http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jan/01082003/utah/18283.asp
A Meteorite? No, It's Just a Bowling Ball BY GLEN WARCHOL THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE January 8, 2003 ON THE SALT FLATS If art imitates life, then science, at least in Utah, imitates the "Late Show with David Letterman." Letterman and Galileo, two wiseguys who made their marks by dropping objects from great heights, could be consultants on an experiment being considered by the Salt Lake Astronomical Society. For years, Utah amateur astronomers have believed the Bonneville Salt Flats are prime meteorite hunting grounds. The terrain is smooth and white -- the perfect background for finding space rocks, says Patrick Wiggins, NASA Solar System ambassador to Utah. Meteors strike the Earth nearly every day. Fortunately, usually only tiny fragments survive. Still, Utah has had more than a dozen known good-size meteorite impacts. A year ago, volunteers drove the flats, scanning the surface for out-of-place rocks. Aside from rusted junk and objects dropped by the military over the years, they didn't have much luck. A major problem was that they had no idea what a meteorite impact in the salt would look like. Astronomy buffs, who share important characteristics with 8-year-olds, put on their thinking caps. "Someone said, 'How can we simulate a meteorite impact?' " remembers Wiggins. "The idea of a light aircraft dropping a bowling ball came up and that sounded kinda fun." Also under consideration are boulders, shot puts, and -- we can only hope -- canned hams. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's meteorite expert Ron Baalke is dubious. "Meteors don't tend to be round like a bowling ball." But, a scientist at heart, he admits, "Dropping bowling balls sounds like an interesting experiment." Robert Haag, an Arizonan who deals in meteorites with scientists and collectors, is also skeptical, but asks, "Where do I sign up to drop the bowling balls?" Wiggins says the experiment is still in the early stages. "We have an aircraft lined up. And we've had a couple of members donate bowling balls -- one with the proviso that it not be traced back to him." Which brings up a big issue: finding the bowling ball after it impacts at 100 to 200 mph. Ideas vary from fitting the ball with a radio transmitter or a long streamer. The most breathtaking idea is from Wiggins, a skydiver. "I could fall with the ball for a while to observe," he says. "I'll just hope it doesn't get ab ove me." That, of course, would bring into play physics of the Roadrunner cartoon variety. Wiggins admits the idea is "a lark" and could go several scary directions in research and development. "There's a rocket group in town that lofts bowling balls," he says. "We've also heard about a guy in Tooele who has a cannon that shoots bowling balls." ______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
