Acknowledging everyone's help so far...

[Back up to Black Rock Desert suspected impact crater page]

by Ian Kluft
e-mail:
November 10, 2008

The December 2008 issue of Discover Magazine (now on newsstands in early to mid-November) has a section that covers a variety of scientists and science research from 2008. I was privileged to be selected for it - and so there's a brief blurb about me and my project to research the Black Rock impact crater theory. In the short amount of print space available, understandably a lot of things that we talked about in the interview didn't make it into print. I did mention that many friends have helped me. Since the article only mentioned me, I owe it to everyone who has helped me to acknowledge them as well.

The Black Rock Desert is a remote location where you don't travel alone, at least not if you care about safety. And others also climbed the learning curve with me to find out what it takes to recognize an impact crater and making on-the-ground observations at Black Rock to compare with those criteria. (For example, any analysis of a potential impact crater usually has to consider the possibility of a volcanic caldera too.)

It is my intent to thank everyone who has helped. If I missed anyone, it's inadvertent - I'll correct such errors as soon as possible. I'm listing Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) callsigns for those who have them. When crediting people with helping on trips to Black Rock, I'll refer to the events by these names...

Crater Assault 1 - January 2007 (first trip to Black Rock since the crater theory)
Crater Assault 2 - June 2007 (second trip to Black Rock since the crater theory)
Aeronaut 2007 - August 2007 (rocket launch event where some of us went hiking in the crater research area)
Stratofox 4 - August 2007 (camping and hiking in the crater research area at Upper High Dry)
Crater Assault 3 - September 2008 (camping and hiking in the crater research area at Upper High Dry)
Stratofox 5 - September 2008 (camping and hiking in the crater research area at Upper High Dry)

Here's the list, more or less in chronological order from the first participation. Thanks to everyone who has helped this research so far.

Brad Douglas KB8UYR, Fremont, California (Stratofox member): online research assistance, satellite imagery analysis, geology advice, participant in the Crater Assault 1 & 2 and Stratofox 4 trips to Black Rock
Scot Wilcoxon, Minneapolis, Minnesota: online research assistance, submitted the story to Slashdot, wrote the story for WikiNews
Heather Stern KG6ZYC, Campbell, California (Stratofox member): online research assistance, participant in the Crater Assault 1, 2 & 3 and Stratofox 4 trips to Black Rock
John Ballard KE7KPZ and Donna Ballard KE7LHQ, Reno, Nevada (Stratofox members): participants in the Crater Assault 1 trip to Black Rock
Dave Brock N6DCB, Folsom, California (Stratofox member): participant in the Crater Assault 1 trip to Black Rock
Pierce Nichols, Tehachapi, California (Stratofox member): participant in the Crater Assault 1 trip to Black Rock
Mark Whittington KA8I, Sterling, Virginia (Stratofox member): Point of Contact (safety/message contact) for Crater Assault 1
Jim Dennis KG6ZXF, Campbell, California: participant in the Crater Assault 2 trip to Black Rock
Joe Isca, West Lafayette, Indiana: participant in hiking visit to Upper High Dry during Aeronaut 2007
Paul Hopkins KE6DAX, Concord, California: monitoring for our radio reports & safety during Aeronaut 2007
Charlie Wittman, Los Gatos, California (geologist with impact crater experience): geology advice, gave me a sample of a shatter cone from the Kentland, Indiana crater for comparison
Rafael Skodlar KC6LBJ, Milpitas, California (Stratofox member): offered hundreds of photos from previous Black Rock visits including aerial photos of Upper High Dry, participant in Stratofox 4 & 5 trips to Black Rock
Lowell Gordy AF6BI, San Jose, California (Stratofox member): participant in the Crater Assault 3 trip to Black Rock
Tom White KG6BRK, Placerville, California (Stratofox member): participant in the Crater Assault 3 and Stratofox 5 trips to Black Rock
Bob Verish, San Diego, California (Stratofox member, geologist with impact crater experience): lots of geology advice, referred me to the Impact Field Studies Group (IFSG) to get this site listed on the Suspected Earth Impact Sites (SEIS) list, participant in the Crater Assault 3 trip to Black Rock
Moni Waiblinger, San Diego, California: participant in the Crater Assault 3 trip to Black Rock
Owen DeLong KB6MER, San Jose, California (Stratofox member): Point of Contact (safety/message contact) for Crater Assault 3 and Stratofox 5
Brian Coyle, Orlando, Florida: encouragement on the mail list
Steve Rubin AE6CH, San Jose, California (Stratofox member): encouragement on the mail list, tried to arrange to attend several trips
Randall Clague KG6IMG, Mojave, California: encouragement on the mail list
Denise Pouchet, Burbank, California: encouragement on the mail list
Pat Barthelow AA6EG, Sacramento, California: encouragement on the mail list

Some efforts of Stratofox members from 2003 to 2006 also contributed to this effort even before the impact crater theory came up at the beginning of 2007. Pilots and photographers from whom we already had a lot of aerial and ground photos were a huge place to start.

There have been a lot of cases where I've also heard from people who had tried to arrange to come on some of these trips but couldn't make it. Others just live to far away and could only wish they could come. Thanks to all.