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Wasson & Kyte 1987
Wasson, J.T. and Kyte, F.T. (1987). Comment on the letter ‘‘on the influx of small comets into the Earth’s atmosphere II: Interpretation’’. Geophysical Research Letters 14: doi: 10.1029/GL014i007p00779. issn: 0094-8276.

Frank et al. (1986a) inferred a terrestrial mass influx of 108 g icy comets of ~1015g a-1. About 20-40% of the mass of known comets is comprised of chondritic rocky matter, thus the associated influx of chondritic matter is inferred to be at least 2⋅1014g a-1. Iridium-accumulation evidence indicates a total influx of chondritic extraterrestrial matter having masses in the range 1014 to 1017 g of 7.8⋅1010g a-1, 2500 times smaller; >99% of this infalling matter is in masses 1011 g. For bodies in the 107-109 g range the inferred flux is 108 g a-1, a factor of 2⋅106 lower than that inferred for the Frank et al. comets. Becuase there must be devolatilized objects in the same population, the actual discrepancy is larger, probably ~3⋅109.

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Geophysical Research Letters
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