[meteorite-list] strewnfield size vs entry angle

From: Rob McCafferty <rob_mccafferty_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun Mar 5 11:31:31 2006
Message-ID: <20060305163129.29908.qmail_at_web50901.mail.yahoo.com>

I know a formula does exist for this because I did my
3rd year undergraduate project on exactly this and I
and another student wrote it.

It involved a lot of empirical evidence and
formulating a formula which fitted the very few
properly observed falls and seeing if it could be
extrapolated to other strewn fields.

The formula predicted very well the size distribution
for these and even allowed us to predict the incoming
angle for unobserved meteorite falls. The formula also
has a modification factor depending on whether it was
a stony or iron meteorite.

Obviously, I don't have a copy of this to hand it
having been 13 years ago and I don't have the
resources (nor the ability, which has waned sadly in
the intervening period) to re-derive it.

However, if you were to find an address or e-mail for
Professor David Hughes from Sheffield University, UK,
I dare say he sitll has it lying around in his office
as he was the Planetary Astronomer I studdied under.


Rob McCafferty

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Received on Sun 05 Mar 2006 11:31:29 AM PST