[meteorite-list] Space weathering; AD

From: E.P. Grondine <epgrondine_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:02:15 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <971630.85743.qm_at_web36905.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Hello everyone -

The news about the space weathering studies is good news indeed. It means that the ESA is finally beginning to take the impact hazard seriously, as they are using their most powerful telescopes to work on the problem. One result of this most recent research will be that the weathering information will give better knowledge of the parent body formation process, and one can imagine what this will mean in terms of our understanding of meteorites.

A second and probably the most important result of these studies is that the reflectivity of asteroids approaching Earth will be known, so the requirements of necessary detection systems may be more properly estimated.

Of course, for comets and dead comet fragments, those reflectivities are pretty well known, and as these appear to comprise the bulk of the impact hazard, they set the constraints for the necessary detection system: CAPS.

In light of the recent NOVA special on the comet impacts which killed the mammoth and ended clovi, if any of you want copies of "Man and Impact in the Americas", they are available from me for $20 plus $5 for shipping CONUS, or plus $15 shipping overseas.

If any of you dealers want to carry my book in your stores, please contact me off list.

I am sorry that my book is not a meteorite hunting guide, but the impacts were cometary. If they had of been asteroidal, then I wouldn't be here now, would I? I'd have long since been out in the field hunting myself.

good hunting,
E.P. Grondine
Man and Impact in the Americas








      
Received on Sun 26 Apr 2009 03:02:15 PM PDT