[meteorite-list] More Chelyabinsk Meteorite Fragments Recovered From Urals Lake

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2013 14:50:31 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201310012150.r91LoV4h026950_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20131001/183883376/More-Possible-Meteorite-Fragments-Recovered-From-Urals-Lake.html

More Possible Meteorite Fragments Recovered From Urals Lake
RIA Novosti
October 1, 2013

YEKATERINBURG - Two more rocks believed to be fragments of a meteorite
that exploded above a Russian city in February have been lifted from the
bottom of a Ural Mountain lake, local authorities said Tuesday.

Both rocks are estimated to weigh less than a kilogram [2.2 pounds] and
are being sent to the nearby Chelyabinsk State University for a detailed
examination, the regional ministry in charge of recovering the fragments
said in a statement.

Eight possible fragments, ranging from 10 to 30 centimeters in diameter,
have so far been recovered from the bottom of Lake Chebarkul. But the
biggest rocks, weighing 5.8 kilograms (12.8 pounds) and 19.6 kilograms
(43.2 pounds), might not be parts of the meteorite, scientists say.
Additional examination is under way.

Last week a 3.36-kilogram (7.4-pound) piece of the meteorite went on sale
on Russian classified ad site Avito.ru for 2.1 million rubles ($65,000).

Scientists believe that a relatively enormous fragment - estimated to
weigh several hundred kilograms - is buried under a layer of silt on the
lakebed. Currently, the silt is being pumped out to recover the object,
and a senior official said the object could be retrieved by October 4.

A high-ranking Chelyabinsk State University official said Tuesday that
a sonar scan had revealed another huge object that could possibly be another
chunk of the meteorite. The Chelyabinsk Region's Radiation and Environmental
Safety Ministry confirmed that report and said divers were trying to reach
the object.

The meteorite, estimated to have weighed 10,000 metric tons, exploded
above the city Chelyabinsk on February 15, leaving about 1,500 people
injured, mostly due to glass shattered by the shockwave.
Received on Tue 01 Oct 2013 05:50:31 PM PDT