WG: [meteorite-list] Meteorite Fall Rates

From: Jörn Koblitz <koblitz_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Jun 17 04:59:01 2004
Message-ID: <E5E6112EA31FA24CB448E091C6883C0517A255_at_server2000.microfab.de>

> If 'increasing meteorite awareness' would result in a net
> increase then
> why isn't that reflected in the figures?

I think, that "meteorite awareness" will not really influence the statistics. The billions of people, mainly those living in highly populated areas with "low meteorite awareness" like China or India do highly influence the fall statistics (contrary to the find (NOT observed falls) statistics which is highly influenced by meteorite awareness). There are a number of publications dealing with fall rates as a function of daytime or calendar month, which all show, that the least meteorite falls are observed at night time and in the winter months, respectively. The reason is obvious. People sleep at night and in winter time, people are not in their fields doing farm work. However, there seems to be some raise in the number of meteorites hitting houses or commodities like cars. I think, in such cases, "meteorite awareness" does matter as - based on pure probability - it is unlikely that such events have happenend less frequently in earlier times, even considering the then lower population density. Such events were
simply not reported to officials and thus didn't make it into the chronicles.

Jorn

> -----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: mark ford [mailto:markf_at_ssl.gb.com]
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 17. Juni 2004 10:01
> An: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> Betreff: RE: [meteorite-list] Meteorite Fall Rates
>
>
>
> The interesting thing is that the observed fall rates seem to
> be pretty
> contant to me, (with the odd few extra ones every now and again)
>
> If 'increasing meteorite awareness' would result in a net
> increase then
> why isn't that reflected in the figures?
>
> These random samples from benrds figures seem the same sort
> of spread to
> me:
> So why no increase in observed falls? Especially given the development
> of the media, which should record & report more sightings that would
> otherwise have been lost or ignored...
>
> 2001 03
> 2000 05
> 1999 07
> 1998 10
> 1997 10
> 1996 05
> 1995 07
>
> 1917 09
> 1916 10
> 1915 03
> 1914 08
> 1913 04
> 1912 04
> 1911 05
> 1910 10
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Received on Thu 17 Jun 2004 04:59:19 AM PDT