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Residents of Ocean Shores, Washington, were frightened on the evening of March 7 when a lightning bolt lit up the sky and that a huge boom rocked the sleepy seaside resort. "They thought it was a spaceship," said Brittany Bryson, a local resident, at the Seattle Times.
This was not a spaceship, but it was certainly a visitor from space. According to the analysis of radar signals, Marc Fries, Cosmic Dust Curator of NASA, concluded that it was a meteorite the size of a golf cart that shattered by splashing the ocean about 16 miles from the coast. About two tons of fragments are probably scattered over half a mile of seabed.
"It's easily the biggest meteorological drop recorded in the United States in 21 years," says Fries.
Some of the debris that has survived diving can be as big as a brick, and scientists want to recover as much as they can for further study. Fortunately, a nearby research vessel is in the middle of an investigation mission, and they have high tech tools to help with the treasure hunt.
The Nautilus is the flagship of the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET), a non-profit group founded by explorer Robert Ballard. Accompanied by scientists from the University of Washington, the National Marine Sanctuary of the Olympic Coast and NASA, the Nautilus will use remotely operated submarines to monitor the area and gather the fragments they will find. .
is located near an underwater canyon about 400 feet deep. The area is relatively flat, making black meteorites easier to spot based on the lighter seabed. The OET, who has already discovered the Titanic wreck, has agreed to donate one day of their technical expertise to the company. "It's a great opportunity for us because it's a pure and interesting exploration mission," said Nicole Raineault, Vice President of Exploration and Science
All discovered meteorites will be added to the Smithsonian Institution's Washington research collection. DC
The Nautilus also includes a high-speed satellite connection that allows real-time transmission of video data and other sensors to their mission control center of the University of Rhode. Island. A live video of the expedition will be available on www.nautiluslive.org if you wish to follow the research. Remote scuba diving is scheduled to take place between 9 am and 4 pm (Pacific time) on July 2nd.
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