[meteorite-list] Fire caused by meteorites.. Is it possible?

From: dorifry <dorifry_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:37:57 -0400
Message-ID: <EEB1BC229CCA4098B30412492E0E6F7C_at_DoriPC>

Or if it hit a piece of flint.

Phil Whitmer
Joshua Tree Earth & Space Museum

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Peterson" <clp at alumni.caltech.edu>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2012 4:10 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Fire caused by meteorites.. Is it possible?


> I've never heard a credible account of a fire started by a meteorite fall,
> and on theoretical grounds, there's no reason we would ever expect a
> meteorite to be hot enough to start a fire. Of course, that doesn't
> discount a secondary effect, such as a meteorite causing a fire by
> puncturing a propane tank, severing a power line, or any number of
> improbable but possible events.
>
> Certainly, a meteorite that strikes while still traveling at a hypersonic
> speed could dissipate enough energy to start a fire, but such events are
> exceedingly rare, and would be expected to leave very obvious evidence
> (such as a crater).
>
> Chris
>
> *******************************
> Chris L Peterson
> Cloudbait Observatory
> http://www.cloudbait.com
>
> On 8/27/2012 1:52 PM, Andr? Moutinho wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I am investigating a case here in Brazil where something has fallen from
>> the sky and caused fire on a 500 m2 area.
>> Witnesses heared a loud buzz and soon noticed smoke and fire on a nearby
>> mountain. Some work have been done on the
>> local by the fire department and nothing was found related to aircraft or
>> any other kind of device.
>>
>> Does anyone know any similar case caused by a meteorite? These are not
>> common events related to meteorite falls.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Andre Moutinho
>> IMCA 2731
>> http://www.meteorito.com.br
>
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Received on Mon 27 Aug 2012 04:37:57 PM PDT