Re: [meteorite-list] Recommended humidity for public display

2003-09-10 Thread Howard Wu 
Interesting! However, many earth rocks are hydrates and of course would suffer from a dry enviroment. I recall some gypsum crystal in the Lemman caves with a +99% RH that were being damaged by human entrance to there lair. Howvever most meteorites have spend 4.5G in the vacuum of space (RH=0%). Perhaps those hydrated CI, CM2or mars rocks may need humidity.Still I would vacuum pack or Argonize my collection if I could. Other than than that, yes, T' and H' stabiltiy like they do in libraries and musuems would be desirable.

Howard Wu
mark ford [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:








Howard,

I too thought that 0% would be the ideal too, but then I read up on humidity in ‘terrestrial’ mineral collections, and it turns out that too low a humidity can be just as bad as too high (effectively causing stress cracking in crystals and initiation of crumbling of specimens as well as catalyzing rusting etc)

And the temperature also has a big effect on corrosion rate, Obviously their natural environment is pretty dry (although don’t forget some contain water!) but once you introduce water, pollution (SO2) and oxygen etc into the equation you have a whole new ball game!

The biggest surprise I hadn’t considered was the [rate of change] in humidity and temperature, if you expose rocks to continuous small fluctuations in RH  Temperature, this causes stress micro-cracking in crystaline structures and this allows microscopic water molecules to enter deeper inside, causing corrosion from within!

So I guess it’s not so clear cut as 0% @ -273..

Mark F.

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RE: [meteorite-list] Recommended humidity for public display

2003-09-09 Thread mark ford 








Bill,



Thanks! Much appreciated. (I can achieve 50%!)



Mark



-Original Message-
From: Bill Mason
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] 
Sent: 09 September 2003 03:53
To: mark ford
Subject: RE: [meteorite-list]
Recommended humidity for public display



Dear
Mark.


We maintain a 50% at the SMM.


Bill Mason



-Original Message-
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of mark ford
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003
5:57 AM
To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [meteorite-list]
Recommended humidity for public display





Hi,



Does anyone know what the
recommended humidity and temperature is for displaying meteorites
to the public (in particular chondrites) is? I know different museums
seem to have different policies on this?





Best Wishes 

Mark F.

Re: [meteorite-list] Recommended humidity for public display

2003-09-09 Thread Rob Wesel 




I can do RH 50%, outside, in Oregon. Is this number 
right?--Rob Wesel--We are the music makers...and 
we are the dreamers of the dreams.Willy Wonka, 1971






  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  mark ford 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  
  Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 12:36 
  AM
  Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] Recommended 
  humidity for public display
  
  
  Bill,
  
  Thanks! Much 
  appreciated. (I can achieve 50%!)
  
  Mark
  
  -Original 
  Message-From: Bill Mason 
  [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: 09 September 
  2003 03:53To: mark 
  fordSubject: RE: [meteorite-list] Recommended 
  humidity for public display
  
  Dear 
  Mark.
   
  We maintain a 50% at the SMM.
   
  Bill Mason
  
  -Original 
  Message-From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of mark fordSent: Monday, September 08, 2003 5:57 
  AMTo: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: [meteorite-list] Recommended 
  humidity for public display
  
  
  Hi,
  
  Does anyone know what the 
  ‘recommended’ humidity and temperature is for displaying meteorites to the 
  public (in particular chondrites) is? I know different museums seem to 
  have different policies on this…?
  
  
  Best Wishes 
  
  Mark 
  F.

Re: [meteorite-list] Recommended humidity for public display

2003-09-09 Thread Howard Wu 
I would assume that the optimal RH for storing and displaying meteorites "in their natural enviroment"would be 0%. The closer to this the better.

Howard WuRob Wesel [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:









I can do RH 50%, outside, in Oregon. Is this number right?--Rob Wesel--We are the music makers...and we are the dreamers of the dreams.Willy Wonka, 1971






- Original Message - 
From: mark ford 
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 12:36 AM
Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] Recommended humidity for public display


Bill,

Thanks! Much appreciated. (I can achieve 50%!)

Mark

-Original Message-From: Bill Mason [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: 09 September 2003 03:53To:
 mark fordSubject: RE: [meteorite-list] Recommended humidity for public display

Dear Mark.
 We maintain a 50% at the SMM.
 Bill Mason

-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of mark fordSent: Monday, September 08, 2003 5:57 AMTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: [meteorite-list] Recommended humidity for public display


Hi,

Does anyone know what the ‘recommended’ humidity and temperature is for displaying meteorites to the public (in particular chondrites) is? I know different museums seem to have different policies on this…?


Best Wishes 
Mark F.

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