[meteorite-list] Info on Sikhote Alin's shrapnel

[ensoramanda at ntlworld.com]

I did not know heat was needed at all to form shrapnel...surely it is just due to shearing of fragments from the dramatic collisions of fragments on impact or during exposive events on the way down that did not leave enough time for ablation? 

Graham UK

---- Maurizio Eltri <maurizio.eltri at libero.it> wrote: 
> Hi all,
> 
> I ask to those who are more experienced
> than me,clarification about Sikhote Alin's
> splinters formation.
> In my opinion there can be two ways to
> justify the origin of the fragments found in
> the vicinity of the largest craters,
> 1) The kinetic energy released at the contact
> surfaces of meteorite/ground was enough to
> melt the frontlayer of the meteorite with
> the subsequent violent expulsion of fragments,
> fused or partially fused.
> 2) Having the meteorites reached the retardation
> point at only 5 km of altitude, they would arrived
> at an impact with their hot surfaces, this would
> facilitate the expulsion of splinters.
> I apologize for my bad English.
> Maurizio Eltri 
> 
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