of 50-100 (and where the find rates are
higher)
would still be, compared to the budgets of the neighbouring disciplines,
nothing else than peanuts.
Insofar, such articles are very important, to raise more attention.
" samples weighing four tons."
Wasn't there a publication last year -- speaking
of six tons?
All the Best!
Martin
by Martin Altmann, Germany:
I just want to add some information, partially missing in the article, and
maybe not so well known.
To avoid any misunderstanding I first have to say,
that the Suisse searching campaign are exemplary and a success.
"Amateur collectors of meteorites have been accused of inappropriately
handling them and inadequately documenting their finds, making life
difficult for the scientists who want to study the rocks."
There is missing a "wrongly" and the term "amateur" is somewhat improper.
Because these searchers documented each find with all data, took the
geographical coordinates, made in-situ photos, were sometimes describing the
properties of the surrounding soils and brought them to the normal
classification process, so that they were published by the Meteoritical
Society.
Furthermore the finds were available to everyone, of course to scientists
too and that more readily than e.g. the Antarctic finds with their
distribution system.
Several of these searchers were trained geologists and some of them even
were employed at one of the leading institutes of meteorites.
Additionally many of them were responsible for the earlier desert finds in
Libya, before they opened up with their activities the desert of Oman for
research.
Another hint, that these searchers should rather be called "professionals"
might be their find record.
Let's take a look on the lunaites and Martians, because they are highlighted
in the article.
These searchers found all in all
78 stones of lunaites, representing 19 different falls, with a combined
weight of 10,077 grams.
The Suisse campaigns from 2001 on found
1 stone, representing 1 lunaite, weighing 206g.
Martians:
The "amateurs" found 3 different Martian meteorites, totaling 12,282grams
Suisse teams: 1 stone, 223grams - an additional find of a Martian, where of
the amateur searcher had found the 2 years before more than 10kgs.
Nowadays, since a few years, searching and export permits are issued by the
Omani authorities only for the Suisse-Oman-team and for nobody else anymore.
A situation, where one could come to the opinion, which is far from being
ideal, at least seeing the requirements of planetology and science.
A solution could be, to involve the so successful searchers from former
times into the official campaigns.
"in fact it was the appearance (and sale) of those rocks"
The commercial argument is proven to be weak.
E.g. seen the costs for the expedition, salaries & insurances and the
classification and lab equipment, there wouldn't have any difference, if the
authorities of Oman would have acquired ready classified chondrites up to
5-10kgs from these private searchers, if I remember their prices correcly.
(didn't made the stats, but I would be surprised, if less than 80%++ of all
finds in Oman would be ordinary chondrites).
And in general, as explained here several times - the acquiring costs of
annual World-output of new meteorites by the private/commercial side
do not exceed the costs of 3-4 normal midsized research projects in other
displines of 1st-World-universities.
"the Oman project is the only long-term search program currently being
conducted in a hot desert."
Unfortunately that is true.
Which leads two to questions:
How legitimate or how meaningful are then the restrictive legislation, which
was enforced (and which is about to be enforced) in other countries with
deserts similar productive like the Omani desert, prohibiting private
searching
if the research policy in these countries isn't able to conduct continously
official meteorite expeditions?
The complete break-down of the number of finds in Libya and Australia is
documented in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database published by the
Meteoritical Society:
http://tin.er.usgs.gov/meteor/metbull.php
The same type of legislation is planned for the NWA-sector,
Possibly leading to similar results.
And secondly,
one could feel a wrong weighting of meteorite science, if not more of such
expeditions are carried out.
Here the article is very good, in outlining, that the research on meteorites
is the essential research about the solar system, our origins and in
gathering basic information for planetology.
Seen the expenses for Earth-bound observatories and space-flight missions,
handling similar questions,
it is hardly understandable that so few means are used for the search for
meteorites and the scientific work on them,
as there exist no research on our solar system, which is so efficient like
the research on meteorites.
To invest in a more sufficient way in labs and expeditions for meteorites,
especially for desert meteorites, where the cost compared to the Antarctic
campaigns are lower with a factor of 50-100 (and where the find rates are
higher)
would still be, compared to the budgets of the neighbouring disciplines,
nothing else than peanuts.
