[meteorite-list] Peruvian bolide rehash post #5

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 15:35:44 -0800
Message-ID: <A8044CCD89B24B458AE36254DCA2BD070321B621_at_0005-its-exmp01.us.saic.com>

Here was Randall's reply this morning to post #4 from last night.
Oh, just so people are clear, these are not private messages (the
reposting of which would be a clear etiquette no-no). These
are messages Randall sent to both me and Meteorite Central, but
because they contained hypertext, they have not yet appeared.

- - - -
Sent: 3/2/2007 9:23am

Robert,
?
Well done and thank you for your thoughtful reply. I know I claimed 15
km/sec and that was way off the mark? It was a very crude attempt at
trying to model the impact using the Earth Impacts Effect Program. It
was not a plausible scenario and I was wrong in using that number.
?
After doing a bit of research, I agree that 15 km/sec velocity would
be out of the question just as standard terminal velocity could also
be eliminated. Perhaps more in the range of?2-5 km/sec would be
more realistic. I was experimentally plugging in numbers into the
Earth Impact Effects Program to approximate a 4.0 Richter seismic
event. I was trying to work backward from the only know values that
I have.?Observed trajectory and seismic data. The unknowns are mass,
density, velocity.?
?
I?m impressed by your education and expertise?but the facts remain:
?
An event was witnessed. An event was felt. An event was recorded. And
something punched a hole greater than 100 meters into the side of a
mountain less than 12 kilometers from the recorded epicenter, leaving
a sheared face, and a cup-like structure in an area almost as dry as
Atacama, Chile. Satellite photos show there are no other structures
similar to this in this and surrounding areas.
?
> I've modeled hypersonic reentries for many bolides (including Park
> Forest and the western Washington bolide) as well as Columbia Space
> Shuttle debris.
?
Can we both agree that this was a hypersonic event with current
velocity unknown?
?
> Are you sure that seismic stations recorded the *impact*??

> These were the so called "waveforms".?

> There is absolutely NO WAY a meteoroid with cosmic velocity hit
> the earth in Peru without the entire world knowing about it
?
> Seems to me a more likely explanation for a daytime columnar
> cloud is just a dust-devil

> I'm not saying all three pieces of "evidence" are unrelated; I'm
> saying that all THREE cannot be due to the fall/impact of a
> meteorite

> In 30 seconds I could tell you just from inspection whether the
> network detected an atmospheric (acoustic) event, or a seismic
> event.? You claim you have this data, so why speculate about
> farfetched scenarios??
?
First you doubt that seismic stations recorded the event and then you
criticize me for the data I sent you. You discredit the witnesses.
You doubt?the polvera by saying it was a dust devil, (that's
unscientific).?Similar to the?people that said the impact site
was a volcano cone and bomb crater. Jeez. You doubt people felt
the tremor. As a matter of fact, you doubted just about everything
and the underlying tone to your messages has been what I feel to
be veiled ridicule.? You claim to be a scientist...??? But don't
claim objectivity.
?
You discredit the scientists at the Geophysical Institute of Peru.
Not fair and most definitely unscientific. The data I sent you is
what I received from them. I am not a seismologist and have no
method of converting these numbers into a graphical format. I
suppose with a little assistance?I could derive something. If I
recall,?the scientists at IGP labeled the data "Meteorito Aplao".
I could request additional data, but I wouldn't know what to ask
for...
?
I'm certain they have charting software. Maybe it would be possible
to request a chart showing all the stations, pre-event, event and
post-event. But I think I'll have a Jack Daniels first.

> Rob, please forget about the analysis and have a few more beers.
> Sorry to have wasted your time.
?
Randall
Received on Fri 02 Mar 2007 06:35:44 PM PST