[meteorite-list] Origin of Tektites

From: cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:05:00 -0400
Message-ID: <20100914140500.R5XOF.875841.imail_at_fed1rmwml46>

Aubrey,
Thank you for that.
As a critical thinker I believe you have to go with the odds until proven otherwise.
I mean even Stephen Hawking thinks there is life elsewhere. This in spite of the fact that we have zero evidence to back up that claim.
He recently stated that he believes a "God" would not have been necessary for life to have begun here on Earth. Again, this conclusion was made based on a gazzillion missing pieces to the puzzle. A few facts and a lot of beliefs.
The truth is that, that is how Science works. It is based as much on beliefs as actual facts in evidence. ie, so far no evidence of life elsewhere. In fact we cannot know with 100% certainty that we even have rocks from Mars. I believe that we do but, my opinion does not make it so. We have not sampled the atmosphere of every other alternative out there yet so, until we do there is no way to be certain. In fact we now know that other space rocks actually share Earth's O isotopes. This makes the puzzle pieces even greater in numbers.
So, when you look at Tektites, the obvious origin is Earth. That is possibly until scientific facts get in the way. So far it seems the facts are leaning in the direction that tektites originated on Earth.
The $10,000 dollar question in most of our minds is only; How they formed?
Science tells us what it would take to form tektites but, not how. The how is still a mystery depending on whom you believe.
It seems to me based on all of the opposing opinions by really smart people that, we have no proven answer. Yet.
For this and many other reasons, namely process of elimination, I lean towards the lightning related causes.
Lightning still being a relatively unknown phenomenon it seems to have room to squeeze tektites into it's realm.
Maybe even lightning associated with a volcano as seen recently in the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajoekull, or Eyjafj?ll, where there is clearly photographic evidence of lightning
erupting in an upward direction from the ground up into the sky during it's eruption process.
I am told that lightning is one of the least understood phenomenon on Earth.
my conclusion so far is Lightning is the culprit. Maybe!
My 2 grams.
Carl.
--
Carl or Debbie Esparza
Meteoritemax
---- Aubrey Whymark <tinbider at yahoo.co.uk> wrote: 
> Carl I agree.
> 
> Any book is a starting point. Those interested should read more and form their own opinions. I think anyone that has read a significant number of tektite papers would come to similar, maybe not identical, conclusions. My issues are with those who decide to come to a conclusion before reviewing the evidence. For instance a lunar origin can only be concluded by someone who has either not read any tektite papers in the last 40 years or who rejects literally hundreds of detailed geochemical/isotopic papers by leading scientists and concludes that every last one is wrong. Tektites are amongst the most studied rocks in the world with probably about 4000 articles written on them. With this level of study I think there is only a very small margin on what you can conclude, unless, as I say, you reject them all and go with your own idea based on feeling - and this is not scientific.
> 
> The lunar origin idea was acceptable in the 1950's and 60's as an alternative scenario (although I would argue that based on morphology and distrubution alone, evidence of terrestrial origin was overwhelming - if only the focus was on proximal and not distal forms). Having visited the moon, and having improved sensitivity and testing techniques on lunar samples and tektites there is basically no case to argue for a lunar origin. It is not one line, but many many lines of evidence that conclude only a terrestrial impact can produce the known tektites. The only other planetary body from which I believe tektites could theoretically form and be transported to Earth is Mars as it has a thin atmosphere and weathering has produced siliceous sediments. No Martian tektites are know on Earth, but maybe one day a specimen will be found, with geochemical tests proving a Martian origin.
> 
> Regards, Aubrey
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- On Mon, 13/9/10, cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson at cox.net> wrote:
> 
> > From: cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson at cox.net>
> > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Origin of Tektites
> > To: "Aubrey Whymark" <tinbider at yahoo.co.uk>
> > Date: Monday, 13 September, 2010, 16:32
> > Aubrey,
> > Thank you so much for looking at my glass rocks.
> > I look forward to your book.
> > To me the main issue I have with Tektites are the varied
> > opinions about them.
> > Recently , Sterling posted links to a number of abstracts
> > on the topic.
> > Basically each one gave there take on Tektites and made
> > their conclusions as "as a matter of fact". 
> > This makes it impossible to know who is right.
> > So, this to me seems to be the first thing that needs to be
> > addressed. 
> > Why are you right and why are others wrong? 
> > I admit, I am no Scientist. My degree is in Architecture
> > with a fine art minor. But, to me the most compelling
> > arguments always go to the science.
> > I think you and others know what you are doing. So,?
> > it comes down to , who do you believe? 
> > I always think about the famous quote "Truth is but a
> > resting place until the next revelation". 
> > I for example read statements like "meteorites don't look
