Including Original "Paul H. Letters" Copyright © 1996-2021 Paul V. Heinrich - All rights reserved.



Tuesday 23 March 2021

Live Video of Iceland Eruption March 2021

Live Video of Iceland Eruption 2021

I know this is not meteorite related. Live video of an erupting volcano can just as fun.

Iceland Eruption Live Stream | Geldingadalur
Daily Iceland, March 22, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApcVizUV0Xk

Helstu tíðindi: Gas mælist yfir hættumörkum
https://www.ruv.is/frett/2021/03/18/helstu-tidindi-gas-maelist-yfir-haettumorkum

Sjáðu hraunrennslið í Geldingadölum síðasta sólarhring
22.03.2021 - 16:29 Innlent · Geldingadalagos · Jarðhræringar á
Reykjanesskaga
https://www.ruv.is/frett/2021/03/22/sjadu-hraunrennslid-i-geldingadolum-sidasta-solarhring

Scientists Grill Hot Dogs Using Lava From Iceland Volcano
CBS Miami, Mar 22, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6VHewvyH5o

Yours,

Paul H.

Friday 12 March 2021

A fireball, a driveway and a priceless meteorite - Gloucestershire, UK

A fireball, a driveway and a priceless meteorite - Gloucestershire, UK
on TwitterA fireball, a driveway and a priceless meteorite

Jonathan Amos, BBC News, March 9, 2021
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56337876

Yours

Paul H.

Tuesday 9 March 2021

Korea New Impact Crater reported

Korea New Impact Crater Reported

It is open access.

Lim, J., Hong, S.S., Han, M., Yi, S. and Kim, S.W., 2021.
First finding of impact cratering in the Korean Peninsula.
Gondwana Research, 91, pp.121-128.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1342937X20303105

Stay safe,

Paul

Saturday 27 February 2021

Globally distributed iridium layer preserved within the Chicxulub impact structure

Globally distributed iridium layer preserved within the Chicxulub impact structure

Iridium in undersea crater confirms asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs
Hamish Johnston, Physics World, February 24, 2021,
https://physicsworld.com/a/iridium-in-undersea-crater-confirms-asteroid-wiped-out-the-dinosaurs/

The paper is:

Goderis, S., Sato, H., Ferriere, L, et al. 2021, Globally distributed iridium layer preserved within the Chicxulub impact structure
Science Advances 24 Feb 2021: Vol. 7, no. 9, eabe3647
https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/9/eabe3647

There are arguments that seismic waves from the Chicxulub impact did a superfrack job on the Deccan flood basalts and magnified their eruptions. See-

Richards, M.A., Alvarez, W., Self, S., Karlstrom, L., Renne, P.R.,
Manga, M., Sprain, C.J., Smit, J., Vanderkluysen, L. and Gibson,
S.A., 2015. Triggering of the largest Deccan eruptions by the impact.
Geological Society of America Bulletin, 127(11-12), pp.1507-1520.
PDF at http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/3289/1/Gibson%20bul%20gsa.pdf

PDF at http://pages.uoregon.edu/leif/resources/papers/GSAB_2015_Richards.pdf

Abstract at
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-abstract/127/1112/1507/126064

Some commentary on flood basalts and mass extinctions:

Ernst, R.E. and Youbi, N., 2017. How Large Igneous Provinces affect global climate, sometimes cause mass extinctions, and represent natural markers in the geological record. 
Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology, 478, pp.30-52.

PDF link, Ernst and Youbi (2017), at bottom of page at
http://www.largeigneousprovinces.org/downloads

PDF at
http://www.largeigneousprovinces.org/sites/default/files2/Ernst%20and%20Youbi%202017%20PPP.PDF

Abstract at
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018217302857

Yours,

Paul H.

Sunday 21 February 2021

NASA Lands the Perseverance Rover on Mars

NASA Lands the Perseverance Rover on Mars

The science mission will launch the first drone to fly on another planet, attempt making oxygen
in space, and search for signs of ancient life.
Sarah Scoles, Wired, February 18, 2021
https://www.wired.com/story/nasa-lands-the-perseverance-rover-on-mars/

NASA's Perseverance rover landing on Mars, PBS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A_j8X2Wgoo

Yours,
Paul H.

