[meteorite-list] NP Article, 08-1961 Meteor Could Touch Off WWIII

From: Francis Graham <francisgraham_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:28:27 2004
Message-ID: <20031013150515.29596.qmail_at_web40112.mail.yahoo.com>

Dear List,
   Mark Bostick's provision of Murray Kornhauser's
article in the Sheyboygen paper may prompt some
question as to who Murray Kornhauser is.
   Kornhauser was one of the chief researchers in
impact theory in the 1950s, 1960's and 70's. As the
article shows, back in 1961, he recognized that a
meteor impact would indeed mimic a nuclear explosion,
complete with mushroom cloud, but sans radiation, long
before that was common knowledge among planetologists.
 He also heavily researched impact senarios on land
and water of various objects. But his work was done
primarily through defense contracts, and he did not
have the freedom, as did the late Eugene Shoemaker, to
publish all that he discovered of importance.
    So it is with researchers. It is a choice for good
minds between defense and science, as science, by its
very nature, must be open, and military, by its very
nature, must be secret. But there was no NASA during
the first part of Murray's career, so really, there
was no choice.
    However, a great deal of his unclassified work was
published in his book, Structural Effects of Impact
(Cleave House, Baltimore, 1964). It remains an early
useful guide to this topic, still valuable. Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh has a copy.
   Some recognition is certainly due Kornhauser, as he
was one of the first impact scientists who looked at
impacts systematically and comprehensively (together
with John Rheinhart, who studied the Arizona Meteor
Crater). Much of Kornhauser's material likely could be
profitably gathered and reprinted, and this would be
of good use to impact theorists.
   Later, among many things, Murray studied car
impacts and helped develop better air bags. Something
to remember, when you are in a crash.
   Murray Kornhauser, 79, lives in New Jersey now and
is an investment consultant, but keeps up on meteor
impact literature.
   

Francis Graham


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Received on Mon 13 Oct 2003 11:05:15 AM PDT