[meteorite-list] NASA Researchers Probe Mundrabilla Meteorite - The Aussie Way
From: Jeff Kuyken <jeff_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:00 2004 Message-ID: <008c01c271ca$bfefee20$1c438a90_at_default> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_006B_01C2721D.A3E66A80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable G'day List, Thought I would share a story about Mundrabilla. I was in Adelaide = earlier in the year and they actually have a 2500 kg piece of the second = largest mass at the Museum. ( Half the 5 or 6 tonne mass. Can't remember = the exact weight.) It is located right at the front entrance. In fact I = was quite surprised to see it placed so close to the outdoor elements! I = have not seen a good photo of one of the two large masses on the = internet, but 'in-person' it is a truly remarkable specimen. All those = times you have read that phrase "Meteorites NEVER have holes in the = surface" is completely turned upside-down. There is not one flat section = of the Mundrabilla crust. It is unique in the sense that when Mundrabilla weathered, the trolite = disappeared and left big holes and pockets in the surface. (I think = that's what happened.) Some of these went very deep and curved their way = right down out of sight. Others were easily big enough to fit a hand in. = But in the true response of the general publics awe and respect for such = an amazing piece of natural history - half the holes were full of lollie = and twisties wrappers!!! Aussies way of probing the Mundrabilla meteorite, Jeff Kuyken I.M.C.A. #3085 www.meteoritesaustralia.com ----- Original Message -----=20 From: "Ron Baalke" <baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov> To: "Meteorite Mailing List" <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com> Sent: Saturday, October 12, 2002 7:10 AM Subject: [meteorite-list] NASA Researchers Probe Mundrabilla Meteorite >=20 >=20 > NASA News=20 > National Aeronautics and Space Administration >=20 > John F. Kennedy Space Center > Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 > AC 321-867-2468 >=20 > For Release: Oct. 11, 2002=20 >=20 > KSC Contact: Manny Virata=20 > (321) 867-2468=20 >=20 > KSC Release No. 99 - 02 >=20 > MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: > NASA RESEARCHERS PROBE METEORITE >=20 > A new NASA study of a one-of-a-kind meteorite found 36 years ago in=20 > Australia could help provide the science community and industry=20 > with fundamental knowledge for use in the design of advanced=20 > materials. >=20 > Such materials could be used for future spacecraft, improved jet=20 > aircraft and in various manufactured goods from cars to household=20 > materials. In addition, the meteorite - now at Kennedy Space Center=20 > - could help reveal secrets about the core of our planet and its=20 > magnetic field. >=20 > The 100-pound Mundrabilla meteorite sample, which is on loan to=20 > Marshall Space Flight Center from the Smithsonian Institution's=20 > National Museum of Natural History, is being studied by MSFC and=20 > KSC, primarily through the use of KSC's Computed Tomography Scanner. >=20 > Dr. Donald Gillies, discipline scientist for materials science at=20 > MSFC's Microgravity Science and Applications Department, is the=20 > Principal Investigator on the study. >=20 > "Most meteorites are solid chunks of metal, surrounded by a rocky=20 > surface. This one is a combination of materials (iron-nickel and=20 > iron-sulfide) that became solid at different rates in cooling over=20 > millions of years," Dr. Gillies said. "It offers an amazing=20 > opportunity for understanding fundamentals of alloy formation." >=20 > Pete Engel, an engineering specialist in Wyle Laboratory's=20 > Nondestructive Testing Laboratory at KSC, has processed the scans=20 > of the meteorite at KSC. >=20 > "The CT Scanner is able to reveal the untouched internal structure=20 > of the meteorite by detecting differences in the densities of its=20 > materials," Engel said. "Without a tool like the scanner, it would=20 > be impossible to study the inside of the meteorite without altering=20 > it by sawing into it or grinding it up." >=20 > The idea behind computed tomography - first used in the medical=20 > field - is to create a picture of a very thin cross section of an=20 > object by passing a very thin fan of X-rays or gamma rays through=20 > it and then repeating the process until every slice of an object is=20 > imaged in order to create a 3-D image. Dr. Gillies and Engel are=20 > conducting the meteorite CT work at KSC using gamma rays given off=20 > by a pencil lead-sized piece of radioactive cobalt as it decays. >=20 > "This meteorite, like all meteorites, was formed in a lower gravity=20 > environment than here on Earth," Dr. Gillies pointed out. "Like=20 > experiments performed on the Space Shuttle or the International=20 > Space Station, this research allows us to look at fundamental=20 > science questions. Unlike our own flight experiments, this one=20 > represents a billion year solidification experiment in low gravity." >=20 > NOTE: Media members who wish to view the meteorite and Computed=20 > Tomography Scanner and interview Pete Engel should call Manny Virata=20 > at 867-2468 to schedule a time from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday,=20 > Oct. 16, for a tour of the Nondestructive Testing Laboratory. >=20 >=20 > ______________________________________________ > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com > http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list ------=_NextPart_000_006B_01C2721D.A3E66A80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.50.4522.1800" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT><FONT face=3DVerdana> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>G'day List,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Thought I would share a story about = Mundrabilla. I was=20 in Adelaide earlier in the year and they actually have a 2500 kg piece = of the=20 second largest mass at the Museum. ( Half the 5 or 6 tonne mass. = Can't=20 remember the exact weight.) It is located right at the front = entrance. In=20 fact I was quite surprised to see it placed so close to the outdoor = elements! I have not seen a good photo of one of the two large masses on = the=20 internet, but 'in-person' it is a truly remarkable specimen. All those = times you=20 have read that phrase "Meteorites NEVER have holes in the surface" is = completely=20 turned upside-down. There is not one flat section of the Mundrabilla=20 crust.