I don't think there is a general answer to that question. It depends heavily
on the size of the body after ablation. The larger it is, the longer it will
take to cool down as it falls for a few minutes through cold (around -40°C)
air. So a large body will be closer to the temperature it was at in space,
which might be anywhere from 50°C or so down to a few tens of degrees below
zero.
Further complicating things, the outer surface might be near ambient
temperature, while the interior is much cooler (or occasionally warmer). The
few reports I've heard of meteorites forming frost after they fell were in
cases where they split open.
Chris
*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <lebof...@lpl.arizona.edu>
To: "Chris Peterson" <c...@alumni.caltech.edu>
Cc: <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 4:34 PM
Subject: Temperature of meteorites
Hi all:
I am in the middle of a workshop on asteroids and meteorites. At the end
of the first day, the teachers get to write down questions that they would
like answered. During the session, I had said that when they land,
meteorites are cold, not burning hot. The question that was asked was "how
cold?" What is the best estimate we have for the ambient temperature of
meteorites after they have passed through the atmosphere?
Thanks.
Larry
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