Search for Meteorites in Northern Greenland: A Preliminary Feasibility Study

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The processes that cause meteorite specimens to accumulate on ice fields are now understood based on research in Antarctica. The conditions which promote the accumulation of meteorites and other extraterrestrial objects on the East Antarctica ice sheet may also exist in northern Greenland. The objective of this investigation is to verify that meteorite specimens may have accumulated near the margin of the ice sheet in northern Greenland. The study will include: (1) an examination of published reports and aerial photographs, and (2) visual inspection of the ice sheet adjacent to Peary Land, Washington Land, and Inglefield Land. The visual inspection will be done from a suitable Air National Guard aircraft flying out of the Thule A. B. in northern Greenland. The results of this reconnaissance flight, combined with insights obtained from aerial photographs and reports will be used in the future to design a field program at a selected site in the ice sheet of northern Greenland to verify the existence of subglacial bedrock ridges in northern Greenland and to recover meteorite specimens that have accumulated in its surface.