----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Baalke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Meteorite Mailing List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 3:28 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Suspected Meteorite Falls in Cambodia
I have grave doubts that anything on the ground was burned because of a
meteorite fall. There is simply no way to get a meteorite to the ground hot
without it retaining cosmic velocity, which means you would have a cratering
event.
That's true. Any meteorite that is still ablating when it reaches the ground
is traveling at hypervelocity, and will leave a rather sizeable crater upon
impact. We haven't had such an impact in recorded human history. Most meteorites
will have hit the ground from a freefall speed, of less then 200 mph. So, it
is extremely unlikey a meteorite would cause a fire from ablation.
BUT
There is still a couple of other ways a meteorite can cause a fire. If the
meteorite hits something combustible on the ground and causes it to ignite or
explode. A gas tank of a car, for example. Or the fireball appearance startles
someone on the ground who knocks over a gas lantern, or drops his lit cigarette,
and a fire then ensues.
Ron Baalke
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