[meteorite-list] What great hobby!! + microwaves to detect meteorites?

[Maria Haas]

Dear Graham,

Unfortunately, I am unable to swing a detector right now and haven't been 
able to for some time. All of my hunting is done by sight and I do have a 
telescoping magnet on a stick (thanks to Mark Bostick) and hard drive 
magnets on a string that I drag behind me as I walk.

I think I'd be pretty frustrated if I dug for five minutes to reach a piece 
of scrap metal but I sure can't wait for the chance!

About a month ago while I was out hunting I came across this curious little 
63 gram stone slightly sticking out of the ground. When I got my trusty 
magnet near it it went "click" and my heart jumped. I had been taking 
artifact pictures and GPS coordinates all day so as luck would have it, I 
now only had two good batteries with me. I had to abandon an "in situ" 
picture but was able to get GPS coordinates before that died as well. I was 
at the backside of 500 acres so I stuck it in my pocket and pointed myself 
home. I must have taken 20 pictures of it on and off the scale before I 
headed twards the saw to window it. I pulled it back from the blade and had 
to remind myself about someday. Someday it'll be real and I'll be doing the 
chicken dance all over my basement.

I have lightly discussed with another listmember about using GPR (Ground 
Penetrating Radar). Perhaps someone could offer some info on how beneficial 
that is in the field.

Kind Regards,
Maria




>From: "Graham Christensen" <voltage at telus.net>
>To: "Maria Haas" <dragonsoup at msn.com>,<Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] What great hobby!! + microwaves to detect 
>meteorites?
>Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:07:27 -0600
>
>Are you using a metal detector or just visual? I do both. I use a metal 
>detector but at the same time I have a magnet on a short flexable stick on 
>my belt so that if I see anything on the surface I can probe at it quickly 
>and then return to sweeping with the detector. I hate it when the detector 
>goes off and I dig for 5 minutes to find a pipe or something.
>
>I wonder if it's possible to use microwaves to detect meteorites? 
>Conductive metal will backscatter microwaves and can be detected by an 
>appropriate instrument (this is how radar works). Perhaps it's possible to 
>send a beam of microwaves into the ground over a large area and see what 
>comes back. If you use a fairly short wavelength you might be able to 
>resolve images of what's under the ground. Short wavelength microwaves 
>would probably be needed to detect a chondrite because long wavelengths 
>would probably not couple to the metal very well and be reflected. An iron 
>however should show up quite easily. The only problem with short 
>wavelengths is that they are absorbed pretty quickly by water so they would 
>have trouble penetrating wet ground. It would work great in a sandy desert 
>though I'm sure.
>
>Just a thought
>
>Graham
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Graham Christensen
>voltage at telus.net
>http://www.geocities.com/aerolitehunter
>msn messenger: majorvoltage at hotmail.com
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Maria Haas" <dragonsoup at msn.com>
>To: <Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Cc: <voltage at telus.net>
>Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 10:05 PM
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] What great hobby!!
>
>
>>Graham Christensen Wrote:
>>>btw, I went meteorite hunting today for the first time in a couple years! 
>>>And I found...*drumroll*...scrap metal!
>>>Graham
>>
>>
>>Maria Sheepishly Adds:
>>I am so desperate to find "something" walking fields every single day 
>>looking for meteorites that I have started to fill my rock bag with scrap 
>>pieces of metal, miscellaneous junk, gum wrappers, fast food containers 
>>and the occasional bolt, screw and nail. While I may not be ridding the 
>>world of those pesky meteorites laying everywhere, I am providing some job 
>>security to our garbage collection service employees. (Of course I look 
>>the metal stuff over really carefully one more time just in case space 
>>rocks could actually weather to look like one of those rusted old metal 
>>pop lids.) Sick.
>>
>>
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>