Mintaka Posted September 5, 2011 Report Posted September 5, 2011 We see quite a lot here, most nights. Why do so few meteorites reach the earth? Are they all so small? If so, why? Why does it never happen that a bigger chunk of rock "gets through" and hits a city, for example? It never happens. Why? Is our atmosphere such a formidable defence against these objects, or are we just lucky? Quote
Turtle Posted September 5, 2011 Report Posted September 5, 2011 how many meteorites hit earth each year? @ cornell u....A study done in 1996 (looking at the number of meteorites found in deserts over time) calculated that for objects in the 10 gram to 1 kilogram size range, 2900-7300 kilograms per year hit Earth. However, unlike the number above this does not include the small dust particles. They also estimate between 36 and 166 meteorites larger than 10 grams fall to Earth per million square kilometers per year. Over the whole surface area of Earth, that translates to 18,000 to 84,000 meteorites bigger than 10 grams per year. But most meteorites are too small to actually fall all the way to the surface. (This study was led by P. A. Bland and was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.)... inasmuch as ~3/4 of earth is ocean, 3/4 of meteorites fall there. still, there is the occasional report of a hit in a city, such as this one. >> peekskill meteorite carThe impact of a twelve and a half kilo H6 chondrite into the back of Ms. Michelle Knapp's parked car on the evening of October 9, 1992 is the best known meteoritic event of modern times. Everyone has heard of the "car that was hit by a meteorite." ... Quote
Mintaka Posted September 7, 2011 Author Report Posted September 7, 2011 Wow, I would have thought a 12 and a half kilo meteorite would have obliterated it into dust and made a crater , that just looks like he hit a sheep :) Quote
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