[meteorite-list] Fusion Crust

From: Michael Mulgrew <mikestang_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2012 14:14:59 -0700
Message-ID: <CAMseTy3XdXqz=RgzxV_jjoimnBqG+Og=ukHuVzvHRnhwM3fiBg_at_mail.gmail.com>

Chris, Pat, and List,

Judging by the heat shield design recently required by Curiosity,
http://www.gizmag.com/curiosity-shield/23588/, I would say yes, a
meteorite on the surface of Mars should display a fusion crust.

"With a pressure of only 1/100th that of Earth?s, there?s too much of
it to avoid burning up and not enough of it to slow down properly.
When Curiosity's entry vehicle hits the Martian atmosphere at 13,200
mph (21,250 km/h) and suffers over 10 g?s in deceleration forces, it
will be protected by the largest aeroshell ever built."

Best,

Michael in so. Cal.

On Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 1:39 PM, Pat Brown
<scientificlifestyle at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Chris,
>
> This is an interesting question. I would imagine for a meteorite to survive a landing on Mars,
> that it would have to slow down to a degree. The only mechanism is friction with the atmosphere.
> The extreme speed should be enough to create a plasma, and so a fusion crust should form. It might
> well be pretty thin, but i believe a crust would form.
>
> An engineer's view
>
> Best Regards,
> Pat
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------
>> From: cspratt at islandnet.com
>> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:31:32 -0700
>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Fusion Crust
>>
>> Would a meteorite found Mars show a fusion crust or is the Martian
>> atmosphere too thin?
>>
>> Chris Spratt
>> Victoria, BC
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Received on Thu 11 Oct 2012 05:14:59 PM PDT