Discover
/
Article

There may be more meteorites in Antarctica than meet the eye

FEB 17, 2016

DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029582

Physics Today

Smithsonian : Because of its vast expanses of snow-white terrain, Antarctica is one of the best places to look for meteorites. The upward flow of the ice moves meteorites to the surface and concentrates them in areas called meteorite-stranding zones. However, only a small percentage of those meteorites contain iron. In a recent study, Geoffrey Evatt of the University of Manchester and colleagues propose that it may take a little digging to find those iron meteorites. Through a combination of calculations and experiment, the researchers concluded that iron meteorites conduct heat from the Sun toward the ice below, causing the ice to melt and the meteorites to sink. Ground-penetrating radar or other advanced technology may be needed to find those elusive extraterrestrial visitors.

Related content
/
Article
/
Article
/
Article
/
Article
/
Article
Despite the tumultuous history of the near-Earth object’s parent body, water may have been preserved in the asteroid for about a billion years.

Get PT in your inbox

Physics Today - The Week in Physics

The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.

Physics Today - Table of Contents
Physics Today - Whitepapers & Webinars
By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.