Micrometeorites

[Tracey Snelus]

Good Evening 

Over the weekend I started to take a look at collecting and analysis of micrometeorites which got me out scooping out my water butt for magnetic material for assessment which got me wondering whether this is something that anyone here has tried and or had any success. The research is suggestive that I am looking for spherical metallic objects that are submillimetre in size. I did find a few particulates that would fit that criteria and I understand that to have confirmation really it would need some further analysis. I do have access to a microscope so I will be taking images of these over the next few days to share but in the meantime I did think that perhaps others have tried this and whether there were any successes and or hints and tips to be shared. 

Thank you 

Tracey 

[Jeremy Shears]

There’s a Forum thread here Tracey: https://britastro.org/node/10166

[Eric Watkins]

Hi Tracey,

this is something I have an interest in.  I’ve read up on the subject a little and can use  a microscope I already have.  Something I’ve not yet started, but your forum thread has made me think it’s about time I did.  Another project I can get involved with rainy days and cloudy nights .

Eric

[Tracey Snelus]

Brilliant, thank you for the link. I will take a look

[Tracey Snelus]

Once I had started I have so far found it fascinating and I am really looking forward to seeing what I find and if I even find anything at all. So far, I have some candidates to start looking at so I will share what I find once I take some observations and photos. 

[Christopher John Pickford]

As a school project for one of my daughters, I collected micrometeorites on a 5×4 m plastic sheet laid out on grass over a w/end when meteor activity was expected, then swept the sheet with a powerful magnet wrapped in clingfilm. I removed the dust, cleaned it up and separated the ferromagnetic part by washing the residue in water and then methanol on a magnetic stirrer, and then analysed the residue using plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The Fe/Ni ratios were correct for typical iron meteorites. I had about 2 mg of residue.There were also some glassy beads present that looked like emissions from power stations or some other combustion source.

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