The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-14

1910 by Angelot. M. S. Meunier tried,
theoretically, to recOnstitute the imagi-
nary globe whence meteorites might come,
and advanced the idea that it must be an
old satellite of the earth now broken to
pieces.
Celestial mechanics prove that such
fragments revolving about the earth, at
the distance of the moon. with velocity
of about 1000 meters second, would at
tain a maximum velocity of 5000 meters
as they enter our atmosphere and continue
to revolve.
There are many examples, however, of a
velocity considerably greater than this.
If we admit that this imaginary world
has ever existed and that we are today re-
ceiving its debris, We must suppose that
it was destroyed before being finished;
that it never passed through the changes
which our own planet has undergone, and
through which all other planets likewise
pass; that there was upon it no
condensation of water, no sea, no sedi-
mentarv formations, since such forma-
tons are entirely wanting in all the
fragments which come to us, and that it
nevertheless had the density and mineral
Ogical composition of our own rocks.
Again, if these fragments falling from
space had something celestial about them,
if only their form-if they were Target
But no; We exaggerate their Importance
when We call them the 'debris of ruined
worlds" If they are really portions of
planets or satellites. would they not some
times, at least, be of dimensions CORE
spending to their origin? Would we not
see ranges like the Alps or Pyrennes fall
ing, or at least a single mountain or hillf
But nothing of the kind appears. The
largest meteorite does not measure more
than a cubic meter: generally they are
stones that may be held in the hand often
ho nj IN IF 400 and mora Offop of,Il M
larger than hazel nuts.
Since these stones are of the same COM
position as the minerals forming our
planet, is it not natural to ask whether
they have not originated on the earth
itself? But how? Were not the tumultu-
GUS volcanoes of geological times. the
eruptioDs, the formidable CONGREGATIONS
and the believing fires of the old pande-
monium able to launch into space lavas,
slugs and stones with such force as to
drive them thousands, millions and hum
dreds of millions of leagues into orbits SO
vast that single revolution would re-
quire not less than u thousand, ten thou
sand. a hundred thousand or more years :?
The question is worthy an examination.
What velocity must terrestrial prof &C.
tile receive to become meteorite?
The reply is not very difficult The We
locity necessary to send body into inf
mite space is exactly the same as that ami
mating a body coming from infinite space
to the earth, in virtue of the earth's attrac-
ton alone. 1t is also the same as that
which would animate body falling from
the earth's surface to its center, surprising
gravity to remain the same. This velocity
is II coo meters.
Every body thrown from the earth with
a velocity greater than this would be for
ever free from its attraction, and would
travel forever through infinite space, fol-
lowing parabolic trajectory.
Every body thrown with velocity infe-
rior to this limit (but greater. than 5000
meters) would recede from the earth, de-
scribing the first half of an eclipse. then
would stop, close the curve and return
towards the point whence 1T started. 1t
would follow an eclipse whose eccentricity
would depend upon the force of projection.
If the earth existed alone, lmmovable in
space. the projectile, feeling no other intiu-
ence and no disturbance, would describe a
regular eclipse and would return at the
end of certain time into the mouth OF
the same volcano it had left The time
might be very long, for \ velocity nearly
reaching the limit of speed, several mill
ion years would be required. 1t would
also return to the earth with velocity of
ii 900 meters.
But our planet is not alone in the uni
verse. The course of every projectile
hurled from its surface would vary accord
ing to the direction of departure. A body
thrown toward the sun would simply fall
upon it, A body cast in the opposite di-
rection from the sun would penetrate far
into the depths of space, if. by an exceed
ingly rare chance. Jupiter, Saturn. Uranus
or Neptune were not traversing the same
path, thus modifying its course but at
its return il would be attracted by the en-
tire solar system instead of by the sun
alone, and would come back toward the
point of the terrestrial orbit whence 1t
started. This would happen at each revo-
luton as long as the earth was not en-
countered to arrest and terminate Its
career If our planet formerly had vol
canoes capable of throwing out such
projectiles. they all, whatever their
number, return and cross the terres-