Gibson and his colleagues watch meteorite finds and falls in the country. The last meteor fall in South Africa occurred in Lichtenburg in the North West in 1973.
Gibson said meteorites are rare and hold deep scientific value as they give a glimpse of the makeup and birth of our solar system, so it is crucial to track, trace and find possible meteorites that may have fallen in the country.
“The way they interact with Earth’s atmosphere is also important as they pose a potential threat,” Gibson said.
According to the Wits School of Geosciences, only 51 meteorites have been documented in South Africa and only 22 meteorite falls have been recorded.
“Like fossils, meteorites are items of national heritage and their sale and trade are regulated by law through the South African Heritage Resources Act.” it said.
Gibson and Wits colleagues Prof Lew Ashwal and Dr Leo Vonopartis, with Dr Carla Dodd from the department of geosciences at NMU, are interested in learning more about Sunday’s meteorite fall and invite anybody who has seen, heard or found anything they may suspect of being related to the meteorite event to contact them.
“Some people heard its sonic boom as far away as Plettenberg Bay — more than 200km from Gqeberha — and others felt ground tremors caused by the sonic boom or saw the meteor. We would be interested to hear from any witnesses of this event,” said Gibson.
Shonisani Tshikalange
www.timeslive.co.za
