OT: More Wrongway GPS Navigation

OT: More Wrongway GPS Navigation

Dear Friends,
Back in April of 2011, there was a discussion of 
the need to use common sense in using GPS for
navigation in “"Death by GPS" in desert” at:
http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/meteorite-list/2011-April/075724.html

Recently, there was an example of the need to
be careful about navigating with GPS in:

Visitors in SUV follow GPS directions into Mercer Slough
by - Jessie Van Berkel, The Seattle Times, June 15, 2011‎
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015332317_gps16m.html

Wrong way! Three women escape from sinking car 
after GPS device sends them into lake, Mail Online
June 15, 2011
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003998/Wrong-way-Three-women-escape-sinking-car-GPS-device-sends-lake.html

Girls escape sinking car after crashing into Mercer Slough
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCmFXWYvXrA

Yours,

Paul H.

impact crater? (Dnieper-Donets Basin)

in "impact crater?" at
http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/meteorite-list/2011-June/077652.html
Robert wrote:

"Thought some of you might like this...
When I first saw the illustration from this article:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2011/3051/pdf/fs2011-3051.pdf
on the top of the page at http://geology.com/news/ 
I thought, 'nice cross section... which unexposed crater 
made the news?' I'd love to see some chip samples from 
near the center."

The USGS publication cited above is 

Klett, T. R., C. J. Schenk, R. R. Charpentier, M. E.  Brownfield, 
J. K. Pitman, R. M. Pollastro, T. A. Cook, and M. E. Tennyson,
2011, Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources 
of the Dnieper–Donets Basin Province and Pripyat Basin 
Province, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, 2010. World 
Petroleum Resources Project Fact Sheet 2011-3051.
United States Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

Looking at figure 1 of the above fact sheet, the Dnieper-
Donets Basin that is just less than 1400 kilometers long 
and about 200 to less than 100 kilometers wide. Its general
morphology alone argues against it being of impact origin.
The cross-section of Dnieper–Donets Basin shown in 
figure 2 of the above fact sheet is typical of numerous 
basins of terrestrial, non-impact origin. There nothing 
about it that argues for any sort of impact origin. 

The geology of the Dnieper-Donets Basin is well known
and very well documented. It is an intracratonic rift basin 
that opened in Late Devonian (middle Frasnian) as the 
result of the clockwise rotation of the Ukrainian shield
relative to other parts of the Russian craton. It is
characterized by linear bounding faults, substantial 
crustal thinning, syn-rift volcanic activity and other 
geological features that are typical of rift basins (Chekunov 
et al. 1992, 1993; Ilchenko 1996, Starostenko et al. 1999; 
Stephenson et al. 2006; Ulmishek 2001; Wilson and 
Lyashkevich 1996). There exists more than enough 
interpretations and data to demonstrate that the Dnieper-
Donets Basin cannot be any sort of impact crater.

References Cited:

Chekunov, A. V., V. K. Garvish, R. I. Kutas and L. I. Ryabchun,
1992, Dnieper-Donets palaeorift. Tectonophysics. vol. 208, 
no. 1-3, pp. 257-272.

Chekunov, A. V., L. T. Kaluzhnaya, and L. I., Ryabchun, 1993,
The Dnieper-Donets Paleorift, Ukraine: deep structure and
hydrocarbon accumulations. Journal of Petroleum Geology.
vol. 16, pp. 183-196.

Ilchenko, T., 1996, The Dniepr-Donets Rift: deep structure 
and evolution from DSS profiling. Tectonophysics. vol. 268, 
pp. 83-98.

