Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/02/01
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Austin, all -
As a chemist (as well as a vet) I can only take a guess at what might be
toxic. First, VERY high heat applies to ceramics or carbon fiber material
9as well as metals) can produce an amazing array of compounds. Added to
residual atmospheric gasses as well as 'leftover' fuel - a multitude of
uncertain heavy metal, carbon carcinogenic, and volatile compounds (which
may be heavier than air may or trapped inside the material matrix, may be
explosive as well. That's why after each mission, before crew exit, a
special 'Sniffer' (formally made my the Foxboro Co. here in in MA that I
once worked on back in '82) pulls in the surrounding gasses through a wand
that is waved al over the external areas of the ship by a trained crew, The
gasses are fed directly into a tandem infra-red analyzer/ mass spectrometer
to be identified - and the shuttle is scoured after crew exit. This is just
a guess, but enough to leave it alone, not only because of safety issues -
but moral issues as well - as it hampers investigation. Another truly sad
day for not only the US, but the World - as these missions have been a
unifying factor amongst global turmoil. I hope that this may spark new
interest to keep the programs at NASA alive, as the study of OUR spaceship,
earth, will bear unprecedented fruit to improve our planet's future.
After hearing of the areas of falling debris, there is a town that
sounds quite similar to where Sonny lives - Is it nearby?
With sadness,
Ed
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Leica Users digest)
> Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2003 13:50:10 -0800 (PST)
> To: leica-users-digest@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Leica Users digest V24 #37
>
> Gary,
>
> I've heard this said, but what, exactly, is the toxic? Do you know, or are
> you just restating what was stated by the media?
>
> Austin
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