[meteorite-list] Park Forest Main Mass Status Clarification

From: Adam Hupe <adamhupe_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:25:34 2004
Message-ID: <00c701c310ce$abf3e0e0$b4dbe60c_at_attbi.com>

Dear List,

I would like to clarify my previous statements regarding this subject.

As far as the Garza stone goes it weighed at least 2,722 grams when it
punched a single hole through the roof. It fragmented into several pieces
only after hitting a joist a few milliseconds later. It then punched two
large holes and a very small hole in the drywall ceiling. The largest
remaining fragment weighs 2,333 grams making it the second largest fragment
from the Park Forest fall in existence. Avoiding the term "Main Mass" since
there is no clear definition it can be safely said that the Garza stone with
its associated fragments is the largest stone yet identified from this fall.
By using the collectors term for "Main Mass" it can be said that it was the
Main Mass for about 2 milliseconds. Anyway you look at it this is the
largest meteorite yet recovered from this fall.

As far as the Jones' stone is concerned it weighed 2,699 grams when it
punched a hole through the roof making it the second largest meteorite from
this fall. The largest remaining fragment weighs 2,668 grams making it the
largest intact specimen in existence. It can be said without a doubt to be
the second largest meteorite yet recovered from this fall.

Interestingly these two meteorites are both at least twice the weight of the
third largest stone. Maybe there should be two definitions describing main
masses, one for collectors and one for the rest of the world.

All the best,

Adam and Greg Hupe
Received on Fri 02 May 2003 01:17:12 PM PDT