[meteorite-list] "Flaming rocks"???

From: Robert Beauford <wendirob_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:41:08 2004
Message-ID: <000701c09397$29bd7200$404897cc_at_wendirob>

Flames and glowing reports aside, would it be reasonable to assume that a
meteorite that has very freshly fallen might under certain circumstances
have a slightly warm exterior (after all, it might have a substantial amount
of fusion crust of material that has been vitrified from the heat of
atmospheric passage and actually stayed with the object... ie: not yet
ablated), and that shortly after being on the surface (seconds or minutes),
the temperature would equalize to a much cooler temperature as the warmth
from the surface was absorbed by the sub-zero interior? OR would the
temperature of the surface already have equalized to below freezing during
the few seconds of fall at terminal velocity after the object has fallen
below incandescent speeds?
This might explain some of the warm/cold discrepancy in reports.
How many objects are known that have actually been touched this quickly
after entry?
-Robert : )

> I remember reading an article not too long ago about the ALH84001
meteorite.
> The experiment was to prove that bacteria could survive the enty to earth
> without heating to much. When magnetite is free here on earth it orients
> itself to the magnetic poles. The magnetite on the inside of the
meteorite
> was not oriented yet. The researchers then proceeded to heat the
meteorite
> until it was hot enough for it to orient itself. They found that once it
> got up to around 100 degrees fahrenhite the magnetite would reorient
itself.
> In comparison that's about how hot you car would get on hot summer day.
The
> outside of the meteorite does get very hot. That's how fusion crust is
> formed. But what's been show to happen is once the material gets hot
enough
> it ablates away leaving the ice cold rock that has been floating around in
> the coldness of space for billions of years.
>
> Rhett Bourland
> www.evansville.net/~rbourlan
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com]On Behalf Of
> Meteordealer
> Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 2:43 AM
> To: Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Flaming rocks"???
>
>
> So why is it exactly that meteorites are believed to be cold when they
> fall? The exterior skin of supersonic aircraft becomes so hot during
flight
> that people are unable to touch them when they land. They actually have to
> sit and cool down before the pilots can exit them. From what i understand
> this is due to the air friction that the aircraft undergoes during high
> speed flight. Why wouldn't the same thing happen to a meteorite? Also, why
> would space junk be hot after entering the atmosphere but not meteorites??
>
> Brad Sampson
> meteor.dealer_at_gte.net
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Freeman" <dfreeman_at_fascination.com>
> To: "Walter Branch" <waltbranch_at_earthlink.net>
> Cc: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 8:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Flaming rocks"???
>
>
> > Dear Walter and All,
> > So, is this how some sleeping dogs die and some do not, by the "flame"
of
> > the rock?
> > Dog lives!
> > Ruff,
> > Dave F.
> >
> > Walter Branch wrote:
> >
> > > > > 16-year old Shawn Coleman was walking home from a friends hour--
> > > > > when he saw something shooting down from the sky--into his front
> > > > > yard. Shawn kicked snow on the flaming rock to cool it off--then
> > > > > ran in to show his family.
> > > >
> > > > When is this myth about hot meteorites going to die??!
> > > > "Flaming rocks"? We have Hollywood to thank for this
> > > > misconception. --Rob
> > >
> > > Maybe this is how Egyptian dogs get turned into ashes. . .
> > >
> > > (please, I'm only kidding)
> > >
> > > -Walter
> > >
> > > -------------------------------------------------
> > > Walter Branch, Ph.D.
> > > Branch Meteorites
> > > 322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B
> > > Savannah, GA 31405 USA
> > > http://branchmeteorites.com
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Matson, Robert" <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_saic.com>
> > > To: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> > > Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 2:36 PM
> > > Subject: [meteorite-list] "Flaming rocks"???
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Meteorite-list mailing list
> > > > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> > > > http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> > > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Meteorite-list mailing list
> > > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> > > http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Meteorite-list mailing list
> > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> > http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Sat 10 Feb 2001 02:25:00 PM PST