this is pretty exciting, isn't it!
Just think we could match a meteorite!!
It's not a matter of IF we match a meteorite with the Hayabusa returned
samples, but
WHICH meteorites match up. Ditto with Stardust when it returns its samples
next January.
Ron Baalke
On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 08:16:09 -0700 (PDT), Ron Baalke [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
the firing of a tantalum pellet into the asteroid at 300 metres per second.
Why such an exotic material? So that you could find and discount it's
signature in the returned
sample?
Darren,
Tantalum is the tenth most dense element,
with a density of 21.02 times that of water,
or three times that of iron. There are others
more dense, but they suffer from various
disadvantages: low melting point (osmium),
danger (plutonium), expense (gold).
As you said, one of
Sorry,
Density is 16.65, not
21.02. That's rhenium.
Sterling
-
Sterling K. Webb wrote:
Darren,
Tantalum is the tenth most dense element,
with a density of 21.02 times that of water,
or three times that of iron.
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