Starostenko, V. I., V. A. Danilenko, D. B. Vengrovitch, R. I. Kutas, 
S. .M. Stovba, R. A. Stephenson, and O.M. Kharitonov, 1999,
A new geodynamical–thermal model of rift evolution, with 
application to the Dnieper–Donets Basin, Ukraine. Tectonophysics. 
vol. 313, pp. 29–40

Stephenson, R., T. Yegorova, M-F. Brunet, V. Starostenko, 
and S. Stovba, 2006, Late Palaeozoic (rift) basins of the East 
European Craton, in: R. A. Stephenson and D .G. Gee, eds, 
pp.3463-479, European Lithosphere Dynamics. Memoir 
no. 32, Geological Society of London, London, United Kingdom.
ftp://pangea.stanford.edu/pub/sklemp/NGRI/Stephenson.DnieperDonets.GeolSocMem.2006.pdf
http://www.falw.vu/~ster/pdf%20files%20of%20my%20ELD%20papers/Stephenson%20et%20al.pdf

Ulmishek, G. F., 2001, Petroleum Geology and Resources 
of the Dnieper-Donets Basin, Ukraine and Russia. Bulletin
no. 2201, United States Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/2201/E/
http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/2201/E/b2201-e.pdf

Wilson, M., and Z. M. Lyashkevich, 1996. Magmatism and 
the geodynamics of rifting of the Pripyat-Dniepr-Donets 
rift, East European Platform. Tectonophysics. vol. 268, 
pp. 65-81.

Yours,

Paul H.

Mars peppered with meteorites

Mars peppered with meteorites
by John Roach, msnbc.com, ‎June 14, 2011‎
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/14/6857163-mars-peppered-with-meteorites

Mars Hit by Cosmic Buckshot Again by Ian O'Neill
Discovery News, June 13, 2011
http://news.discovery.com/space/mars-hit-by-cosmic-buckshot-again-110613.html

and

http://news.discovery.com/space/mars-impact-craters-meteorite-cluster.html

Candidate New Impact Site Formed between December 
2002 and March 2008, ESP_022299_2040, HiRISE
http://www.uahirise.org/ESP_022299_2040

Yours,

Paul H.

"Man Finds Heart-Shaped Meteorite In Greeley" (Colorado) (Hoax)

Rare heart-shaped meteorite turns up in man's backyard
by Mike Peters, Greeley Tribune, June 12, 2011‎
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20110612/NEWS/706129976/1002&parentprofile=1001

The meteorite found in their front yard (video of alleged meteorite)
9NEWS.com, Denver, June 13, 2011‎
http://www.9news.com/news/article/203183/188/The-meteorite-found-in-their-front-yard-

Man Finds Heart-Shaped Meteorite In Greeley
KMGH, Denver - ‎Jun 13, 2011‎
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/28221631/detail.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Wahba Crater, Saudi Arabia

Wahba Crater, Saudi Arabia

Dear Friends,
Although it is a maar, it is still a rather interesting
volcanic crater in its superficial resemblance to
impact craters.

Wahba Crater: Saudi Arabia’s Natural Wonder
by Selma Roth, Arab News. June 15, 2011
http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/travel/article455442.ece

Wahba Crater, Saudi Arabia, Gallery
'http://www.pbase.com/adnan_masood/wahba_crater
and http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4426263

Al Wahbah crater
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Wahbah_crater

Maar 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maar

Best wishes,
Paul H.

Why Mars Is a Planetary Runt

Why Mars Is a Planetary Runt by Richard A Kerr
SceinceNow, May 25, 2011
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/05/how-to-make-a-runt-of-the-solar.html

Small mass of Mars could be due to planetary orbital 
migration, PhysOrg, June 6, 2011
http://www.physorg.com/wire-news/68812270/small-mass-of-mars-could-be-due-to-planetary-orbital-migration.html
http://www.swri.org/9what/releases/2011/GrandTackScenario.htm

Why is Mars so tiny? Blame wandering Jupiter
New study seems to solve a difficult problem in 
solar system's formation, MSNBC, June 7, 2011
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43311640/ns/technology_and_science-space/

The paper is:

Walsh, K. J., A. Morbidelli, S. N. Raymond, D. P. 
O'Brien, and A. M. Mandell, 2011, A low mass for 
Mars from Jupiter’s early gas-driven migration.
Nature. Published online 05 June 2011
doi:10.1038/nature10201
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature10201.html

PDF file at:
http://www.ice.csic.es/files/upload_files/File/nature10201_mars_jupiter_migration.pdf
http://www.ice.cat/es/view_new.php?NID=113

Yours,

Paul H.