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>It is unique in the sense that when = Mundrabilla=20 weathered, the trolite disappeared and left big holes and pockets in the = surface. (I think that's what happened.) Some of these went very deep = and curved=20 their way right down out of sight. Others were easily big enough to fit = a hand=20 in. But in the true response of the general publics awe and respect for = such an=20 amazing piece of natural history - half the holes were full of lollie = and=20 twisties wrappers!!!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Aussies way of probing the Mundrabilla=20 meteorite,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Jeff Kuyken<BR>I.M.C.A. #3085<BR><A=20 href=3D"http://www.meteoritesaustralia.com">www.meteoritesaustralia.com</= A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>----- Original Message ----- </FONT> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>From: "Ron Baalke" <</FONT><A=20 href=3D"mailto:baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov"><FONT=20 face=3DVerdana>baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov</FONT></A><FONT=20 face=3DVerdana>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>To: "Meteorite Mailing List" <</FONT><A=20 href=3D"mailto:meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com"><FONT=20 face=3DVerdana>meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com</FONT></A><FONT=20 face=3DVerdana>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Sent: Saturday, October 12, 2002 7:10 = AM</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Subject: [meteorite-list] NASA Researchers = Probe=20 Mundrabilla Meteorite</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>> = <BR>>=20 <BR>> NASA News <BR>> National Aeronautics and Space=20 Administration<BR>> <BR>> John F. Kennedy Space Center<BR>> = Kennedy=20 Space Center, Florida 32899<BR>> AC 321-867-2468<BR>> <BR>> For = Release: Oct. 11, 2002 <BR>> <BR>> KSC Contact: Manny Virata = <BR>>=20 (321) 867-2468 <BR>> <BR>> KSC Release No. 99 - 02<BR>> = <BR>> MEDIA=20 OPPORTUNITY:<BR>> NASA RESEARCHERS PROBE METEORITE<BR>> <BR>> A = new=20 NASA study of a one-of-a-kind meteorite found 36 years ago in <BR>> = Australia=20 could help provide the science community and industry <BR>> with = fundamental=20 knowledge for use in the design of advanced <BR>> materials.<BR>> = <BR>>=20 Such materials could be used for future spacecraft, improved jet = <BR>>=20 aircraft and in various manufactured goods from cars to household = <BR>>=20 materials. In addition, the meteorite - now at Kennedy Space Center = <BR>> -=20 could help reveal secrets about the core of our planet and its <BR>> = magnetic=20 field.<BR>> <BR>> The 100-pound Mundrabilla meteorite sample, = which is on=20 loan to <BR>> Marshall Space Flight Center from the Smithsonian = Institution's=20 <BR>> National Museum of Natural History, is being studied by MSFC = and=20 <BR>> KSC, primarily through the use of KSC's Computed Tomography=20 Scanner.<BR>> <BR>> Dr. Donald Gillies, discipline scientist for = materials=20 science at <BR>> MSFC's Microgravity Science and Applications = Department, is=20 the <BR>> Principal Investigator on the study.<BR>> <BR>> "Most = meteorites are solid chunks of metal, surrounded by a rocky <BR>> = surface.=20 This one is a combination of materials (iron-nickel and <BR>> = iron-sulfide)=20 that became solid at different rates in cooling over <BR>> millions = of=20 years," Dr. Gillies said. "It offers an amazing <BR>> opportunity for = understanding fundamentals of alloy formation."<BR>> <BR>> Pete = Engel, an=20 engineering specialist in Wyle Laboratory's <BR>> Nondestructive = Testing=20 Laboratory at KSC, has processed the scans <BR>> of the meteorite at=20 KSC.<BR>> <BR>> "The CT Scanner is able to reveal the untouched = internal=20 structure <BR>> of the meteorite by detecting differences in the = densities of=20 its <BR>> materials," Engel said. "Without a tool like the scanner, = it would=20 <BR>> be impossible to study the inside of the meteorite without = altering=20 <BR>> it by sawing into it or grinding it up."<BR>> <BR>> The = idea=20 behind computed tomography - first used in the medical <BR>> field - = is to=20 create a picture of a very thin cross section of an <BR>> object by = passing a=20 very thin fan of X-rays or gamma rays through <BR>> it and then = repeating the=20 process until every slice of an object is <BR>> imaged in order to = create a=20 3-D image. Dr. Gillies and Engel are <BR>> conducting the meteorite = CT work=20 at KSC using gamma rays given off <BR>> by a pencil lead-sized piece = of=20 radioactive cobalt as it decays.<BR>> <BR>> "This meteorite, like = all=20 meteorites, was formed in a lower gravity <BR>> environment than here = on=20 Earth," Dr. Gillies pointed out. "Like <BR>> experiments performed on = the=20 Space Shuttle or the International <BR>> Space Station, this research = allows=20 us to look at fundamental <BR>> science questions. Unlike our own = flight=20 experiments, this one <BR>> represents a billion year solidification=20 experiment in low gravity."<BR>> <BR>> NOTE: Media members = who wish=20 to view the meteorite and Computed <BR>> Tomography Scanner and = interview=20 Pete Engel should call Manny Virata <BR>> at 867-2468 to schedule a = time from=20 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, <BR>> Oct. 16, for a tour of the=20 Nondestructive Testing Laboratory.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>>=20 ______________________________________________<BR>> Meteorite-list = mailing=20 list<BR>> </FONT><A = href=3D"mailto:Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com"><FONT=20 face=3DVerdana>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT=20 face=3DVerdana>> </FONT><A=20 href=3D"http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list"><FONT=20 face=3DVerdana>http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list</F= ONT></A></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_006B_01C2721D.A3E66A80-- Received on Sat 12 Oct 2002 04:31:53 AM PDT |
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