[meteorite-list] A report on the failure to find potential MORP meteorite falls

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Jul 15 12:48:04 2005
Message-ID: <20050715164802.59109.qmail_at_web51707.mail.yahoo.com>

http://www.usask.ca/psychology/sarty/miacCD1/Minutes/35oct91.htm


RECENT [1991] FIELD RESEARCH ON POTENTIAL MORP
METEORITE FALLS - III
        By Peter Brown and Mark Zalcik

Introduction:
This is a brief summary of the authors field research
during the 1991 summer field season attempting to
recover the falls listed in (1). This is the sixth
year during which hunting has taken place and the
third involving ACOM's support.

Detailed methodology of the search techniques employed
have been discussed extensively in (2) and (3).

To date no new meteorites have been recovered as a
direct result of these ongoing search efforts.

Summary of Field Work:

I. Edberg.

The area of search concentration continues to be from
52?43?N to 52?46?N in latitude and 112?44?W to
112?51?W longitude. The land was searched on
June 6, 1991 for some 5 man-hours near the estimated
point of impact. No new farmers were interviewed
during this the 5th attempt by the authors to
recover the Edberg fall, but instead emphasis was
placed on trying to cover promising open areas near
the most probable impact point.

Despite promising ground conditions and the discovery
of several prospective specimens (none of which turned
out to be meteoritic) no genuine meteoritic material
was found.

The Edberg fall will continue to receive close
scrutiny in upcoming years.

II. Fork Lake.

The main campaign for the 1991 season involved the
Fork Lake fall, one of the largest photographed by the
MORP network. Despite a shallow entry angle and long
duration, it has been estimated that at least 20 Kg
may have survived the flight.

The area was searched from Sept 5-7, 1991 with
interviews, field searching and a general local
education program being carried out in the nearby town
of Lac La Biche.

In total 16 farmers were interviewed out of an
estimated 17 farmers in the area.

The point of fall is located on land owned by Hendry
Slowski, a farmer who is very interested in rock
collecting and had several interesting


samples to show us (none meteoritic), picked up from
the general area of the fall. The land is quite
heavily covered in bush, but Slowski has been clearing
an area only 1-2 km South of the impact point for
several years now. He had been contacted shortly after
the fall and made aware of the
possibility of meteorites on his land and as a result
had been alert for their presence.

Another resident indicated that he had found several
strange rocks about 8-10 years ago which were shiny
and reminded him of galena. They had been found about
15 km from the main impact point out of the ellipse
near inhabited areas, one having been found in a
skating rink. He was unable to locate them during our
visit but promised to forward samples if he found them
again.

At least three area farmers actively collect rocks (of
which there is no shortage in the region) and
displayed various sized collections to us.
Only two residents in the area had been directly
contacted about the fall, though about 5 knew that it
had occurred from local media coverage in 1980. One
presented an original MORP information pamphlet sent
from Saskatoon.

Local interest in the fall was high and everyone
interviewed seemed quite intrigued by the possibility
of meteorites in the area.
The regional makeup of the terrain is about 40% farm
land and 60% bush or scrub.
The area of the ellipse near Slowski's land is almost
entirely bush, though the central area of the ellipse
some 5 km to the NW owned largely by a Mr. Caron is
quite clear and notable clearing operations had taken
place in this particular area since 1980 according to
area farmers. All farmers indicated they had rockpiles
on their land and all attested to the high surface
rock concentrations found in the region.

On Sept 7 some 5 man-hours of searching were
undertaken in the central area of the ellipse near
Caron's property in newly cleared land. It was
noted that a black almost velvet-like covering was
present on many surface rocks exposed at the surface
mimicking fusion crusts and making searching
even harder.

Conclusions.

As in past years, residents in all areas were very
helpful and friendly.
The area around Edberg continues to be a region of
concentrated hunting due to the reasonable terrain of
the area.
The Fork Lake fall is appealing due to its probable
great mass; this is the only redeeming feature of the
fall. The terrain is very poor composed mostly of
brush and the few open areas are heavily laden with
rocks. The local farmers pay little attention to rocks
due to their numbers, though all indicated they would
keep a closer watch out for possible specimens in the
future. The number of rock collectors in the area and
the large number of farmers interviewed, on the other
hand, make it possible that a local resident might
happen upon a specimen in the years to come.

Acknowledgements.

The authors are deeply indebted to Dr. Ian Halliday
for his ongoing help. The ACOM support provided to the
authors in the past two years has been extremely
helpful in ensuring our ability to continue to
undertake new meteorite hunts related to MORP falls by
deferring the financial burden which might otherwise
be prohibitive.

The authors would also like to thank Dr. Dorian Smith
for providing local guidance and support.

References.

1. Halliday, Ian., Blackwell, T., Alan., and Griffin ,
A., Arthur.,
?Detailed Records of Many Unrecovered Meteorites in
Western Canada for which Further Searches are
Recommended." J.R.A.S.C., Vol A3 #2, April, 1989, p.
49-80.

2. Zalcik, Mark and Brown, Peter., "Recent Field
Research on Potential MORP Meteorite Falls - I",
presented to the Associate Committee of Meteorites
(A.C.O.M) of the National Research Council of Canada
in 1990.

3. Zalcik, Mark and Brown, Peter., "Recent Field
Research on Potential MORP Meteorite Falls - II",
presented to ACOM in 1991.
Received on Fri 15 Jul 2005 12:48:02 PM PDT