[meteorite-list] NASA Rover about to make a BIG mistake

From: Walter Branch <branchw_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Jan 18 20:02:51 2005
Message-ID: <000e01c4fdc2$0e8386c0$6101a8c0_at_launchmodem.com>

Hello Everyone,

I am intrigued by the color of the martian
meteorite. It looks like bright metal.

I have wondered about the actual color of
iron asteroids in space. Would they appear
bright and shiny or would they would be
discolored by cosmic ray and solar wind
bombardment, as are stones. There would
obviously be no fusion crust on the surface
of the asteroid.

How much of a fusion crust would form on
an iron meteorite as it fell through the thin
Martian atmosphere? Would it weather
slowly, if at all? Would eons of sandblasting
by Martin dust stormes constantly abrade the
surface, exposing bright metal?

Just think, if we could get a good representative
sampling of Martin meteorites with differing
cosmic ray exposure ages, and different degrees
of weathering (assuming we understand the weathering
process on Mars) might we be able to get an indirect
indication of different atomospheric, meteorological
and geophysical condition in times past.

Just something to ponder over a nice plate of spaghetti
with meatballs...

-Walter
Received on Tue 18 Jan 2005 07:58:57 PM PST