[meteorite-list] Suspected Meteorite Falls in Cambodia

[Ron Baalke]

> 
> 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