[meteorite-list] Meteorite Fall Rates

From: minador <minador_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Jun 16 22:27:05 2004
Message-ID: <013701c45411$8978f780$cf77480c_at_s0024741812>

Hi List,

I agree with Walter on both points. I would throw "more meteorite
awareness" in with the increase in population density. Does that sound
reasonable?

However, just because there is a lack of sample data, that doesn't mean
there can't be a true increase of fall rate. I sometimes think that solar
system is seen more static that it truly is. For instance, it's easy to
talk about collisions now that we witnessed Shoemaker-Levy 9 smack into
Jupiter. At least perhaps with novices like me. I'm sure scientist have
been warning of such events for a long time now.

This is a really interesting discussion. I hope a lot of you have time to
write some comments...

Mark Bowling

----- Original Message -----
From: branchw_at_bellsouth.net
To: Meteorite List
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 6:42 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Meteorite Fall Rates


Hello Everyone,

Determining whether meteorite falls has remained constant over a given
period of time is more difficult than it first appears. At least other two
variables have to be considered.

First, as I point out on my site, increasing population density may account
for an increase in reported falls. If the fall rate truly is constant over
say the past century, any increase in reported falls may be more of a
function of more people covering a given area of the Earth's surface, than
an actual increase in fall rate. An inverse correlation between population
density and fall rate would be much more interesting.

Also, there may be the problem of time sampling. Meteorites have been
impacting the Earth for literally billions of years. The time of recorded
human history is so small in comparison. The time that we have been
interested in documenting falls smaller still. Any perceived (or even
documented) increase or decrease in fall rate may simply be due to random
fluctuations that, given a longer period of time, may prove to just be so
much "noise" rather than a true signal.

Much like my seti-at-home screen saver program. I sometimes see enormous
changes in the frequency over a short period of time but overall, the curve
plots a rather flat line :-(

-Walter
--------------------------------------------
www.branchmeteorites.com



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Received on Wed 16 Jun 2004 10:19:26 PM PDT