[meteorite-list] Increasing rust on Chelyabinsk main mass

From: karmaka <karmaka_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2014 20:24:51 +0100 (CET)
Message-ID: <trinity-27b7dc36-28c4-4183-8036-ab3fdb9d6053-1388863491189_at_3capp-webde-bs10>

Dear list members,

the increasing rust that has recently been witnessed on the surface of 'big ??' is apparently no problem since it's merely because of the
evaporating water from the inside of the meteorite, local experts say.

Are they right or is there reason to worry? What do you think?

http://www.otr-online.ru/news/news_19374.html

automatic translation:

"Chelyabinsk meteorite lose weight and rust in the museum
According to experts , the chip asteroid just dries

Chelyabinsk meteorite lose weight and rust in the museum. This news caused a wave of anxiety on the Internet with the locals , because CHebarkulskij meteorite has already become one of the branded characters region.
First noticed rust museum visitors , and later it was confirmed by scientists . According to experts , the chip asteroid just dries up. Stone spent on the lake a few months and soaked with water through hairline cracks . Now, the liquid evaporates from the meteorite . Scientists believe that the process will take about six months. To speed it up , the museum staff every night raised dome that covered the meteorite . When all the moisture evaporates from the wreckage , weigh it again to finally establish mass.
"This is a natural process. After lifting the oxidation of iron chlorides and acquire their true color , that is rusting . Just the water evaporates , it changes the weight because he just lay for a long time under water , "- says Pavel Sidorov , a spokesman for the Chelyabinsk museum.
Similar processes occur with other fragments of the celestial body . The second largest meteorite fragment from the lake CHebarkul now travels around the country . Another two of the most important pieces in the collection are stored Chelyabinsk Museum."

Thanks,

Martin
Received on Sat 04 Jan 2014 02:24:51 PM PST