Analysis Suggests Cape Cod Meteorite May Be Iron
NASA's recent analysis indicates that a meteor that fell into Cape Cod Bay may be composed of iron, exhibiting unusual density and breakage characteristics, although the agency has no plans for recovery.
NASA has determined that the meteor which entered Cape Cod Bay on Saturday could be made of iron, with preliminary analyses showing it has an unusually high density of about 8,000 kilograms per cubic meter, consistent with iron meteorites. The meteoroid, which broke apart at an altitude of approximately 31 miles, was tracked for only two minutes—significantly shorter than the 8 to 10 minutes typical of meteorite falls—suggesting it generated fewer and larger fragments.
According to Molly Wasser of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, recovering pieces of the meteorite from the ocean floor is theoretically possible if they are primarily iron or magnetic, but added that the agency has no intentions of conducting a recovery effort due to the substantial resources required and potential contamination that could diminish scientific value. "NASA is also not aware of any plans to conduct a meteorite recovery effort related to this event," Wasser noted.
Randy Bucciarelli from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography reported that a nearby buoy did not detect unusual wave activity at the time of the meteor's descent. The meteor produced a sonic boom that was felt across New England and splashed into the bay shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday. Earlier reports estimated the meteor's size at about 5 feet wide and its weight at 5.6 metric tons, traveling at a speed of roughly 42,000 miles per hour before dropping fragments into the water, an event that released energy equivalent to around 230 tons of TNT.