[meteorite-list] IN3 - Meteorite Recovery

From: Rick Nowak <internationalmeteoritesociety_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:54:05 2004
Message-ID: <20020217024531.26669.qmail_at_web21001.mail.yahoo.com>

We are attempting to find the meteor that set off
earthquake station IN3. We visted the area last week.
This area is really farmed area. For some one not to
have come across this in the last 12 years is amazing.
I asked the newspaper in Columbus Indiana and Hope if
they would print up a story and offered a cash reward
for anyone that comes forward with a meteorite.
since the event took place in the winter I feel the
meteor did not create a crater but rather flatted
itself out. Later that night it started snowing
covering up the scaare on the Earth.

On December 26 1988 between 0620 and 0625 GMT
(0120-0125 EST ) Many people observed a very bright
fireball over south-central Indiana.The object was
seen as far as Northern Georgia and central Michigan.
The fireball ( with colors ranging from white to
orange to red ) was brighter than the full moon and
reported to light the area " like daylight". Some
people observed a bright flash, and lasting 2-3
seconds, while others others reported 3 or more
flashes.NE of Nashville and S of Franklin, Indiana,
flashes were accompanied by many as 2 sounds ( "booms
and "thunder"). A faint sound like distant thunder,
occurred 3 minutes after the bright flash in
Whitehall, 11 km W of Bloomington. "Rippling, roaring"
sounds were reported from the Columbus and Seymour
areas.

Alan Johnson a professor of materials science at U of
L, said reports of blue and green flashes indicate the
object might have been man-made."Blue and green
flashes generally means copper is present," he said.
"Meteors are generally iron or rock, while copper is
used in spacecraft."

The meteor/debris triggered a seismic recording at
earthquake station IN3. No other stations recorded the
event. Azimuth is not possible but projections place
the meteor/debris at 9.24 km ( 5.7147 miles) with
margin of error at +/- .5 km ( 0.310686 miles).

Most line of sight observations indicate the falling
object disappeared in the area of Seymour Indiana.

Numerous newspaper articles were printed pertaining to
this event with no results. No one has brought forth
any meteorites/debris.

According to Thorne Lay Associate Professor Seismology
Director UM Seismological Lab "This is a very unusual
recording if it indeed corresponds to a meteorite
impact. I have never seen a confirmed fall
seismogram."

Meteor/debris search was conducted near Seymour. IMS
is using only the station's recording which cannot
error in judgment nor is it false or misleading in
reporting what took place at 1:24 A.M. Newspapers
articles did not produce any recovery results since
1988. IMS has no knowledge of anyone checking a 5.7147
+/- or minus search radius around the station.

IMS is conducting a mail survey search. Followed up by
door to door search if need be.

IMS feels either meteorites or possible
Russian/American space debris will be recovered since
the meteor/debris hit the ground and would have to be
of significant weight to set off IN3 5.7147 miles
away.IMS hopes to make the possible first
seismic/meteorite recovery.

Anyone that wishes to get involed contact me at

internationalmeteoritesociety_at_yahoo.com

 

IMS wishes to personally thank Nelson Shaffer of the
Indiana Geological Survey for this invaluable
information .

 

 


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Received on Sat 16 Feb 2002 09:45:31 PM PST