[Fwd: [meteorite-list] Earth Impactors]

From: magellon <magellon_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:00:10 2004
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Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 01:00:51 -0400
From: magellon <magellon_at_earthlink.net>
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To: Walter Branch <branchw_at_bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Earth Impactors
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Walter, Elton and List,

>I am thinking it may be more of a question of how "small"
>must it be for pieces to survive in tact.

I agree with this Meteorite fragments that are recovered have been
"slowed" by the atmosphere and fall subsonically to earth. A high
velocity impact would result in huge energy disbursement and few
fragments.(Tunguska leveled 2,000 sq km of dense Siberian forest) So my
SWAG is :
Less than 60 meters in diameter for stone meteoroid
Less than 20 meters in diameter for iron meteoroid
(not quite as big as a soccer field unless you figure for Ice.)
Best,
Ken Newton




Walter Branch wrote:

> Hello Everyone, I have been asked a question for which I have no
> answer. "how large does an object have to be for it not to vaporize
> completely upon plunging through Earth's atmosphere, i.e., for there
> to be anything sizeable left to cause wide destruction once it hits
> the ground (or water)?" I know that the answer is not an easy one and
> there are numerous variables involved (e.g., type of material
> involved, angle of entry, definition of "wide destruction," etc.) but
> does anyone have a guess (or a SWAG) as to the answer. -Walter
> -----------------------------------------------
> Walter Branch, Ph.D.
> Branch Meteorites
> 322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B
> Savannah, GA 31405 USA
> www.branchmeteorites.com

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Walter, Elton and List,
<p>>I am thinking it may be more of a question of how "small"
<br>>must it be for pieces to survive in tact.
<p>I agree with this&nbsp;&nbsp; Meteorite fragments that are recovered
have been "slowed" by the atmosphere and fall subsonically to earth. A
high velocity impact would result in huge energy disbursement and few fragments.(Tunguska
leveled 2,000 sq km of dense Siberian forest)&nbsp; So my SWAG is :
<br>Less than 60 meters&nbsp; in diameter for stone meteoroid
<br>Less than 20 meters&nbsp; in diameter for iron meteoroid
<br>(not quite as big as a soccer field unless you figure for Ice.)
<br>Best,
<br>Ken Newton
<br>&nbsp;
<br>&nbsp;
<br>&nbsp;
<p>Walter Branch wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE><style></style>
<font face="Arial"><font size=-1>Hello
Everyone,</font></font>&nbsp;<font face="Arial"><font size=-1>I have been
asked a question for which I have no answer.</font></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font face="Courier New"><font size=-1>"how
large does an object have to be for it not to vaporize completely upon
plunging through Earth's atmosphere, i.e., for there</font></font>
<br><font face="Courier New"><font size=-1>to be anything sizeable left
to cause wide destruction once it hits the ground (or water)?"</font></font>&nbsp;<font face="Courier New"><font size=-1>I
know that the answer is not an easy one and there are numerous variables
involved (e.g., type of material involved, angle of entry, definition of
"wide destruction," etc.) but does anyone have a guess (or a SWAG) as to
the answer.</font></font>&nbsp;<font face="Courier New"><font size=-1>-Walter</font></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;
<br><font face="Arial"><font size=-1>-----------------------------------------------</font></font>
<br><font face="Arial"><font size=-1>Walter Branch, Ph.D.</font></font>
<br><font face="Arial"><font size=-1>Branch Meteorites</font></font>
<br><font face="Arial"><font size=-1>322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B</font></font>
<br><font face="Arial"><font size=-1>Savannah, GA&nbsp; 31405 USA</font></font>
<br><font face="Arial"><font size=-1><a href="http://www.branchmeteorites.com">www.branchmeteorites.com</a></font></font></blockquote>

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Received on Thu 25 Jul 2002 01:03:31 AM PDT


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