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Re: [Phys-L] Russian Meteor Contrail(s)




On 2013, Feb 17, , at 17:52, Chuck Britton <cvbritton@mac.com> wrote:

One of the (many) videos of the recent meteor hit clearly shows two parallel counter-rotating contrails.

To create a contrail - wouldn't the meteor have to contain water?
I'll assume that this (internal) water caused it to explode into two (major) pieces that were then counter-rotating to conserve L.

I don't see how humidity in the air (per se) could cause a (persistent) contrail.

Or am I overlooking something?

TIA



I certainly "like" your point. Jets certainly exude lotsa hot water vapour which condenses into cloud, and the supposition that the water supplied the explosion also "nice".


OTOH, if the air is saturated the meteor coulda supplied nucleating particles, but what then caused the explosion; volatile elements at high temp.?

bc thinks most meteors are not like comets (dry not icy)

p.s. no one thought to probe the trail with various radiation (microwaves, emitted or absorbed spectroscopy)?