[meteorite-list] More on London Clay Microtektites

From: Aubrey Whymark <tinbider_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 25 May 2007 22:51:04 +0100 (BST)
Message-ID: <326028.43439.qm_at_web26312.mail.ukl.yahoo.com>

Hi
   
  Michael Daniels, who discovered the London Clay tektites has recently emailed me a little more information, which I'd like to pass on:
   
  When it comes to your correspondent's doubts, which they are fully entitled to submit,
  particularly suspicions raised about the possibility of contaminates, origins connected
  with fly-ash and power stations, volcanics, yes, they are all familiar observations con-
  cerning the particles.
   
  And, as before, I just make the suggestion that for those more doubtful, they come down
  here and I will gladly conduct them to the Naze when I shall be more than appreciative to
  hear their explanations as to where I may have, in my enthusiasm, become a little
  adventurous in my concept and having unquestioning belief in the antiquity of the little
  glassy objects. That might be for me an acid test, but actually I think when they have
  better appreciation of the conditions prevailing at this lower London Clay locality, I think I
  can win over a few potential critics.
   
  Just to deal with a couple of questions raised by those who have written.
   
  I have today once more checked the particles and none show any magnetic properties.
  Some do have voids and there is a little evidence of impurities, but if that is confirmed
  then just might be tiny specs of dirt or plant debris.
   
  As for their pristine state, no sign of them suffering any ablation. Many of the fossil bird
  bones that I have collected from the Walton site are in such a remarkable condition
  that I have had to be careful when comparing them with modern avian elements, so
  perfect are they that confusion over which is which could arise. This is because once
  the relics came to rest on the sea bed and were fast covered with sediment, there they
  remained down 55 (not 35!) million years until they were caused to emerge when I dug
  up the pocket, composed mainly of plant material, in which they were lodged and so
  reveal them once more to the light of day!
   
  The tektites have a high Ca content and this factor through those who expect them to
  show substantial silica in their make up. But the people that found difficulty with such
  a composition, in my view, simply had an inability in grasp that some things in heaven
  and earth are literally beyond the powers of human understanding.
   
  Have a pleasant weekend
   
  Sincerely
   
  Michael
   
  Thanks for all the feedback, Aubrey (out of contact for a bit in the Middle East, so apologies if I don't reply)
   
  www.tektites.co.uk
  

 

       
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Received on Fri 25 May 2007 05:51:04 PM PDT