[meteorite-list] sulphurous smell of meteorites (was Temperature of meteorites)

From: Richard Montgomery <rickmont_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:48:50 -0800
Message-ID: <65B85DCFF96240D687C50874748BE54D_at_bosoheadPC>

Count...I'd advise the student to monitor/control his diet before taking
this endeavor to the full degree you suggest. :)


----- Original Message -----
From: "Count Deiro" <countdeiro at earthlink.net>
To: "Piper R.W. Hollier" <piper at xs4all.nl>; "Mark Grossman"
<markig at westnet.com>; <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 1:32 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] sulphurous smell of meteorites (was
Temperature of meteorites)


> Hello Piper, Mark and Listees,
>
> I suggest that a well received and valuable scientific experiment for some
> energetic young graduate student, or doctorial candidate, would be to
> undertake the study of heating a suitable meteoritic specimen to the
> temperature encountered in atmospheric entry and reporting the results as
> to ablation, encrustation, temperature changes and residual presence of
> human detectable odors. Does anyone know if this has as been acomplished,
> or attempted? Published?
>
> Count Deiro
> IMCA 3536
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: "Piper R.W. Hollier" <piper at xs4all.nl>
>>Sent: Nov 23, 2010 3:03 PM
>>To: Mark Grossman <markig at westnet.com>,
>>meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>>Subject: [meteorite-list] sulphurous smell of meteorites (was Temperature
>>of meteorites)
>>
>>Hello Mark and list,
>>
>>Reports of some meteorites having a sulphurous smell have been of
>>interest to me for several years now. My thanks to Mark Grossman for
>>the mention of the Sears article (1974) and Ursula Marvin's
>>speculations on the subject (2007). I've not seen either reference
>>yet and am curious about both.
>>
>>While reports of sulphurous smells may have subsided, they have not
>>by any means ceased entirely. This list had a lively thread on this
>>subject back in the fall of 2007 soon after the Carancas fall. I'll
>>recount a few salient points of that discussion for those who are new
>>to the list.
>>
>>Visitors to the Carancas crater soon after the impact reported a
>>sulfurous odor, and the symptoms of people who reported becoming ill
>>at Carancas (irritation of respiratory tract, nausea, vomiting,
>>stomach pain, dizziness, headache, skin lesions) are consistent with
>>exposure to sulfur dioxide gas and/or to the sulfurous acid (H2SO3)
>>that forms when sulfur dioxide dissolves in water (e.g. in the moist
>>lining of the lungs and airways). One witness reported that
>>meteoritic dust that had been stored in a closed container after
>>being collected near the crater gave a sensation that she likened to
>>the "stinging of a thousand little bees" when the container was
>>opened and the vapors inhaled.
>>
>>Other relatively recent reports include:
>>
>>- The Tagish Lake fall in March 2000: "The crumbly, black, porous
>>rock fragments have charred, pocked surfaces and retain the smell of
>>sulfur." (CNN)
>>
>> - The Park Forest, Chicago fall in March 2003: Colby Navarro
>>stated, "Plaster blew all over me and all over the upstairs; then I
>>found the rock," then added that it was warm to the touch and smelled
>>like the sulfur from fireworks.
>>
>>It is a well-know fact that sulfur is present in many types of
>>meteorites. Ordinary chondrites contain on average 2.1% sulfur, and
>>carbonaceous chondrites may contain as much as 6.6%. Sulfur in
>>meteorites is normally present entirely as troilite (FeS), but other
>>sulfides are found in some meteorites, and carbonaceous chondrites
>>contain free sulfur, sulfates, and possibly other sulfur compounds.
>>(summarized from B. Mason, "Meteorites", p. 160)
>>
>>Less well-known is the fact that troilite dissociates at the rather
>>low temperature of 427 C (Sterling Webb found this figure somewhere
>>during the 2007 discussion). This releases elemental sulfur that can
>>in turn combine with atmospheric oxygen to produce sulfur dioxide.
>>The distinctive sharp smell that a match gives off when being lit is
>>due to the sulfur dioxide formed when sulfur in the matchhead burns.
>>
>>Thus it should not surprise us all that much that we continue to hear
>>reports of freshly-fallen meteorites having a sulfurous smell. It
>>would be a natural consequence of heating troilite in air.
>>
>>Also interesting are reports that sulfurous odors may emanate from
>>cut meteorites long after the fall date. From my own experience, I
>>can relate that Darryl Pitt showed me a slice of Hvittis (fell in
>>Finland, 1901, EL6) at the meteorite fair in Gifhorn, Germany some
>>years ago (1999?) and suggested that I sniff it. There was a
>>distinctive sulfurous odor, similar to the smell that a match makes
>>when you light it -- not especially strong, but nevertheless
>>unmistakable. The catalog of the Macovich Meteorite Auction at the
>>Tucson mineral show in February 2001 mentions a "smell of sulfur" in
>>the description of a Hvittis specimen, possibly the same one that I
>>"sampled" in Gifhorn.
>>
>>There would seem to be good reasons to believe that the laws of
>>physics and chemistry, and not just superstitious expectations, are
>>behind these "nose-witness" reports.
>>
>>Best wishes to all,
>>
>>Piper
>>
>>
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Received on Tue 23 Nov 2010 07:48:50 PM PST