298 Fusion- Structures in Meteorites. 



Accordingly, I entered upon the investigation entirely unpre- 

 judiced, placing before me the question, "Can these structures 

 be of organic origin ?" 



The first point to be inquired into in this connection will be, 

 whether the various changes and influences to which meteorites 

 are exjoosed in their course, would j^ermit of the retention of 

 any definite structure they may have possessed at the outset, or 

 whether the possibility of this preservation would thereby be 

 precluded. 



The specific gravity of meteorites ranges from about 1.7 to 

 4.0, — Oulvier G-ravier, in his work, " Sur les Etoiles filantes," 

 giving their mean density as 3.0, — water being chosen as unit. 



5.2 is the specifie gravity of Mars ; 1.4 that of Jupiter ; while 

 3.0 represents the density of the bodies which circulate in 

 l^lanetary space between these two. Assuming, then, that two 

 of these cosmical masses come into collision, — and the possi- 

 bility of such an event has been established by careful calcu- 

 lation, — then, owing to the violence of the impact, the masses 

 would burst asunder and the fragments be hurled far out into 

 space. Coming, then, within the limits of attraction of other 

 worlds, gravitation would exert its influence, and, in conse- 

 quence, these fragments would fall upon their surface — 

 aerolites. 



Motion arrested is converted into heat ; and it is easy to con- 

 ceive that, by the force of the collision, heat must be developed ; 

 heat so great that it may even cause a partial fusion of the col- 

 liding masses. Those aerolites that reach the earth must, 

 moreover, in traveling through the atmosphere surrounding our 

 globe, encounter great resistance from this medium, and the 

 friction thus caused, likewise results in heat-production. 



The light-phenomena attending the fall of an aerolite, are 

 doubtless owing to this cause — the heating of the mass being so 

 considerable as to alloAv the same to attain a luminous state. 



Very interesting calculations have been made as to how high 

 a temperature would be thus reached. 



The temj)erature ultimately acquired by the moving body, is 

 the equivalent of the force with which the particles of air come 

 in contact with it. This temperature is stated to be 1° C for a 

 velocity of one hundred and forty-five feet per second, and to go 



