[meteorite-list] AD : Trinitite - Atomite --Correction

From: Mr EMan <mstreman53_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:45:45 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <817894.13158.qm_at_web55208.mail.re4.yahoo.com>

Well Mike,
Twas a great account of trinitite up to the "tektite comparison". Trinitite is awesome enough in its own right, but no where have I ever seen it suggested these are tektite-like in the sense of fall-back/splash-forms. So if you have any references, please forward, I'd like to ad them to my reading resources. In fact we know it wasn't splash form-- it was more akin to a ceramic glaze.

The concept that these were "fall back" just doesn't "hold water" given that the trinitite "formation" was restricted a huge shallow "glass bowl" before it was bulldozed to contain contamination and souvenir collectors. We know now, leaving it alone would have been more effective for both counts but the point is trinitie didn't sprinkle back little particles of molten glass. It was a giant glass puddle never exceeding 3 inches(?) thickness(excepting 1or2 4in. nodules?). It is chemically identical to the average soil composition. Trinitite was formed "in situ" not fireball fall back.

I've been to all three 1945 "ground zero" sites. I have seen that ANY fusible (melt-able)surface (within a given temperature envelope in the vicinity of ground zero) flash melted and flowed(sometimes up slope),e.g. sand, soil, roofing tiles, ceramic tea pots, granite and dolerite/diabase cobbbles.

Elton

PS: There are many many lbs of trinite which was collected legally after the government withdrew in 1945 and when the site was reabsorbed by White Sands Missile Range's predecessor(50's). There was a rockshop/ junk store right out the Stallion Gate of White Sands Missile Range that had buckets of it and I surmise this was the intermediate source for the available trinitie to collectors. BTW the Trinity Site Nat'l Historical Site is open 2 times a year (March and October?) Details on the WSMR website. Trinitie as a substance is safe to ship/possess and should not be a problem for shipping it across borders. The radiation that was associated with the site was primarily alpha and the mailing standard is detectability outside the package.

--- On Thu, 11/13/08, Michael Gilmer <michael_w_gilmer at yahoo.com> wrote:
 AD : Trinitite - Atomite - Alamogordo Glass - Bulk Lots

> Hi Folks!
>
> While not a meteorite, it can be argued that Trinitite is a
> man-made "tektite" of sorts. Given that this
> material was sucked up into the mushroom cloud, formed into blobs
> and then rained back to Earth, splattering all
> over the Trinity test site. According to the articles
> about trinitite, the exact composition of the Trinitite
> varied according to where it formed in relation to Ground
> Zero and what particular elements became infused
> in a given mass of trinitite during formation. Native
> elemental components in the desert landscape combined
> with fissile products, pieces of the bomb casing, cabling,
> the gantry, and anything else that was swept into
> the fireball. It's a fascinating material to
> comtemplate because of what it represents - it is a time
> capsule or
> snapshot from the very moment mankind unleashed the latent
> power of the atom. The only mineral material
> I can think of that might have more historical significance
> would be moon dust from Neil Armstrong's boots
> on the day of the first lunar landing.
>
Received on Sun 16 Nov 2008 01:45:45 PM PST