[meteorite-list] Dried lakebed question

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From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:32:01 2004
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C86904EE5924_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

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Hi Doug,

> Don't dried lakebeds have elevated salts due to the evaporated waters &
run-off
> they have received over the years - the Salton Sea comes to mind for
example,
> not to mention may others like it around the world-, and if so, how does
this
> manifest itself on meteorites being found, say in California dried (pre)
historical
> lakes?

The short answer is that meteorites don't like it! (The Salton Sea is
probably
not the best example since it isn't natural and thus isn't very old, but I
get
what your asking). Dissolved salts are obviously not good for meteorites --
a
meteorite that periodically sits in saltwater has got to be worse off than
one that spends an equal amount of time in fresh water. My experience has
been that meteorites found on dry lakes can look quite fresh on the outside,
but be weathered to W5 or beyond on the inside. 100% fusion crust can
protect a meteorite's innards, but all it takes is one crack in the surface
to begin the downward spiral. Water's unusual phase diagram (water denser
than ice) only serves to accelerate the process, with freeze and thaw cycles
fracturing meteorites into smaller and smaller fragments as the centuries
pass. --Rob

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charset="iso-8859-1"

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<BODY>
<DIV>Hi
Doug,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>> Don't dried lakebeds have elevated salts due
to the evaporated waters & run-off </DIV>
<DIV>>
they have received over the years - the Salton Sea comes to mind for
example, </DIV>
<DIV>>
not to mention may others like it around the world-, and if so, how does
this </DIV>
<DIV>>
manifest itself on meteorites being found, say in California dried (pre)
historical </DIV>
<DIV>>
lakes? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The short answer
is that meteorites don't like it!  (The Salton Sea is
probably</DIV>
<DIV>not the best
example since it isn't natural and thus isn't very
old, but I get</DIV>
<DIV>what
your asking).  Dissolved salts are obviously not good for
meteorites -- a</DIV>
<DIV>meteorite that
periodically sits in saltwater has got to be worse
off than</DIV>
<DIV>one that spends an
equal amount of time in fresh water.  My experience
has</DIV>
<DIV>been that
meteorites found on dry lakes can look quite fresh on the
outside,</DIV>
<DIV>but be
weathered to W5 or beyond on the inside.  100% fusion crust
can</DIV>
<DIV>protect a
meteorite's innards, but all it takes is one crack in the
surface</DIV>
<DIV>to begin the
downward spiral.  Water's unusual phase diagram (water
denser</DIV>
<DIV>than
ice) only serves to accelerate the process, with freeze and thaw
cycles</DIV>
<DIV>fracturing meteorites
into smaller and smaller fragments as the
centuries</DIV>
<DIV>pass. 
--Rob</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Tue 13 Jan 2004 12:52:50 AM PST

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