[meteorite-list] Temperature of meteorites

[Chris Peterson]

Heating is due to ram pressure for bodies larger than a few millimeters. For 
very small particles, ram pressure is not a factor because of the large 
distance between air molecules compared with the cross-sectional area. These 
small particles do heat up as the result of collisions with molecules, in a 
process that is analogous to friction.

In other words, for all bodies that produce meteorites, frictional heating 
effects are insignificant.

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JoshuaTreeMuseum" <joshuatreemuseum at embarqmail.com>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 2:22 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Temperature of meteorites


>I was under the impression that it's a myth that direct friction from O and 
>N molecules on the surface of a meteorite create the heat that causes 
>ablation.  I thought that ram pressure in front of the meteorite was the 
>main factor in generating heat. The KE and PE would create a hot  shock 
>layer which would flow back around the meteorite causing its outer layer to 
>melt.  I would think that friction is a minor factor,  unless you're 
>talking about ram pressure as a kind of friction.
>
> Phil Whitmer