> > like that", " Meteorites don't contain that", "meteorites
> > are not that color", meteorites don't this and don't that
> > etc... 
> > I have been around meteorites long enough to know that
> > their are exceptions to almost every rule and generalization
> > out there. 
> > I can point out a rule breaker in just about every case.
> > I say just about because I cannot think of? a single
> > rule with regard to stony meteorites that cannot be shown an
> > example proving otherwise.
> > But, again it's all in the Science. 
> > Until a peer reviewed work is published that most people
> > agree with I remain unsure. 
> > Thank you.
> > Carl
> > 
> > --
> > Carl or Debbie Esparza
> > Meteoritemax
> > 
> > 
> > ---- Aubrey Whymark <tinbider at yahoo.co.uk>
> > wrote: 
> > > Hi
> > > 
> > > These are 100% definitely not tektites. Might be
> > terrestrial obsidian, which can be lavender in colour, or
> > possibly man-made. Definitelty not tektites as they don't
> > come in purple! 
> > > 
> > > Aubrey
> > > 
> > > --- On Sat, 11/9/10, cdtucson at cox.net
> > <cdtucson at cox.net>
> > wrote:
> > > 
> > > > From: cdtucson at cox.net
> > <cdtucson at cox.net>
> > > > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Origin of Tektites
> > > > To: "Aubrey Whymark" <tinbider at yahoo.co.uk>
> > > > Date: Saturday, 11 September, 2010, 17:44
> > > > 
> > > > Aubrey,
> > > > I was contacted by a lady to purchase tektites.
> > She will
> > > > eventually disclose the find location. Could
> > these be
> > > > tektites (purple) ? They do not froth or foam up
> > when
> > > > heated. They do not stick to a super magnet.
> > Thanks. please
> > > > see picture attached.
> > > > Carl
> > > >? --
> > > > Carl or Debbie Esparza
> > > > Meteoritemax
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > ---- Aubrey Whymark <tinbider at yahoo.co.uk>
> > > > wrote: 
> > > > > Hi
> > > > > 
> > > > > I'm not sure if I qualify as a tektite
> > 'expert', but I
> > > > have done a lot of private research. I am working
> > on a book
> > > > which is 2/3 complete - hopefully 2011, but I
> > struggle to
> > > > find the time with my work and new baby!
> > > > > 
> > > > > I have an extensive reference list on my
> > website
> > > > www.tektites.co.uk. This includes links to many
> > freely
> > > > downloadable papers. I've not updated the site
> > recently so
> > > > some material is out of date. Also I am working
> > on an even
> > > > more extensive reference list right now.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Since the 1970's there has been no doubt as
> > to the
> > > > origin of tektites. They are formed by an
> > asteroid or comet
> > > > impacting with the Earth. The tektites are formed
> > in the
> > > > very earliest stages of impact. Oblique impacts
> > and those
> > > > impacting silica rich sedimentary rock favor
> > tektite
> > > > production. Tektites are melted and distally
> > ejected
> > > > terrestrial rock.
> > > > > 
> > > > > North American tektites (Bediasites and
> > Georgiaites)
> > > > come from the Chesapeake Crater.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Moldavites come from the Ries crater,
> > Germany
> > > > > 
> > > > > Ivory Coast tektites come from Bosumtwi
> > Crater in
> > > > Ghana.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Australasian tektites come from an
> > undiscovered crater
> > > > most likely in the Bay of Tonkin between Vietnam
> > and China,
> > > > perhaps closer to Vietnam. It will be discovered
> > and there
> > > > is no doubt in this.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Hope this helps,
> > > > > 
> > > > > Aubrey
> > > > > www.tektites.co.uk
> > > > > 
> > > > > --- On Sat, 11/9/10, Steve Dunklee <steve.dunklee at yahoo.com>
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > 
> > > > > > From: Steve Dunklee <steve.dunklee at yahoo.com>
> > > > > > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Origin of
> > Tektites
> > > > > > To: epmajden at shaw.ca,
> > > > meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> > > > > > Cc: rascals at lists.rasc.ca,
> > > > miac-l at uquebec.ca
> > > > > > Date: Saturday, 11 September, 2010,
> > 11:25
> > > > > > all i can say is there seems to be a
> > > > > > great interest in tektites.
> > Sterling?Can you stay
> > > > sane
> > > > > > enough to write the definitive book?
> > Cheers
> > > > Steve
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > On Fri Sep 10th, 2010 1:06 AM EDT Ed
> > Majden
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > >??? Are there any tektite
> > experts on
> > > > > > this list?? The formation of tektites
> > has been
> > > > a
> > > > > > mystery to science.? Volcanic origin,
> > Lunar
> > > > ejecta,
> > > > > > meteorite impact origin, explosive
> > electrical
> > > > discharge,
> > > > > > etc.? The latter proposed by NASA
> > experiments at
> > > > an
> > > > > > arc-jet facility.? What are the
> > current theories
> > > > on the
> > > > > > formation of tektites.? Are there any
> > papers on
> > > > this
> > > > > > that I could get my hands on?
> > > > > > >Thanks:
> > > > > > >Ed Majden
> > > > > > >Courtenay, B.C.
> > > > > > >Canada
> > > > > >
> > > >
> > >______________________________________________
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> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ? ? ? 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >
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> > > > >? ? ???
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Received on Tue 14 Sep 2010 02:05:00 PM PDT


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