[meteorite-list] Meteorites - warm or hot to the touch? - A Re-post

[AL Mitterling]

Hi Chris and all,

I agree with you on the red hot, white hot stories. I don't go along 
with those. The study of meteorites is the study of un-differentiated 
material, though various degrees of differentiation can tell the solar 
system story better. If meteorites were heated to that extreme then 
isotopes would be reset and information lost.

However as I mentioned and as Sterling post so well defined the fall 
characteristics there ARE exceptions to the rule. Not on the glowing 
red, glowing white but the fact some meteorites are hot to the touch. I 
believe a tarp melted on the Portales Valley specimen provides 
un-refutable proof.

Some of Bernd's references are no doubt exaggerations by lay people on 
the ground. Other references are no doubt good witnessed reports. 
Noblesville, I believe was warm to the touch as an example. Always a 
good idea to keep an open mind where science is concern.

--AL