| | |
Summary: Meteoritics & Planetary Science 38, Nr 9, 13311340 (2003)
Abstract available online at http://meteoritics.org
1331 © Meteoritical Society, 2003. Printed in USA.
A laboratory model of splash-form tektites
Linda T. ELKINS-TANTON,1, 2* Pascale AUSSILLOUS,3 José BICO,4
David QUÉRÉ,3 and John W. M. BUSH5
1Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA
2Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
3Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, UMR 7125 du CNRS, Collège de France, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
4Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
5Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
*Corresponding author. E-mail: Linda_Elkins_Tanton@brown.edu)
(Received 21 November 2002; revision accepted 2 September 2003)
AbstractSplash-form tektites are generally acknowledged to have the form of bodies of revolution.
However, no detailed fluid dynamical investigation of their form and stability has yet been
undertaken. Here, we review the dynamics and stability of spinning, translating fluid drops with a
view to making inferences concerning the dynamic history of tektites. We conclude that, unless the
differential speed between the molten tektite and ambient is substantially less than the terminal
velocity, molten tektites can exist as equilibrium bodies of revolution only up to sizes of 3 mm. Larger
tektites are necessarily non-equilibrium forms and so indicate the importance of cooling and
|
