[meteorite-list] 1848: light produced when "meteorite" sawn - possible or impossible?

From: Norm Lehrman <nlehrman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Sep 12 20:40:44 2005
Message-ID: <20050913004043.90058.qmail_at_web81010.mail.yahoo.com>

Chris & list,

"Possible or impossible?"

Possible. Quite a few minerals can emit light on
being crushed or scratched. This is termed
"triboluminescence". Additionally, some minerals can
emit light when heated to temperatures still well
below red heat. This is "thermoluminescence". I
don't know the composition of this particular stone,
but if it has some non-metallic minerals, the action
of the saw might cause light emission.



--- chris aubeck <caubeck_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> Ohio | Sandusky | The Sandusky Clarion | 1848-01-25
>
>
> A REMARKABLE AEROLITE.
>
> On the 14th July last, a remarkable aerolite
> fell at Brannan, at Bohemia. Two fragments were
> found,
> one weighing fifteen, the other twenty-one
> kilogrammes.
> The aeorilite [sic] appeared to proceed, as is very
> often the case,
> from a small black cloud. The smaller fragment
> fell upon a house, pierced the roof, struck
> a beam which caused it lo deviate slightly
> from its course, passed through a ceiling composed
> of white clay and straw, and entered a room
> where several persons were assembled, but
> fortunately, noone was hurt. A circumstance
> worthy of remark was, that the straw of
> the ceiling traversed by the meteor was not in
> the least carbonized: it only appeared of a
> brighter yellow, with semi-metalic lustre; pieces
> of straw even adhering to the stone, presented
> no trace of carbonization. A fragment has
> been analysed by M. Fischer, of Breslau, who
> found in it, besides sulphuretted iron, carbon,
> phosphorus and bromine. In sawing the mass,
> globules were inflamed by the friction of the
> teeth of the saw, and a bright light produced.
>
> Literary Gazette.
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>
http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
Received on Mon 12 Sep 2005 08:40:43 PM PDT