Insofar, such articles are very important, to raise more attention.
" samples weighing four tons."
Wasn't there a publication last year -- speaking
of six tons?
All the Best!
Martin
30 May 2009
India News- AU geologists studying meteorites 29MAY09
AU geologists studying meteorites
Times of India - (more) ...
28 May 2009
India Meteorite News- Allahabad University to Study Meteorites 28MAY09
Allahabad University to Study Meteorites
Yahoo News-India 26MAY09
by K. Sandeep Kumar
Yahoo News-India 26MAY09
by K. Sandeep Kumar
Tue, May 26 12:55 AM
EXPERTS at the Allahabad University's department of earth and planetary sciences (EPS) have begun an in-depth study of samples of meteorites that have hit the Indian soil in the last seven years. The study, being undertaken by a team led by Dr J.K. Pati, is expected to unfold the mineral mysteries of these meteorites and help understand the complex process of the formation of planets and the solar system.
The AU's department of EPS also has the unique distinction of discovering the largest meteoritic impact crater, formed between the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia called the Dhala impact crater that could well emerge as the oldest on the planet. "We are studying the meteorites that hit the earth between 2001 and 2008.
This includes Dergaon meteorite from Assam (March 2, 2001), Mahadevpur meteorite, Assam (February 21, 2007) and Sulagiri meteorite, Tamil Nadu (September 12, 2008)," said Dr Pati. He said that these are the pieces of asteroids revolving between Mars and Jupiter.
Dr Pati said that their study is essential to understand the process of formation of planets and the solar system, in general.
German Meteorite News-Tagish Lake Meteorite 28MAR09
Meteorit birgt hohen Anteil organischer Ameisensäure
by
http://grenzwissenschaft-aktuell.blogspot.com/2009/05/meteorit-birgt-hohen-anteil-organischer.html
Der Tagish-Meteorit | Copyright: NASA
Die Untersuchungen durch das Team um Dr. Christopher Herd an der University of Alberta erbrachten in dem kosmischen Brocken einen vier Mal höheren Anteil der Säuremoleküle als in anderen bisher untersuchten Meteoriten. Auf dem Treffen der American Geophysical Union (AGU) haben die Forscher ihre Ergebnisse jetzt erstmals vorgestellt. ...
http://grenzwissenschaft-aktuell.blogspot.com/2009/05/meteorit-birgt-hohen-anteil-organischer.html
by
http://grenzwissenschaft-aktuell.blogspot.com/2009/05/meteorit-birgt-hohen-anteil-organischer.html
Der Tagish-Meteorit | Copyright: NASAToronto/ Kanada - In einem im Jahr 2000 im Tagish-See gestürzten Meteoriten haben kanadische Wissenschaftler einen enorm hohen Anteil von Methansäure-(Ameisensäure)-Molekülen außerirdischen Ursprungs entdeckt, wie sie auch zu den Grundbausteinen des organischen Lebens auf der Erde zählen.
Die Untersuchungen durch das Team um Dr. Christopher Herd an der University of Alberta erbrachten in dem kosmischen Brocken einen vier Mal höheren Anteil der Säuremoleküle als in anderen bisher untersuchten Meteoriten. Auf dem Treffen der American Geophysical Union (AGU) haben die Forscher ihre Ergebnisse jetzt erstmals vorgestellt. ...
http://grenzwissenschaft-aktuell.blogspot.com/2009/05/meteorit-birgt-hohen-anteil-organischer.html
Czech Meteorite News-Tunguzský meteorit 28MAY09
Mimozemšťané prý zachránili Zemi, odstřelili Tunguzský meteorit
Novinky.cz
Může to znít velmi šíleně, ale teorie ruského vědce Jurije Lavbina stojí přinejmenším za vyslechnutí. Lavbin se domnívá, že Zemi zachránili v roce 1908 od totální devastace mimozemšťané, kteří zapříčinili výbuch Tunguzského meteoritu ještě před samotným dopadem. Kdyby totiž meteorit dopadl na zemský povrch, znamenalo by to konec života na naší planetě. Vědec má pro svou teorii hned několik podpůrných důkazů. ...
