Aeolian Hunter

Found this nice rock with calcite crystals. Put it in 1:1 vinegar: water. Then realized it was calcite so quickly took it out. I may have frosted the crystals a bit. bad move.

Since you are not interested in depth, you don't need a large (e.g. 6'x6') coil, but can make a wide and narrow coil like 6'x1'. This should still give you about a 1' depth, be more sensitive to smaller targets (than a 6'x6' coil), and better match the inductance of the normal mono coil.

I have designed and built metal detector electronics for my own use but never made a large coil detector. The first issue is whether to use a VLF continuous wave, or Pulse Induction (PI) design. Most systems like this use a PI design because the coil is just a simple loop.(mono coil). VLF systems that drive the coil continuously, need a design where the net magnetic flux into the receive part of the coil is carefully nulled to zero within about one part per million by careful mechanical design. This usually takes the form of a double D where the loop is a figure 8 with overlapping s

Here's a good article http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?bibcode=1990Metic..25...11Z&db_key=AST&page_ind=0&plate_select=NO&data_type=GIF&type=SCREEN_GIF&classic=YES Roosevelt County meteorites Age<16,000yrs Fall rate: 940falls/(10^6yr-km^2) (>10g)= 9.4g/km^2/1,000yrs= 94g/km^2/10,000yrs

There seems to be very few rocks underneath. I envision many streams over time depositing from many different rock areas off the mountain to this spot. These were mixed with a lot of sand/clay/soil. Then the winds removed x feet of the smaller stuff off the top, with the bigger rocks concentrating at the surface as the surface moved down. This doesn't seem to me to be exactly desert pavement .

I'm going with petrified brain myself.?

Bill, You are probably used to seeing them in Az. I tried looking for them in Oregon, but they are few and far between, even though over half the state is supposed to be high desert. Too much sand and sage. That's probably why there have only been like 6 or 7 meteorites ever found in the state. And that includes the Great Willamette meteorite.

Thought it was interesting how the rocks get concentrated at the surface. And the rocks are of all types. What a story each one must have.

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm new to NM so just starting to explore. Found some good ground for the MXT. Disturbed a huge elk with a rack as long as my detector but screwed up getting it on video. It's always fun getting out.

First post but long time lurker. Thought I would head out today to do some exploring. Should only be 92 today and hopefully will get some cloud cover. Wish me luck.