[meteorite-list] New Iron (Ataxite) SHRAPNEL

[Gary Fujihara]

Aloha Steve and list members,

Doubts regarding this new iron are understandable, particularly when only shrapnel fragments have been recovered near the crater.  However, in a crater forming meteorite, individuals are usually not found near the crater vicinity but strewn further away since they are a product of early fragmentation.  So individuals could be a part of this meteorite, but not discovered yet.  

Secondly, have you seen the size of some of the fragments from this crater?  They are huge!  I am no munitions expert, but I would think that the largest WWII bombs would produce shrapnel the mass and thickness of the largest pieces.

Finally, please take a look at Mirko's beautifully prepared slices and endcuts.  In them you will notice distinct inclusions that appear to be Shreibersite.  Now, I have never known a man-made metal to have inclusions of Shreibersite in them.

Jilf al Kabir shrapnels available
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2067964&id=1394318075&l=57cb6b6699

Big Kahuna Meteorites (IMCA#1693)
105 Puhili Place, Hilo, Hawai'i 96720
http://bigkahuna-meteorites.com/
http://shop.ebay.com/fujmon/m.html  
(808) 640-9161


On Jun 23, 2010, at 4:12 AM, Steve Schoner wrote:

> That would be a great find as a new ataxite (low nickel) with an impact crater.   But until the analysis is in I have my doubts as the shrapnel part has me wondering...   
> 
> This area of the desert was most probably flown over by bombers back in WWII.  Could that hole be the product of a bomb that was dropped?  Bombers often unloaded hung up bombs in odd locations.
> 
> At any rate if I were searching any area close to a WWII battlefield it would be wise to keep that in mind, as any unexploded ammo or even mines might still be active.
> 
> Would not want any to be the last casualty of WWII.
> 
> Steve Schoner
> www.petroslides.com
> IMCA #4470 
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:04:49 -0400
> From: Mexicodoug <mexicodoug at aim.com>
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] New Iron (Ataxite) SHRAPNEL
> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Message-ID: <8CCE0441CEA650F-9DC-529B at webmail-m092.sysops.aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format=flowed
> 
> Hi Svend, List,
> 
> "Zooming out the sat-image, one notes that the general wind direction 
> in the area
> is north by northeast to south to southwest. Thus, any Aeolian 
> deflation or wind
> shaped sedimentation pattern around the crater would have to be 
> oriented along
> this axis. This appears not to be case. Instead we see a radial pattern 
> with the
> crater as its center."
> 
> Svend has described poetry in motion; I am going to save his 
> description for reruns with a cup of coffee and savour the detailed 
> analysis, perhaps when life is at a kind moment and I am out in the 
> desert observing the night sky and inventing my own constellations for 
> family members.
> 
> The impact rays are probably already covered quite well, but if it is 
> not clear, let me try to add this:
> 
> We have a central source of material and under Richard's hypothesis, 
> wind blowing down points on the rim to form these "rays". We look at 
> the rays and the first thing we notice is that they are as quite well 
> defined. Svend's comments about the character of the prevailing wind 
> direction, pavement and bedrock aside, let's try the strategy of proof 
> by contradiction strictly under Richard's hypothesis:
> 
> Suppose this is a sandy or powdery place where the wind can blow out 
> spokes from the sand source(hole, crater, pit, whatever). Looking at 
> the rays from all directions we are forced to reason that the wind must 
> be blowing from all those directions or else we wouldn't have a hub and 
> spoke design around the crater.
> 
> But ... if the wind is blowing sand and powder spokes from all 
> directions, why would the spokes be linear, nearly as well formed 
> distally as near the crater? Because wind from all the directions of 
> the compass would cause a scattering proportional to the distance from 
> the crater, perhaps curves if it was a windstorm from another 
> direction, and not a sharp delineation towards the ends of the rays 
> like a bicycle wheel. The absence of this is a contradiction ... the 
> backbones of the rays are too straight and well defined to support 
> Richard's idea. A much simpler explanation is that someone painted them 
> on a something solid ground - who better than Mother nature responding 
> to the impact?
> 
> Kindest wishes Svend, and Richard, thanks
> Doug
> 
> 
> 
> 
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