http://www.novinky.cz/koktejl/169813-mimozemstane-pry-zachranili-zemi-odstrelili-tunguzsky-meteorit.htmlRichard Norton Has Passed Away 27MAY09
O. Richard Norton, Meteorite Book Writer- Deceased
1937 - 2009
Richard Norton passed away last week, after a long illness.I had known fot quite some time that Richard was in poor health, still the news of his death came as a shock. Last time I called Dorothy, I heard piano playing in the background, Chopin and very good, I thought it was a CD playing or the radio, but Dorothy told me it was Richard, and we stopped a moment to listen, it was beautiful, I had no idea Richard was such a virtuoso.I had met Richard and Dorothy several years ago in Tucson, Thanks to Twink. I was very much a new comer then , and I found Richard to be bright, friendly, funny and so approchable. I still remember showing him a slice of Tafassasset, he looked at it with his loupe for quite a while, then told me that this meteorite left him speechless. Dorothy laughed, apparently Richard was rarely speechless.And now there is that great big hole in the middle of the Meteorite Community.
O. Richard Norton passed away at Hospice House in Bend, Oregon, on May 17 after a long illness. A life-long educator and the author of popular books and articles about meteorites, astronomy and planetariums, Richard discovered his life’s passion when he built his first telescope at 14. His love for the sky and all things astronomical led him from an after-school job at Cave Optical Company in Long Beach, California, to a career in public science education.
While studying astronomy and meteoritics at UCLA, he was a lecturer at Griffith Observatory and Planetarium in Los Angeles. In 1957 he worked at the Nevada Test Site as a field researcher for the Atomic Energy Commission. There he witnessed the last 10 above-ground nuclear explosions and conducted research at the test site on the ecological effects of radiation. After graduation in 1960, he worked briefly as an optical engineer at Northrop Corporation and Tinsley Laboratories.
But he soon returned to his beloved planetariums. After 2 years at Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco, in 1963 he became Director of the University of Nevada’s Fleischmann Planetarium in Reno, where he also taught astronomy. There Richard designed the world’s first 35mm fisheye motion picture system, called the Atmospherium, which was used to project realistic time-lapse motion pictures of developing weather systems onto the interior of a planetarium dome.
His first book, The Planetarium and Atmospherium, An Indoor Universe, was published in 1969. He was a planetarium design engineer and consultant for Minolta Camera Company in Osaka, Japan. Richard became the founding director of the University of Arizona’s Flandrau Planetarium in 1973, where he continued teaching and co-designed a fisheye projection camera system which flew on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1984, producing the first full sky motion pictures from space.
In 1978 he started Science Graphics, a company that manufactured sets of teaching slides in astronomy and other sciences for use in college level courses.
Richard loved teaching and sharing his enthusiasm for astronomy, the space program, photography, geology and telescope making. He gave public lectures and taught community education classes, even venturing into the Arizona State Penitentiary to teach in maximum security and protective custody. He led field trips to Cape Canaveral, where he had his fisheye cameras at most Apollo launches, and on solar eclipse trips around the world, from Mexico to Romania.
In 1986 he moved to Bend, where he taught astronomy at Central Oregon Community College for 7 years. In Bend he rediscovered his early passion for meteorites. His book Rocks From Space was published in 1994, followed by The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Meteorites in 2002. His wife Dorothy Sigler Norton, who is a scientific illustrator, produced the illustrations and cover designs. The Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites, published in 2008, was co-authored with Bend geologist Lawrence Chitwood. Many of Richard’s meteorites are on display at the Sunriver Nature Center in Sunriver, Oregon.
Richard loved classical music and had studied piano since the age of 7. In Bend he started a series of concerts called the Four Seasons, which were held for more than 10 years at the Norton home on the equinoxes and solstices.
Richard is survived by his wife Dorothy, his sister Gloria Berg, three children from previous marriages and a granddaughter.