Wednesday 17 February 2021

Fun new Paper on finding Meteorites with Drones- Open Source References

Fun new Paper on finding Meteorites with Drones- Open Source References

Marc D. (JSC-XI211) on Mon, 08 Feb 2021 wrote:
Presumably of interest...
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/maps.13593

For those people who lack subscription access:
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2009.13852.pdf

https://arxiv.org/abs/2009.13852

The full citation is:
Anderson, S., Towner, M., Bland, P., Haikings, C.,
Volante, W., Sansom, E., Devillepoix, H., Shober,
P., Hartig, B., Cupak, M. and Jansen‐Sturgeon,
T., 2020. Machine learning for semi‐automated
Meteorite recovery. Meteoritics & Planetary Science.
First published: 01 December 2020

Yours,

Paul H.

Astronomers: A comet fragment, not an asteroid, killed off the dinosaurs

Astronomers: A comet fragment, not an asteroid, killed off the dinosaurs
Jupiter's gravity pushed comet toward Sun; comet was ripped apart by
tidal forces. By Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, February 15, 2021
https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/02/astronomers-a-comet-fragment-not-an-asteroid-killed-off-the-dinosaurs

The open access paper is:

Siraj, A. and Loeb, A., Breakup of a Long-Period Comet
as the Origin of the Dinosaur Extinction.
Scientific Reports volume 11, Article number: 3803 (2021)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-82320-2

https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~loeb/SLD.pdf

Yours,

Paul H.

Sunday 7 February 2021

Quasicyrstals, Khatyrka meteorite , and Kamchatka


Quasicyrstals, Khatyrka meteorite , and Kamchatka

Hu, J., Asimow, P.D., Ma, C. and Bindi, L., 2020.
First synthesis of a unique icosahedral phase from
the Khatyrka meteorite by shock-recovery experiment. IUCrJ, 7(3).
https://journals.iucr.org/m/issues/2020/03/00/lt5026/index.html

Quanta Magazine articles
https://www.quantamagazine.org/quasicrystal-meteorite-poses-age-old-questions-20140613/

https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-quasicrystals-shocking-origin-20160708/

Bindi, L., Dmitrienko, V.E. and Steinhardt, P.J., 2020.
Are quasicrystals really so rare in the Universe?.
American Mineralogist, 105(8), pp.1121-1125.
http://minsocam.org/MSA/Ammin/AM_Preprints/7519BindiPreprint.pdf

Bindi, L., Steinhardt, P.J., Yao, N. and Lu, P.J., 2009.
Natural quasicrystals. science, 324(5932), pp.1306-1309.
https://www.unifi.it/upload/sub/notizie/naturalquasicrystals_science.pdf

Steinhardt, P.J. and Bindi, L., 2011. Once upon a time in
Kamchatka: the search for natural quasicrystals. Philosophical
Magazine, 91(19-21), pp.2421-2426.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233447372_Once_upon_a_time_in_Kamchatka_The_search_for_natural_quasicrystals

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luca_Bindi/3

Yours,

Paul H.

Saturday 6 February 2021

What Dust From Space Tells Us About Ourselves

What Dust From Space Tells Us About Ourselves

What Dust From Space Tells Us About Ourselves
Micrometeorites land on every corner of Earth.
Matthew Genge is using these shards of
interplanetary space to understand Earth and its
place in the solar system. Quanta Magazine
https://www.quantamagazine.org/matt-genge-uses-dust-from-space-to-tell-the-story-of-the-solar-system-20210204/

Yours,

Paul H.

How to hunt for meteorites// Chemists create and capture Einsteinium

How to hunt for meteorites,
Post by Kelly WhittAstronomy Essentials, EarthSky, February 4, 2021
https://earthsky.org/human-world/how-to-find-a-meteorite-where-to-hunt-and-identification-tips

An unrelated science article is:

Chemists create and capture Einsteinium, the elusive 99th element 

Saturday 19 December 2020

Why the conversation about fossil commerce needs to start over from scratch

Why the conversation about fossil commerce needs to start over from scratch
Although this is about fossil commerce, meteorite commerce shares

many of the same concerns.



Don't Fed On Me: What the AAPS Keeps Getting Wrong ... and Why the

Conversation about Fossil Commerce Needs to Start over from Scratch
https://fossilnews.org/online-content/dont-fed-on-me/

Fossil News, The Journal of Avocational Paleontology, Online Content
https://fossilnews.org/online-content/

Yours,

Paul H.

