[meteorite-list] Screwball

From: David Freeman <dfreeman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:22:39 2004
Message-ID: <3EEE8713.3080202_at_fascination.com>

Dear List;
If one imagines any number of objects that go air borne at flight speed;
either motorbikes, NASCARS, fighter jets, skydivers...the potential for
a deviation from a straight path of flight is the norm rather than the
exception. In baseball, we have a number of pitches that generate pitch
(ha, ha), roll, and yaw on the ball. The screwball resulting from a
ruffed up part of the leather covering on the ball has been banned for
years. The ball sinks, drops, goes screwy with the change from
aerodynamic equality.
I think that anything other than a perfect sphere entering the
atmosphere has the potential for a spin, turn, or drag/drift to one side
or another. At that point it is a matter of velocity times rotational
effect (and mass/inertia) as to whether we get cork screw.
With the atmospheric break up of meteorites, we can see the drift and
separation evident as the pieces drift down. If a piece came in a
little fast at break up, and had a jagged or protruding area out of
aerodynamic balance, the potential for a "corkscrewer" would be there.
Next thread ,"how perfectly round can ablation be".
A pinch screwy himself,
Dave F.
Received on Mon 16 Jun 2003 11:12:19 PM PDT