Source: Anne Black, Denver, Colorado
1937 - 2009
Richard Norton passed away last week, after a long illness.I had known fot quite some time that Richard was in poor health, still the news of his death came as a shock. Last time I called Dorothy, I heard piano playing in the background, Chopin and very good, I thought it was a CD playing or the radio, but Dorothy told me it was Richard, and we stopped a moment to listen, it was beautiful, I had no idea Richard was such a virtuoso.I had met Richard and Dorothy several years ago in Tucson, Thanks to Twink. I was very much a new comer then , and I found Richard to be bright, friendly, funny and so approchable. I still remember showing him a slice of Tafassasset, he looked at it with his loupe for quite a while, then told me that this meteorite left him speechless. Dorothy laughed, apparently Richard was rarely speechless.And now there is that great big hole in the middle of the Meteorite Community.
O. Richard Norton passed away at Hospice House in Bend, Oregon, on May 17 after a long illness. A life-long educator and the author of popular books and articles about meteorites, astronomy and planetariums, Richard discovered his life’s passion when he built his first telescope at 14. His love for the sky and all things astronomical led him from an after-school job at Cave Optical Company in Long Beach, California, to a career in public science education.
While studying astronomy and meteoritics at UCLA, he was a lecturer at Griffith Observatory and Planetarium in Los Angeles. In 1957 he worked at the Nevada Test Site as a field researcher for the Atomic Energy Commission. There he witnessed the last 10 above-ground nuclear explosions and conducted research at the test site on the ecological effects of radiation. After graduation in 1960, he worked briefly as an optical engineer at Northrop Corporation and Tinsley Laboratories.
But he soon returned to his beloved planetariums. After 2 years at Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco, in 1963 he became Director of the University of Nevada’s Fleischmann Planetarium in Reno, where he also taught astronomy. There Richard designed the world’s first 35mm fisheye motion picture system, called the Atmospherium, which was used to project realistic time-lapse motion pictures of developing weather systems onto the interior of a planetarium dome.
His first book, The Planetarium and Atmospherium, An Indoor Universe, was published in 1969. He was a planetarium design engineer and consultant for Minolta Camera Company in Osaka, Japan. Richard became the founding director of the University of Arizona’s Flandrau Planetarium in 1973, where he continued teaching and co-designed a fisheye projection camera system which flew on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1984, producing the first full sky motion pictures from space.
In 1978 he started Science Graphics, a company that manufactured sets of teaching slides in astronomy and other sciences for use in college level courses.
Richard loved teaching and sharing his enthusiasm for astronomy, the space program, photography, geology and telescope making. He gave public lectures and taught community education classes, even venturing into the Arizona State Penitentiary to teach in maximum security and protective custody. He led field trips to Cape Canaveral, where he had his fisheye cameras at most Apollo launches, and on solar eclipse trips around the world, from Mexico to Romania.
In 1986 he moved to Bend, where he taught astronomy at Central Oregon Community College for 7 years. In Bend he rediscovered his early passion for meteorites. His book Rocks From Space was published in 1994, followed by The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Meteorites in 2002. His wife Dorothy Sigler Norton, who is a scientific illustrator, produced the illustrations and cover designs. The Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites, published in 2008, was co-authored with Bend geologist Lawrence Chitwood. Many of Richard’s meteorites are on display at the Sunriver Nature Center in Sunriver, Oregon.
Richard loved classical music and had studied piano since the age of 7. In Bend he started a series of concerts called the Four Seasons, which were held for more than 10 years at the Norton home on the equinoxes and solstices.
Richard is survived by his wife Dorothy, his sister Gloria Berg, three children from previous marriages and a granddaughter.
Source: Anne Black, Denver, Colorado
2009 K3 Asteroid or Dormant Comet Headed Towards Earth Pass? 27MAY09
Yesterday the circular for MPEC 2009-K39 : 2009 KC3 was edited- 25MAY09
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/mpec/K09/K09K39.html
2009 KC3 it's an asteroid of around 1 Km in diameter with a MOID of 0.00967772 AU and with a very like comet orbit, the 1st and 2nd September 2009 shall be of 15.4a and the 24th and 25th August shall be at 0.049 U.A. from the Earth.
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/MPEph/MPEph.htm
Around 29 August the asteroid shall pass in the near same place where shall be the Earth two day after,
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2009+KC3+&orb=1
At today the object it's only an asteroid but, if it's a dormient comet at the end of August this year we can to have an outburst (probably little) of slow meteors.The orbit it's calculated from an arc of only 20 days, then can change a little.
