[meteorite-list] metal detector help?

From: almitt <almitt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:53:35 2004
Message-ID: <3E009E1F.68BC23DF_at_kconline.com>

Hi Tom,

Someone on the list wrote:

> This may be a dumb question but I have nil experience with metal
> detectors. Wouldn't it be possible to detect meteoritic debris with
> the help of high-precision metal detectors even if it is covered by
> several inches of snow?

Ron Baalke wrote:

If the fragments were iron meteorites, then metal detectors would easily find them
provided
they are not too deep in the snow. Most metal detectors are going to be limited to
about 6 inches (or less) in depth. Also, odds are are the fragments will be stony
chondrites, and stony chondrites are a bit more difficult for a metal detector to pick
up.
I once took a number of meteorites to a store that sold metal detectors to test out.
I tried out various types meteorites with about a dozen different metal detectors.
They all had no problem with the irons and stony-irons. However, all of the metal
detectors had problems detecting stony meteorites. I had to play with the detectors
to
fine-tune it to a particular stony meteorite, but once it was fined tuned for
one meteorite, it would tend to ignore a lot of the other stony meteorites. I couldn't

configure the detectors into a mode where it would pick up all or most of the
stony chondrites.

Ron Baalke

AL Mitterling wrote:

I have been to metal detector clubs, talking about meteorites and what Ron has said
rings true
when we have experimented with various detectors on various stony meteorites. It seems
that
you can peak them for certain stones but then others won't register. Perhaps there is
some
detector that can be useful over a wider range but I think hunting by eyesight (and on
hoof)
may well still be the best method.

Nininger once said, any considerable search over a considerable area WILL yield a
meteorite.
The more eyes, hands and feet you can get out there hunting the better your chances of
finding
material. All my best!

You might also check the archives at the meteorite centeral and do a search under
metal detectors and there should be a couple of threads on the subject.

--AL
Received on Wed 18 Dec 2002 11:11:12 AM PST