New Meteorite Crater Discovered in New Mexico

Paul bristolia at yahoo.com
Wed Apr 16 09:54:43 EDT 2008

There is a paper, which is in press about the discovery of a new
meteorite structure in New Mexico. It is:

Fackelman, S. P. J. R. Morrow, C. Koeberl, T. H. McElvain, in press,
Shatter cone and microscopic shock-alteration evidence for a post-
Paleoproterozoic terrestrial impact structure near Santa Fe, New
Mexico, USA. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Accepted
Manuscript, Available online 7 April 2008,
doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.033 ( http://dx.doi.org)

The abstract reads in part:

“Field mapping, morphologic description, and petrographic
analysis of recently discovered shatter cones within
Paleoproterozoic crystalline rocks exposed over an area >5
km2, located ~8 km northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico,
USA, give robust evidence of a previously unrecognized
terrestrial impact structure. Herein, we provisionally
name this the “Santa Fe impact structure”. The shatter
cones are composed of nested sub-conical, curviplanar,
and flat joint surfaces bearing abundant curved and
bifurcating striations that strongly resemble the multiply
striated joint surfaces (MSJS) documented from shatter
cones at Vredefort dome.”

and

“The PFs and PDFs are dominated by a basal (0001)
crystallographic orientation, which indicate a peak shock
pressure of ~5–10 GPa that is consistent with shatter
cone formation.”

Yours,

Paul H.

Russians Blamed For Peruvian Unrest Over Meteorite

Paul bristolia at yahoo.com
Tue Oct 23 14:20:51 EDT 2007

Authorities in Puno, Peru to Begin Meteorite Extraction Project
Latest News in Peru, October 19, 2007

http://www.livinginperu.com/news/4938

"(LIP-ir) -- According to Andina, Peru's government news agency,
Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET)
reported today that Russian meteorite traffickers were persuading
authorities and citizens in Puno, Peru to extract the fallen meteorite
for economic gain.

The Regional Geology Director for INGEMMET, Hernando Núñez
del Prado stated, "I've been told that foreigners, with Russian
nationalities, have been manipulating the people, telling them
that if they don't extract the probable fragments that are in the
deep (crater), they will turn to ash and disappear.""

...rest of article and extenesive commentary deleted...

More articles at:

http://search.livinginperu.com/?q=meteorite

Yours,

Paul H.

Photoanalysis Software to Apply to Pictures of Peruvian Crater

Paul bristolia at yahoo.com
Sun Oct 7 23:06:20 EDT 2007

Dear Friends,

It would be fun to collect all of the pictures of the Peruvian
meteorite crater, which have been published and apply the
Photosynth photoanalysis software to them.

More about Photosynth can be found at:


http://labs.live.com/photosynth/

It stated:

"Our software takes a large collection of photos
of a place or
an object, analyzes them for similarities, and then
displays
the photos in a reconstructed three-dimensional space,
showing you how each one relates to the next."

Best Regards,

Paul H.

More Peru News, Including Locationa and Trajectory of Peru Impact

More Peru News, Including Location and Trajectory of Peru Impact

Paul bristolia at yahoo.com
Tue Oct 2 15:52:24 EDT 2007

Dear friends,

More about the Peru impact, including a figure showing the
location of the impact and presumed trajectory of the meteorite
can be found in:

Mysteries remain over Peru meteorite impact

by Jeff Hecht New Scientist, September 28, 2007

http://www.signs-of-the-times.org/articles/show/140757-Mysteries+remain+over+Peru+meteorite+impact

Inferred trajectory and location of impact shown at:

http://www.signs-of-the-times.org/image/image/3376/dn12704-3_800.jpg

Wild theories about meteorite in Peru discounted
Globe and Mail, Canada Sep 26, 2007

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070926.wmeteor26/BNStory/Science/home

It came from space by Margaret Munro ,
CanWest News
Service, September 27, 2007

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=965de176-30b8-4dcc-99c0-7afb84b996ad&k=40357

Yours,

Paul H.

More articles on Peruvian Event and Possible Picture

Paul bristolia at yahoo.com
Sat Sep 22 10:10:32 EDT 2007

Some recent articles of interest about the Peruvian explosion.

1. Meteorite causes a stir in Peru: The explosion near Carancas
frightened and awed residents and (they say) made them sick. Los
Angeles Times, September 21, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-meteor21sep21,1,5605341.story?coll=la-headlines-world

This article has some detail about local reaction, including
hopes to bring in tourists.

2. In Peru, a Crater and Questions By Mike Nizza and Mike Nizza
New york Times bloggers, who visited the crater, September 20, 2007,

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/in-peru-a-crater-and-questions/index.html?hp%20

3. Peruvian Meteorite Has Sci Fi Twist By Bill Christensen,
Space.com, September 19, 2007

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/070919_technovel_peru_meteorite.html

4. Space object or meteorite that fell in Peru causes sickness
http://www.enjoyfrance.com/content/view/1043/31/

This has a untitled picture, which may or may not be of whatever
fell in Peru.

5. Meteorite Likely Caused Crater in Peru

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5isWWHSxCh_u0yUNU9Gpk1qfg996A

Correction: Peru Meteorite Story, Associated Press

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iTC-v8oroqXSVoaVRtSnCVvHJcyg

Yours,

Paul

Experts Skeptical of Peruvian Meteorite Impact

Paul bristolia at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 20 17:06:51 EDT 2007

Scientists Doubt Meteorite Sickened Peruvians by
By Andrea Thompson, Space.com, September 19, 2007

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070919_peru_meteorite.html

Experts: 'Meteor' Gases Likely Caused by Geyser,
Fox News September 19, 2007

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297369,00.html

The only saving grace about this story is the last line, which reads:

"Peruvian geologists are on their way to examine the crater, according to news reports."

Hopefully, this means someone will get down to the bottom of this mess and determine what really happened.

These stories have been followed by:

Peruvian Geophysicist Confirms Claim of Meteorite Crash
By Monte Hayes, Associated Press, September. 19, 2007

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070919_ap_meteorite_peru.html

It stated:

"Jose Mechare, a scientist with Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute, said a geologist had confirmed that it was a "rocky meteorite,'' based on the fragments analyzed."

The sickness was explained by this line in the article:

"He said fear may have provoked psychosomatic ailments."

They article finally stated:

"She said that after the meteorite struck, small rocks
rained down on the roof of her house for several minutes and she feared the house was going to collapse."

Best Regards,

Paul

An explanation for “Meteorite” sickness ??

Paul bristolia at yahoo.com
Tue Sep 18 23:02:32 EDT 2007

I was looking at the picture in the various reports, such as:

1. Peru meteorite strike leaves 200 ill
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gDC5TNcMdGoRuHqJTzPpeyU8ZJ2Q

Looking at the picture, it look like whatever caused the “crater”
landed in one of the intermountain basins, which are occupied
by salt pans associated with the beds of salts lakes. The water-
filled “crater” indicates that the lowest part of the lake bed, where
the water table is close to the surface might have been struck. it is
possible that when the crater” was created that enough hydrogen
sulfide and other gases in the lake deposits were released to either
make some people sick and nauseous. The dust generated from
something sediments full of various evaporite minerals might
have been enough to make people feel not well. Because of the
suddenness and sheer surprise of the event many, many other
people might have became sick out of emotional hysteria and
fearfulness after just a few people actually became physical ill.

Alternatively, people might have become ill simply out of shear
emotional fear and hysteria. if for no other reason, given the nature
of the event.

Just Some Thoughts,

Paul