---Here is what I came up with using the elements from MPEC 2009-K39 : 2009 KC3
The asteroid will arrive at the ascending node of its orbit at 20:45 UT on August 29 and the Earth will be closest to the node at 09:15 UT on September 2 (3.52 days after the asteroid). The distance separating the two orbits at that time will be 0.014 AU.
Interestingly, going backwards in time, the asteroid's perihelion distance and orbital period seems to increase; a century ago perihelion may have been ~0.17 AU larger and its period ~0.4 year longer.
Around 1989, the orbit of Earth and the asteroid virtually intersected at the node. Looking ahead in time, the asteroid's perihelion distance and orbital period will once again increase.
In 2109 perihelion may be ~0.18 AU larger and its period ~0.4 longer. In 2028, the asteroid arrives at the node about 20-days AFTER the Earth.
Anybody else have anything to add? If there is any material trailing behind 2009 KC3, it appears that the best time to look for any associated meteor activity would be on the morning of September 2, 2009.
Roberto . . . did you calculate a possible radiant?-- by Joe Rao
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/mpec/K09/K09K39.html
2009 KC3 it's an asteroid of around 1 Km in diameter with a MOID of 0.00967772 AU and with a very like comet orbit, the 1st and 2nd September 2009 shall be of 15.4a and the 24th and 25th August shall be at 0.049 U.A. from the Earth.
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/MPEph/MPEph.htm
Around 29 August the asteroid shall pass in the near same place where shall be the Earth two day after,
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2009+KC3+&orb=1
At today the object it's only an asteroid but, if it's a dormient comet at the end of August this year we can to have an outburst (probably little) of slow meteors.The orbit it's calculated from an arc of only 20 days, then can change a little.
---Here is what I came up with using the elements from MPEC 2009-K39 : 2009 KC3
The asteroid will arrive at the ascending node of its orbit at 20:45 UT on August 29 and the Earth will be closest to the node at 09:15 UT on September 2 (3.52 days after the asteroid). The distance separating the two orbits at that time will be 0.014 AU.
Interestingly, going backwards in time, the asteroid's perihelion distance and orbital period seems to increase; a century ago perihelion may have been ~0.17 AU larger and its period ~0.4 year longer.
Around 1989, the orbit of Earth and the asteroid virtually intersected at the node. Looking ahead in time, the asteroid's perihelion distance and orbital period will once again increase.
In 2109 perihelion may be ~0.18 AU larger and its period ~0.4 longer. In 2028, the asteroid arrives at the node about 20-days AFTER the Earth.
Anybody else have anything to add? If there is any material trailing behind 2009 KC3, it appears that the best time to look for any associated meteor activity would be on the morning of September 2, 2009.
Roberto . . . did you calculate a possible radiant?-- by Joe Rao
North in Yuba City, California.AMS eyewitness report time is: May 25th, 2210 hrs. PDT 28MAY09
Fireball or ISS? 25MAY09
25MAY09 Fireball?/ISS? Report Updated 28MAY09
Anyone else get a photo of it, or see it around Glen Ellen, California? Glen Ellen is near the center of Santa Rosa-Napa-Petaluma triangle. I am North in Yuba City, California.
AMS eyewitness report time is: May 25th, 2210 hrs. PDT, traveling from NW30 to SE90 YCSentinel has a capture of a very bright object travelling slowly apparently toward my zenith FROM the North-West.
Sentinel camera timed out at 12 seconds with the object still bright and moving. I thought it might be a slow airplane.....until now!
My time is May 25th, 2211:34 Sentinel Light Curve is huge lasting 370 frames before time-out. I have a short (12 second composite picture & a movie) of what I did capture with the Sentinel system.
My 2nd "Handyavi" system has a corrupt file which occured just before this event. (0506 UT time). That corruption may have been caused by this long lasting fireball.
I am unable to recover that file unfortunately.
YC-Sentinel
Received from Marc Fries PhD. c/c to Peter Jenniskens-- YCSentinel 28MAY09
"I haven't retrieved the radar data for this one yet, but I strongly suspect we're looking at an ISS pass.
