[meteorite-list] Re: Even more of that darned Brenham

[Notkin]

Dear Susan:

> can the brenham fall actually be two falls.

The Brenham finds (both pallasites and siderites) have the same 
composition and, as such, are certainly from the same fall. All the new 
finds you've been hearing about in Kansas come from a relatively small 
area. Steve and his partner have leases on most of the strewnfield, but 
-- as has already been discussed here on the List with some rancor -- 
other individuals and landowners in the area jumped on the bandwagon 
after Steve's successes. Hence the finds by a number of different 
people. That being said, the finds are all coming out of the same 
strewnfield.


> could it have been several large stones traveling in a group, one 
> caught by earth at one time and the second one caught on a later pass?

Remember that the Earth is traveling through space, as well as 
rotating, so we wouldn't be in the same relative point for the next 
pass.

In my opinion, the most likely explanation is that the Brenham fall 
consisted of one or more large masses which broke up in the atmosphere, 
and scattered over an area of some square miles, creating the 
strewnfield which we've had the good fortune to be able to hunt.

I'll be posting some new Brenham photos shortly. I hope you enjoy them.


Best wishes,

Geoff N.
www.aerolite.org