[meteorite-list] Greenland Meteorite?

From: mineral at optonline.net <mineral_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 21:06:51 +0000 (GMT)
Message-ID: <e537acf62b79.5272c66b_at_optonline.net>

Has anybody else heard about this:A big meteor impact has probably occurred in Southern Greenland at 61 25N, 44 26W on Tuesday, December 9th app. 08.11UTC?(05.11am local time). The position is on the ice cap app. 50 kilometers NE of Narsarsuaq?Airport.The position has been determined on the basis of observations made by a Danish and a Norwegian trawler near the east coast of Greenland, and a Danish trawler at a position in the bay off Julianehaab. Based on fairly accurate direction findings and the fact, that the trawlers?were situated on both sides of Southern Greenland it can be determined, that the meteorite fell on land.The relevant trawlers?are: Halten?Trawl, Norwegian at 62 05N, 41 10W Regina C, Danish at 60 55N, 51 35W Timmarut, Danish at 60 13N, 46 43WObservations of the satelite?lighttrack?from Nuuk?indicates that the meorite?passed a bit south of Nuuk?in southeasterly direction towards the mentioned impact site in Southern Greenland.Seismic disturbances
have been observed on Svalbard?and Finmarka?(Norway). These tremors are observed at 08.21UTC?and 08.23UTC?and are assumed to relate to the impact or the passage of the meteorite through the atmosphere. The signals did not allow a seismic localization of the event. The observations are made by NORSAR?(Norwegian Seismic Array), Kjeller, Norway. Fainter signals were observed in Finland and Germany. The seismic stations in Greenland (Sonder?Stromfjord?and Danmarkshavn) has no observations. Further seismic data will be collected from Iceland and Canada in order to confirm the visual localization.Observations from the satellites ERS1 and ERS2 are being planned. These satellites observe the surface of the Earth using radar.The flashes observed in conjunction with the meteorite were so bright as to turn night into daylight at a distance of 100 kilometers and can be compared to the light af?a nuclear explosion in the atmosphere. However, we stress that there is no reason to belive?other than natural causes.During the
 day, the position will be overflown?by an ice reconnaissance plane, from the Ice Central in Narsarsuaq?on its planned flight from Kap?Farvel?to Nuuk.The event can in size probably be compared to the Kap?York meteorite, that in prehistoric time fell in Melville Bay, Sassivik?south of Thule. Findings from the meteorite consist of a number of iron meteorites totalling 50 tons. One of these ironfragments?can be seen in Copenhagen outside the Geological Museum.Collecting and studying material from this meteorite has great scientific value. It is fortunate that the meteorite fell on land, but a search on the ice cap is difficult and in winter impeded by bad weather and darkness. Since December 9th 30-100cm of snow has fallen in the area and before summer smaller fragments will be covered by 3 meters of snow. According to Danish law, findings of meteorite material must be turned over to the authorities, in this case they will be the property of the Greenland Home Rule.These investigations are coordinated by Geophy
sical Dept. at the Niels?Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen in cooperation with:Tycho?Brahe?Planetarium, Copenhagen.Copenhagen Astronomical SocietyNational Survey and Cadastre, DenmarkNORSAR, Kjeller, NorwayDanish Center for Remote Sensing, Technical University of Denmark
Received on Thu 31 Oct 2013 05:06:51 PM PDT