A megacryometeor is a very large chunk of ice which, despite sharing many textural, hydro-chemical, and isotopic features found in large hailstones, is formed under unusual atmospheric conditions which clearly differ from those of the cumulonimbus cloud scenario (i.e. clear-sky conditions). They are sometimes called huge hailstones, but do not need to form under thunderstorm conditions unlike hailstorms. Jesús Martínez-Frías, a planetary geologist and astrobiologist at Institute of Geosciences (Spanish: Instituto de Geociencias, IGEO) in the Spanish National Research Council (Spanish: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC)[1] in Madrid, pioneered research into megacryometeors.
More than 50 megacryometeors have been recorded since the year 2000. They vary in mass between 0.5 kilograms (1.1 lb) to several tens of kilograms. One in Brazil weighed in at more than 50 kilograms (110 lb).[2] Chunks about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in size also fell in Scotland on 13 August 1849.[3]
Formationedit
The process that creates megacryometeors is not completely understood yet, mainly with respect to the atmospheric dynamics necessary to produce them. They may have a similar mechanism of formation that leads to the production of hailstones.[4] Scientific studies show that their composition matches normal tropospheric rainwater for the areas in which they fall. In addition, megacryometeors also display textural variations of the ice surface and hydro-chemical and isotopic heterogeneity in its composition, which gives potential evidence to a complex formation process in the lower atmosphere.[5][6][7] It is known that they do not form from airplane toilet leakage because the large chunks of ice that occasionally do fall from airliners are distinctly blue due to the disinfectant used by them (hence their common name of "blue ice").
Some have speculated that these ice chunks must have fallen from aircraft fuselages[4] after plain water ice accumulating on those aircraft through normal atmospheric conditions has simply broken loose. However, similar events also occurred prior to the invention of aircraft.[8][9] Studies indicate that the metrological fluctuations in tropopause, associated with hydration of the lower stratosphere and stratospheric cooling, can be related to their formation.[5] A detailed micro-Raman spectroscopic study made it possible to place the formation of the megacryometeors within a particular range of temperatures: −10 to −20 °C (14 to −4 °F).[10] They are sometimes confused with meteors because they can leave small impact craters, though they form in the atmosphere and not from outer space.
Referencesedit
^"Ficha de Jesús Martínez Frías en el Directorio del IGEO de CSIC, 30 de enero de 2021".
^Gelo caindo do céu assusta moradores 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine(in Portuguese).
^Peter T. Bobrowsky; Hans Rickman (2007). Comet/asteroid impacts and human society: an interdisciplinary approach. Springer. pp. 343–. ISBN978-3-540-32709-7. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
^ abThe Peculiar Phenomenon of Megacryometeors by Alan Bellows.
^ abMartinez-FrÍas, J.; Delgado, A.; MillÁn, M.; Reyes, E.; Rull, F.; Travis, D.; Garcia, R.; LÓpez-Vera, F.; et al. (2005). "Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopic Signatures of Large Atmospheric Ice Conglomerations". Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry. 52 (2): 185. Bibcode:2005JAtC...52..185M. doi:10.1007/s10874-005-2007-7.
^Martinez-Frias, Jesus; Delgado Huertas, Antonio (2006). "Megacryometeors: Distribution on Earth and Current Research". Ambio: A Journal of the Human Environment. 35 (6): 314. doi:10.1579/06-S-187.1. hdl:10261/36014.
^Orellana, Francisco Alamilla; Alegre, José Ma Ramiro; Cordero Pérez, José Carlos; Martín Redondo, Ma Paz; Delgado Huertas, Antonio; Fernández Sampedro, Ma Teresa; Menor-Salván, César; Ruiz-Bermejo, Marta; et al. (2008). "Monitoring the fall of large atmospheric ice conglomerations: a multianalytical approach to the study of the Mejorada del Campo megacryometeor" (PDF). Journal of Environmental Monitoring. 10 (4): 570–4. doi:10.1039/b718785h. hdl:10261/36027. PMID 18385879.
^William R. Corliss (1983). Tornados, dark days, anomalous precipitation, and related weather phenomena: a catalog of geophysical anomalies. Sourcebook Project. ISBN978-0-915554-10-2.
^Riesgos Naturales, by Olcina Santos, J. and Ayala-Carcedo, J.
^Rull, F.; Delgado, A.; Martinez-Frias, J. (2010). "Micro-Raman spectroscopic study of extremely large atmospheric ice conglomerations (megacryometeors)". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 368 (1922): 3145–52. Bibcode:2010RSPTA.368.3145R. doi:10.1098/rsta.2010.0103. PMID 20529951.
External linksedit
Look up megacryometeor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Megacryometeors: Resource Site
News Report: Ice Chunk Hits Oakland, CA, USA
The Peculiar Phenomenon of Megacryometeors
Getting to the truth of falling ice chunks, Chemical Science, Katherine Davies, 2008
What Causes Megacryometeors?