Friday 4 December 2020

Drone footage of Arecibo Observatory's catastrophic collapse

Drone footage of Arecibo Observatory's catastrophic collapse

Must have been an exciting few minutes for the drone pilot...
https://players.brightcove.net/679256133001/EkLWnGuil_default/index.html?videoId=6213883083001

Gut-Wrenching Photos Show Damage at Arecibo Observatory
Following Collapse. George Dvorsky, Gizmodo, December 2, 2020
https://gizmodo.com/gut-wrenching-photos-show-damage-at-arecibo-observatory-1845790190

See unreal drone footage of Arecibo Observatory's catastrophic collapse
A drone was filming above the site when the final disaster struck, CNET
https://www.cnet.com/news/arecibo-observatory-catastrophic-collapse-captured-in-unreal-drone-footage/

Yours,

Paul H.

Thursday 26 November 2020

Arecibo radio telescope, an icon of astronomy, is to be decommissioned

Arecibo radio telescope, an icon of astronomy, is to be decommissioned

Arecibo radio telescope, an icon of astronomy, is lost
By Meghan Bartels, SpaceCom, November 2020
https://www.space.com/arecibo-observatory-radio-telescope-to-be-destroyed

Planetary Society Reacts to Loss of Arecibo Observatory Radio Telescope
By Jason Davis, Planetary Society, November 24, 2020
https://www.planetary.org/articles/planetary-society-arecibo-reaction

Yours,

Paul H.

Sunday 22 November 2020

Ancient zircons recovered from Martian meteorite

Ancient zircons recovered from Martian meteorite

Ancient zircon minerals from Mars reveal the elusive internal structure of the red planet, 
University of Copenhagen The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, November 17, 2020
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201117113057.htm

Big Think article by Robby Berman, November 19, 2020
https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/mars-zircon

The paper is:

Maria M. Costa, Ninna K. Jensen, Laura C. Bouvier, James N. Connelly, Takashi Mikouchi, Matthew S. A. Horstwood, Jussi-Petteri Suuronen, Frédéric Moynier, Zhengbin Deng, Arnaud Agranier, Laure A. J. Martin, Tim E. Johnson, Alexander A. Nemchin, Martin Bizzarro. 
The internal structure and geodynamics of Mars inferred from a 4.2-Gyr zircon record. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, 2020;
202016326 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016326117
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/11/10/2016326117

Yours,

Paul H.




Thursday 19 November 2020

Arecibo radio telescope, an icon of astronomy, is to be decommissioned

Arecibo radio telescope, an icon of astronomy, is to be decommissioned

Arecibo radio telescope, an icon of astronomy, is lost
By Meghan Bartels, SpaceCom, November 2020
https://www.space.com/arecibo-observatory-radio-telescope-to-be-destroyed

Planetary Society Reacts to Loss of Arecibo Observatory Radio Telescope
By Jason Davis, Planetary Society, November 24, 2020
https://www.planetary.org/articles/planetary-society-arecibo-reaction

Yours,

Paul H.

Scientists Discover Outer Space Isn't Pitch Black After All

Scientists Discover Outer Space Isn't Pitch Black After All

Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR News, November 18, 2020
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/18/936219170/scientists-discover-outer-space-isnt-pitch-black-after-all

The paper is:
Lauer, T.R., Postman, M., Weaver, H.A., Spencer, J.R., Stern, S.A., Buie, M.W., Durda, D.D., Lisse, C.M., Poppe,A.R., Binzel, R.P. and Britt, D.T., 2020. New Horizons

Observations of the Cosmic Optical Background. arXiv preprint arXiv:2011.03052.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.03052

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2011.03052

Yours,

Paul H.

Saturday 14 November 2020

Houston Gem and Mineral Society's (Virtual) Annual Show Tomorrow

Houston Gem and Mineral Society's (Virtual) Annual Show Tomorrow

Saturday November 14 is the start of HGMS's annual show. This year, due to the pandemic, their annual show has gone virtual. Those who want to who want to attended click the link below and participate in the virtual show. Please check it out and tell your friends.
https://mailchi.mp/hgms/hgms-annual-show-is-virtual-for-2020-note-the-new-date-2891638

https://hgms.org/2020-virtual-annual-show/

Yours,

Paul H

Tuesday 10 November 2020

What Is This Thing? Mystery Rock or Meteorwrong?

What Is This Thing? Mystery Rock or Meteorwrong?

On Reddit, there is an item (rock?) labeled "AN/TCS-62" that many people are guessing is either a meteorite or Moon rock at:
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/jr62jh/my_grandpa_gave_this_to_me_before_he_died_does/

Although I disagree with either identification, the members of this list might have fun making their guesses as to what this mystery specimen is.

Have fun,

Paul H.