The following pass is recorded for Sacramento using the Heavens-Above website:
25 May -2.5 22:09:04 10 NW 22:11:59 87 NE 22:12:02 85 E This records a near-zenith pass starting around 2210 and starting out of the NW. Cheers, MDF"
25MAY09 Fireball?/ISS? Report Updated 28MAY09
Anyone else get a photo of it, or see it around Glen Ellen, California? Glen Ellen is near the center of Santa Rosa-Napa-Petaluma triangle. I am North in Yuba City, California.
AMS eyewitness report time is: May 25th, 2210 hrs. PDT, traveling from NW30 to SE90 YCSentinel has a capture of a very bright object travelling slowly apparently toward my zenith FROM the North-West.
Sentinel camera timed out at 12 seconds with the object still bright and moving. I thought it might be a slow airplane.....until now!
My time is May 25th, 2211:34 Sentinel Light Curve is huge lasting 370 frames before time-out. I have a short (12 second composite picture & a movie) of what I did capture with the Sentinel system.
My 2nd "Handyavi" system has a corrupt file which occured just before this event. (0506 UT time). That corruption may have been caused by this long lasting fireball.
I am unable to recover that file unfortunately.
YC-Sentinel
Received from Marc Fries PhD. c/c to Peter Jenniskens-- YCSentinel 28MAY09
"I haven't retrieved the radar data for this one yet, but I strongly suspect we're looking at an ISS pass.
The following pass is recorded for Sacramento using the Heavens-Above website:
25 May -2.5 22:09:04 10 NW 22:11:59 87 NE 22:12:02 85 E This records a near-zenith pass starting around 2210 and starting out of the NW. Cheers, MDF"
New North Central California Fireball Event May 27 at 0228:46 PDT 27MAY09
JUST RELEASED! will soon be updated!!!! check back
May 27 at 0228:46 PDT
This Fireball appears mid-sky south of North Central California.Characterized by what appears may be the ejection of objects which begin a now visible brief ablation or heating after a short distance from the core on either side.I can only speculate* (*no credentials for this) that PART of this fireball fragmented explosively and it may be that cool fragments reached ablation velocity momentarily. They appear stationary in my images after heating. A possible meteoroid dropping event?
Soon to be updated by YCSentinel
May 27 at 0228:46 PDT
This Fireball appears mid-sky south of North Central California.Characterized by what appears may be the ejection of objects which begin a now visible brief ablation or heating after a short distance from the core on either side.I can only speculate* (*no credentials for this) that PART of this fireball fragmented explosively and it may be that cool fragments reached ablation velocity momentarily. They appear stationary in my images after heating. A possible meteoroid dropping event?
Soon to be updated by YCSentinel
New Fireball event May 27 at 0228:46 PDT
New event May 27 at 0228:46 PDT image by YCSentinel
Composite image scaled with a detail insert. The movie clearly shows the ejected(?) particles.
Date and time is in the file name: May 27 at 0228:46 PDT
Date and time is in the file name: May 27 at 0228:46 PDT
Date-Time 20090527_0228:46 PDT. (0928:46 UT)
Duration = 3 seconds.
Start Azimuth = 186 Deg. true North.
Start Elevation = 58 Deg.End Azimuth 153 Deg.
End Elevation 47 Degrees
Looks like the 90 second event was an ISS satellite pass.
Looks like the 90 second event was an ISS satellite pass.
I am hoping I can bring out the positions of the apparent fragments in the composite. If not I will attempt inserts at the top of the composite image showing where they were in respect to the core at their separate visible times.
The movie shows these hot fragments very clear during the event.
The movie shows these hot fragments very clearly during the event.
The movie shows these hot fragments very clearly during the event.
This Fireball appears mid-sky south of North Central California. Characterized by what appears may be the ejection of objects which begin a now visible brief ablation or heating after a short distance from the core on either side.I can only speculate* (*no credentials for this) that PART of this fireball fragmented explosively and it may be that cool fragments reached ablation velocity momentarily. They appear stationary in my images after heating. A possible meteoroid dropping event?
reported by YCSentinel
reported by YCSentinel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)