Top 100 Stories of 2008 #73: Giant Ice Meteors Fall From Clear Skies, Karen Wright
HALS (blog with cases)
March 14, 2024
megacryometeor, megacryometeor, very, large, chunk, which, despite, sharing, many, textural, hydro, chemical, isotopic, features, found, large, hailstones, formed, under, unusual, atmospheric, conditions, which, clearly, differ, from, those, cumulonimbus, clou. A megacryometeor is a very large chunk of ice which despite sharing many textural hydro chemical and isotopic features found in large hailstones is formed under unusual atmospheric conditions which clearly differ from those of the cumulonimbus cloud scenario i e clear sky conditions They are sometimes called huge hailstones but do not need to form under thunderstorm conditions unlike hailstorms Jesus Martinez Frias a planetary geologist and astrobiologist at Institute of Geosciences Spanish Instituto de Geociencias IGEO in the Spanish National Research Council Spanish Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas CSIC 1 in Madrid pioneered research into megacryometeors Contents 1 Mass and size 2 Formation 3 References 4 External linksMass and size editMore than 50 megacryometeors have been recorded since the year 2000 They vary in mass between 0 5 kilograms 1 1 lb to several tens of kilograms One in Brazil weighed in at more than 50 kilograms 110 lb 2 Chunks about 2 m 6 ft 7 in in size also fell in Scotland on 13 August 1849 3 Formation editThe process that creates megacryometeors is not completely understood yet mainly with respect to the atmospheric dynamics necessary to produce them They may have a similar mechanism of formation that leads to the production of hailstones 4 Scientific studies show that their composition matches normal tropospheric rainwater for the areas in which they fall In addition megacryometeors also display textural variations of the ice surface and hydro chemical and isotopic heterogeneity in its composition which gives potential evidence to a complex formation process in the lower atmosphere 5 6 7 It is known that they do not form from airplane toilet leakage because the large chunks of ice that occasionally do fall from airliners are distinctly blue due to the disinfectant used by them hence their common name of blue ice Some have speculated that these ice chunks must have fallen from aircraft fuselages 4 after plain water ice accumulating on those aircraft through normal atmospheric conditions has simply broken loose However similar events also occurred prior to the invention of aircraft 8 9 Studies indicate that the metrological fluctuations in tropopause associated with hydration of the lower stratosphere and stratospheric cooling can be related to their formation 5 A detailed micro Raman spectroscopic study made it possible to place the formation of the megacryometeors within a particular range of temperatures 10 to 20 C 14 to 4 F 10 They are sometimes confused with meteors because they can leave small impact craters though they form in the atmosphere and not from outer space References edit Ficha de Jesus Martinez Frias en el Directorio del IGEO de CSIC 30 de enero de 2021 Gelo caindo do ceu assusta moradores Archived 2007 09 27 at the Wayback Machine in Portuguese Peter T Bobrowsky Hans Rickman 2007 Comet asteroid impacts and human society an interdisciplinary approach Springer pp 343 ISBN 978 3 540 32709 7 Retrieved 2 February 2012 a b The Peculiar Phenomenon of Megacryometeors by Alan Bellows a b Martinez FrIas J Delgado A MillAn M Reyes E Rull F Travis D Garcia R Lopez Vera F et al 2005 Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopic Signatures of Large Atmospheric Ice Conglomerations Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry 52 2 185 Bibcode 2005JAtC 52 185M doi 10 1007 s10874 005 2007 7 Martinez Frias Jesus Delgado Huertas Antonio 2006 Megacryometeors Distribution on Earth and Current Research Ambio A Journal of the Human Environment 35 6 314 doi 10 1579 06 S 187 1 hdl 10261 36014 Orellana Francisco Alamilla Alegre Jose Ma Ramiro Cordero Perez Jose Carlos Martin Redondo Ma Paz Delgado Huertas Antonio Fernandez Sampedro Ma Teresa Menor Salvan Cesar Ruiz Bermejo Marta et al 2008 Monitoring the fall of large atmospheric ice conglomerations a multianalytical approach to the study of the Mejorada del Campo megacryometeor PDF Journal of Environmental Monitoring 10 4 570 4 doi 10 1039 b718785h hdl 10261 36027 PMID 18385879 William R Corliss 1983 Tornados dark days anomalous precipitation and related weather phenomena a catalog of geophysical anomalies Sourcebook Project ISBN 978 0 915554 10 2 Riesgos Naturales by Olcina Santos J and Ayala Carcedo J Rull F Delgado A Martinez Frias J 2010 Micro Raman spectroscopic study of extremely large atmospheric ice conglomerations megacryometeors Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences 368 1922 3145 52 Bibcode 2010RSPTA 368 3145R doi 10 1098 rsta 2010 0103 PMID 20529951 External links edit nbsp Look up megacryometeor in Wiktionary the free dictionary Megacryometeors Resource Site News Report Ice Chunk Hits Oakland CA USA The Peculiar Phenomenon of Megacryometeors Getting to the truth of falling ice chunks Chemical Science Katherine Davies 2008 What Causes Megacryometeors The problem of Ice Meteorites Martin Beech Top 100 Stories of 2008 73 Giant Ice Meteors Fall From Clear Skies Karen Wright HALS blog with cases Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Megacryometeor amp oldid 1211105707, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
