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Re: Antarctica vs. the Arctic
Jamie,
Actually, the reason is almost the reverse of your thoughts. The glaciers in
Antarctica carry the meteorites along buried under thousands of years of snow
compressed into ice and then move them to the surface when the ice encounters
a mountain range and begins flowing upward, eroding away at the surface
leaving the meteorites exposed. If you check a map of Antarctica you will
notice that the major collecting areas have a mountain range between the
interior and the coast. Glaciers flowing directly to the sea probably contain
meteorites also, but they drop into the ocean or get carried away in icebergs.
Gene
J. McDougall wrote:
>
> Although this may seem mundane to group members here, and I may
> answer my own question....
> I have been wondering lately why so many meteorites are found in
> the Antarctic but relatively few in the Artic. Is it because of the heavy
> glaciation in the northern hemisphere during the last 50,000 yrs
> having removed many of the in situ meteorites. Whereas the lack of
> glaciation in the southern hemispere, having not removed many of the in
> situ meteorites, makes them more numerous?
> Or is there another reason that I am not thinking of?
>
> Thanks
> JM
>
> * Jamie McDougall Collector of: Native Artifacts & Baskets *
> * 109 Hickory St. W Taxidermy & Skulls *
> * Waterloo, Ontario Curiousities *
> * N2L 3K1 Fossils *
> * Meteorites *
> * Mortuary Items *
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