Tagish Lake Meteorite holds clues to organic chemistry of the early Earth

Meteorite holds clues to organic chemistry of the 

early Earth: study, PhysOrg, June 9, 2011
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-meteorite-clues-chemistry-early-earth.html

Did Asteroids Help Incubate the First Earthly Life?
by Jeffrey Kluger, Time Magazine, June 9, 2011
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2076420,00.html

Asteroids may have nurtured the chemical seeds of 
life by Stephanie Pappas, Live Science, June 9, 2011,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43344767/ns/technology_and_science-science/

Meteorite holds clues to organic chemistry of the 
early Earth, e! Science News, June 9, 2011
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2011/06/09/meteorite.holds.clues.organic.chemistry.early.earth

The paper is:

Herd, C. D. K., A. Blinova, D. N. Simkus, Y. Huang, R. 
Tarozo, C. M. O’D. Alexander, F. Gyngard, L. R. Nittler,
G. D. Cody, M. L. Fogel, Y. Kebukawa, A. L. D. Kilcoyne,
R. W. Hilts, G. F. Slater, D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, M. 
P. Callahan, J. E. Elsila, B. T. De Gregorio, and R. M. 
Stroud, 2011, Origin and Evolution of Prebiotic 
Organic Matter As Inferred from the Tagish Lake 
Meteorite. Science. vol. 332, no. 6035, pp. 1229-1344
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/332/6035/1304.abstract

Yours,

Paul H.

Meteorites and Mammoth Teeth Stolen From Utah State University

Meteorites, mammoth teeth, and various rocks and minerals 
have been stolen display cases in the  Utah State University 
Geology Building. A piece of limestone was among the stuff
stolen. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the stolen 
meteorites.

USU police say man stole meteorites, mammoth teeth, 
other items from building. Herald Journal, June 3, 2011
http://news.hjnews.com/news/article_65c4b8b2-8d87-11e0-8092-001cc4c03286.html

Yours,

Paul H.

Age of Lonar Crater, India, Revised to 656 ± 81 ka

Dear Friends,

A recent paper published online in "Geology" formally 
revises the age of the Lonar Crater in India to 656 ± 81 ka

Jourdan, F., F. Moynier, C. Koeberl, and S. Eroglu, in press, 
40Ar/39Ar age of the Lonar crater and consequence for the
geochronology of planetary impacts. Geology, published 
online on 24 May 2011 as doi:10.1130/G31888.1
http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2011/05/19/G31888.1.abstract

Jourdan, F. , F. Moynier, C. Koeberl, 2010, First 40Ar/39Ar 
Age of the Lonar Crater A ~0.65 MA Impact Event? 41st 
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2010), Abstract
no. 1661.
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2010/pdf/1661.pdf

“Conclusions: We propose a new impact age at 656 ±
81 ka for the Lonar crater. This age is based on 40Ar/39Ar 
analyses of several samples combined in a statistically 
robust global inverse isochron (MSWD =1.29; P =0.12). 
This age is in accordance with the preservation state of 
the crater.”

An online paper about the geology of the Lonar Crater is:

Maloof, A. C., Sarah T. Stewart, Benjamin P. Weiss, Samuel 
A. Soule, Nicholas L. Swanson-Hysell, Karin L. Louzada, 
Ian Garrick-Bethell, and Pascale M. Poussart, 2008, 
Geology of Lonar Crater, India, Geology. vol. 122, no. 1-2,
pp. 109-126.
http://gsabulletin.gsapubs.org/content/122/1-2/109.abstract

PDf files at: 
http://www.princeton.edu/geosciences/people/maloof/pdf/maloof_etal08.pdf
http://web.mit.edu/iang/www/pubs/Lonar_Geology_Preprint_GSABull_submitted_2008.pdfhttp://web.mit.edu/iang/www/pubs/Lonar_Geology_Preprint_GSABull_submitted_2008.pdf

Yours,

Paul H.