Has anybody else heard about this:A big meteor impact has probably occurred in
Southern Greenland at 61 25N, 44 26W on Tuesday, December 9th app. 08.11UTC
(05.11am local time). The position is on the ice cap app. 50 kilometers NE of
Narsarsuaq Airport.The position has been determined on the basis of
observations made by a Danish and a Norwegian trawler near the east coast of
Greenland, and a Danish trawler at a position in the bay off Julianehaab. Based
on fairly accurate direction findings and the fact, that the trawlers were
situated on both sides of Southern Greenland it can be determined, that the
meteorite fell on land.The relevant trawlers are: Halten Trawl,
Norwegian at 62 05N, 41 10W Regina C, Danish at 60 55N, 51 35W
Timmarut, Danish at 60 13N, 46 43WObservations of the satelite
lighttrack from Nuuk indicates that the meorite passed a bit south of Nuuk in
southeasterly direction towards the mentioned impact site in Southern
Greenland.Seismic disturbances have been observed on Svalbard and Finmarka
(Norway). These tremors are observed at 08.21UTC and 08.23UTC and are assumed
to relate to the impact or the passage of the meteorite through the atmosphere.
The signals did not allow a seismic localization of the event. The observations
are made by NORSAR (Norwegian Seismic Array), Kjeller, Norway. Fainter signals
were observed in Finland and Germany. The seismic stations in Greenland (Sonder
Stromfjord and Danmarkshavn) has no observations. Further seismic data will be
collected from Iceland and Canada in order to confirm the visual
localization.Observations from the satellites ERS1 and ERS2 are being planned.
These satellites observe the surface of the Earth using radar.The flashes
observed in conjunction with the meteorite were so bright as to turn night into
daylight at a distance of 100 kilometers and can be compared to the light af a
nuclear explosion in the atmosphere. However, we stress that there is no reason
to belive other than natural causes.During the day, the position will be
overflown by an ice reconnaissance plane, from the Ice Central in Narsarsuaq on
its planned flight from Kap Farvel to Nuuk.The event can in size probably be
compared to the Kap York meteorite, that in prehistoric time fell in Melville
Bay, Sassivik south of Thule. Findings from the meteorite consist of a number
of iron meteorites totalling 50 tons. One of these ironfragments can be seen in
Copenhagen outside the Geological Museum.Collecting and studying material from
this meteorite has great scientific value. It is fortunate that the meteorite
fell on land, but a search on the ice cap is difficult and in winter impeded by
bad weather and darkness. Since December 9th 30-100cm of snow has fallen in the
area and before summer smaller fragments will be covered by 3 meters of snow.
According to Danish law, findings of meteorite material must be turned over to
the authorities, in this case they will be the property of the Greenland Home
Rule.These investigations are coordinated by Geophysical Dept. at the Niels
Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen in cooperation with:Tycho Brahe
Planetarium, Copenhagen.Copenhagen Astronomical SocietyNational Survey and
Cadastre, DenmarkNORSAR, Kjeller, NorwayDanish Center for Remote Sensing,
Technical University of Denmark
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