Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 12/25/2007 - 15:48
Forums
Human Impacts in Antarctica

Hello explorers at the "Bottom of the World."

I'm curious to know if anyone on your team is studying meteorites.  It's my understanding that there are numerous impacts daily and research is ongoing there.

Also, do you get many e-mails?  Would like to stay in touch as I have other questions for the team, and I would like to communicate with you as often as possible.

Best regards,

Derle Smith, Jr., Ph.D.

Consultant in Physics

Choctaw, Oklahoma

Wed, 01/02/2008 - 11:49

Ann Linsley

Dear Dr. Smith,
There is a very lengthy and large research project studying the meteorite impacts in Antarctica. However, they are not located in the area of McMurdo. The project is centered out on the vast interior of the continent far away from any influence from the volcanoes in the McMurdo area. Mt. Erebus is actively smoking and does send out volcanic bombs (very hot rocks) and that would make it very difficult to tell the difference let alone locate the meteorites that regularly impact the continent. I attended a lecture by one of the leading scientists on this project at McMurdo when I was there. He said that there are some 60,000 meteorites that have been collected from Antarctica.

Thank you for your question!
Ann Linsley

Ann Linsley