[meteorite-list] Biggest Tagish Lake

From: bernd.pauli at paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: 15 Dec 2006 19:50:40 UT
Message-ID: <DIIE.000000A200001302_at_paulinet.de>

"Kidding aside, If you are speaking about Tagish
 Lake, they will have disolved into mud."

"That's what I was thinking. I was under the impression that Tagish Lake was
 of a consistency that it would dissolve like a lump of dry clay/dirt if it
 got wet."



Even "fresh" pieces are so crumbly, so friable that it is hard to imagine
you can still find (I had better say "recognize") something.

BROWN P.G. et al. estimate that the initial mass of the Tagish Lake object was
about 56 tonnes* (!) Furthermore, the authors suggest that "some 1300 kg of gram-
sized or larger Tagish Lake material survived ablation to reach the Earth's surface,
representing an ablation loss of 97% for the fireball".

* ZOLENSKY M.E. et al. even assume an entry mass of about 200 tonnes
 (an initial body 4 to 6 meters in diameter). The authors mention one
 large piece with fusion crust knocked off one face, exposing interior
 and weighing 159 grams.

By the way, Eric Twelker still has some very nice and affordable pieces for sale!

Best Christmas
season wishes,

Bernd
Received on Fri 15 Dec 2006 02:50:40 PM PST