[meteorite-list] Fragments Found From Russia Meteor Blast

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/remnants-found-from-russia-meteor-blast/story-e6frg6so-1226580487809

Remnants found from Russia meteor blast 
AFP 
February 18, 2013

SCIENTISTS have discovered fragments of the meteor that spectacularly plunged over Russia's 
Ural Mountains creating a shockwave that injured 1,200 people and damaged 
thousands of homes, RIA Novosti reported.

The giant piece of space rock streaked over the city of Chelyabinsk in central Russia on 
Friday with the force of 30 of the nuclear bombs dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima 
during World War II.

It exploded a few dozen kilometres above Earth but its pieces were widely believed to have 
scattered over large swathes of the industrial region.

Recovery workers scouring a small lake where at least some of the fragments were believed to 
have fallen were unable to discover anything in their initial search.

But members of the Russian Academy of Sciences that conducted chemical tests on some unusual 
rocks on Sunday said the pieces had come from outer space.

"We confirm that the particles of a substance found by our expedition near Lake Chebarkul 
really do have the composition of a meteorite," RIA Novsosti quoted Russian Academy of 
Sciences member Viktor Grokhovsky as saying late Sunday.  

Grokhovsky's Urals Federal University separately posted a statement on its website on Monday 
that featured a photograph of a person holding a tiny piece of porous black rock between his index 
finger and thumb.

"This meteorite belongs to the class of regular chondrites," the university statement said.

Grokhovsky said the rock in question was composed in part of metallic iron as well as 
chrysolite and sulfite.

Its iron content was estimated at 10 per cent.

"Most likely, (the find) will be called Meteorite Chebarkul," the Russian university said.

The meteor's shockwave blew out the windows of nearly 5,000 buildings and 
left 40 people -- including three children -- recovering in hospital with 
cuts and more serious injuries.

About 24,000 emergency workers and volunteers were busy replacing smashed windows over the 
weekend in time for the resumption of school and work.

But the elusive meteorites -- meteor fragments that have hit Earth -- have generated interest 
as well.

Russian space debris hunters have posted ads on websites offering as much as $10,000 for an 
authentic piece of the latest space rock to hit the planet.

Chelyabinsk authorities responded by cordoning off the area around the lake and not allowing 
any media or independent researchers hunting for meteorites near the hole that developed in 
its thick sheet of ice.

Grokhovsky said the tiny rock's find came in the snow not far away from the lake. He also 
expressed confidence that a much larger meteorite was buried in its waters.

The lake "is still cordoned off, but it is quite clear that a meteorite is buried there," 
the scientist said.