[meteorite-list] AD : Trinitite - Atomite --Correction

From: Michael Gilmer <michael_w_gilmer_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:14:44 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <662124.40452.qm_at_web58406.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

Hi Elton and group,

I stand corrected. And I am glad you chimed in to clarify the differences between tektite and trinitite
formation. Admittedly, I focus most of my learning on meteorites and tektites/impactites have been
a secondary consideration. My comparison of trinitite to "tektites" was based on some visual comparisons
between samples of Edeowie Glass and trinitite. Both share some general similarities in appearance. And
that makes me wonder if Edeowie Glass was formed in-situ like trinitite, as Elton described. If so, then
I guess a better (but still invalid) comparison for me to make would be trinitite as an "impactite".

Again, my knowledge of tektites and impactites is sorely lacking, so Elton or anyone else feel free to
jump in and school me here. At any rate, I'll forgo any future comparisons between tektites and trinitite,
because I don't want to be treading into areas where I have no expertise to justify my statements.

Consider me happily and humbly schooled. ;)

I'd love to visit the Trinity site and when I head out that way eventually, I'll plan the trip around
the dates that the site is open to the public. :)

BTW, my thanks to everyone who responded to my ad for trinitite lots. I sold out of everything I had,
and I bought some more from my source. I now have another 500 gram lot coming to me and I will
sell smaller lots to interested buyers. :)

Regards and clear skies,

MikeG






.........................................................
Michael Gilmer (Louisiana, USA)
Member of the Meteoritical Society.
Member of the Bayou Region Stargazers Network.
Websites - http://www.galactic-stone.com and http://www.glassthrower.com
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/fine_meteorites_4_sale
..........................................................



--- On Sun, 11/16/08, Mr EMan <mstreman53 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Mr EMan <mstreman53 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] AD : Trinitite - Atomite --Correction
> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com, michael_w_gilmer at yahoo.com
> Date: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 12:45 PM
> Well Mike,
> Twas a great account of trinitite up to the "tektite
> comparison". Trinitite is awesome enough in its own
> right, but no where have I ever seen it suggested these are
> tektite-like in the sense of fall-back/splash-forms. So if
> you have any references, please forward, I'd like to ad
> them to my reading resources. In fact we know it wasn't
> splash form-- it was more akin to a ceramic glaze.
>
> The concept that these were "fall back" just
> doesn't "hold water" given that the trinitite
> "formation" was restricted a huge shallow
> "glass bowl" before it was bulldozed to contain
> contamination and souvenir collectors. We know now, leaving
> it alone would have been more effective for both counts but
> the point is trinitie didn't sprinkle back little
> particles of molten glass. It was a giant glass puddle
> never exceeding 3 inches(?) thickness(excepting 1or2 4in.
> nodules?). It is chemically identical to the average soil
> composition. Trinitite was formed "in situ" not
> fireball fall back.
>
> I've been to all three 1945 "ground zero"
> sites. I have seen that ANY fusible (melt-able)surface
> (within a given temperature envelope in the vicinity of
> ground zero) flash melted and flowed(sometimes up
> slope),e.g. sand, soil, roofing tiles, ceramic tea pots,
> granite and dolerite/diabase cobbbles.
>
> Elton
>
> PS: There are many many lbs of trinite which was collected
> legally after the government withdrew in 1945 and when the
> site was reabsorbed by White Sands Missile Range's
> predecessor(50's). There was a rockshop/ junk store
> right out the Stallion Gate of White Sands Missile Range
> that had buckets of it and I surmise this was the
> intermediate source for the available trinitie to
> collectors. BTW the Trinity Site Nat'l Historical Site
> is open 2 times a year (March and October?) Details on the
> WSMR website. Trinitie as a substance is safe to
> ship/possess and should not be a problem for shipping it
> across borders. The radiation that was associated with the
> site was primarily alpha and the mailing standard is
> detectability outside the package.
>
> --- On Thu, 11/13/08, Michael Gilmer
> <michael_w_gilmer at yahoo.com> wrote:
> AD : Trinitite - Atomite - Alamogordo Glass - Bulk Lots
>
> > Hi Folks!
> >
> > While not a meteorite, it can be argued that Trinitite
> is a
> > man-made "tektite" of sorts. Given that
> this
> > material was sucked up into the mushroom cloud, formed
> into blobs
> > and then rained back to Earth, splattering all
> > over the Trinity test site. According to the articles
> > about trinitite, the exact composition of the
> Trinitite
> > varied according to where it formed in relation to
> Ground
> > Zero and what particular elements became infused
> > in a given mass of trinitite during formation. Native
> > elemental components in the desert landscape combined
> > with fissile products, pieces of the bomb casing,
> cabling,
> > the gantry, and anything else that was swept into
> > the fireball. It's a fascinating material to
> > comtemplate because of what it represents - it is a
> time
> > capsule or
> > snapshot from the very moment mankind unleashed the
> latent
> > power of the atom. The only mineral material
> > I can think of that might have more historical
> significance
> > would be moon dust from Neil Armstrong's boots
> > on the day of the first lunar landing.
> >


      
Received on Sun 16 Nov 2008 07:14:44 PM PST