[meteorite-list] The "3:00pm" fall statistic?

[Dave Gheesling]

Chris,
That probably is a myth (I've never heard that one), at least to some
extent, but there is a thread of truth in it.  It is far likelier that
material falling after noon and before midnight, local time, will survive
passage through the atmosphere.  This has to do with entry speeds, and when
they get too high, as is most often the case with retrograde approaches
(where they are hitting us from the direction towards which we are moving),
there is little chance of survival because the combined speeds of Earth and
the meteoroid create a scenario where the atmosphere is almost like a solid.
Progrades catch up with us, so speeds seem to be much lower (though they are
at least 11 km/sec due to Earth's gravity) and chances of survival go up
dramatically.  If you take out the late hours, during which most people are
either sleeping or at least inside and less likely to witness the fall, 3 pm
is probably close to an average time in the likely windows of survival and
witness accounts.
Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of chris
aubeck
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 1:59 PM
To: Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Subject: [meteorite-list] The "3:00pm" fall statistic?

Hi list,

I am currently trying to write an article which demolishes certain
myths about meteorites.

One of these - I assume it is a myth - is the idea that "most
meteorites fall at 3:00pm."

I have no idea where this comes from, but I also have no statistics to
demonstrate it to be false. Could anyone help me?

Sincerely,

Chris
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