[meteorite-list] Moldavite Update

[AL Mitterling]

Hi Doug and tektite fans,

Someone mentioned one time of putting tektites in a microwave oven for a 
bit (on high) to try to determine if it is an Earth based specimen or a 
possible tektite. This seems reasonable to me but I'm not a real tektite 
buff. If it is a tektite then it shouldn't get hot as there is a lack of 
moisture to vibrate and get hot where something Earth based which has 
more moisture will become warm to the touch. I've tried this and there 
seems to be a difference. Again this isn't my area of expertise. Perhaps 
this glass can be tested inexpensively in this manor.

I think that the real danger here, with creating tektites are, buyers 
will become weary and not buy specimens and the whole market will die. 
This will ultimately kill the reason for fabricators to produce such 
fakes. I guess the Chinese need the extra dollars to continue to build 
up their military.

--AL Mitterling

MexicoDoug at aol.com wrote:

 >Water has major IR absorbance peaks at 3550, 3425, 3295, 1630 and
 >1455 /cm. An appropriately set IR analyzer at one or more of these 
 >frequencies ought to be able to able to make a positive identification 
 >vs. other  glasses (and confirming your refractive index wouldn't hurt 
 >at all).