Sirs:

The following is a note that I sent to each person involved with the magnetic Martian dust experiment:

I recovered a meteorite in the early 1970's. I now believe my rock represents the high silicon rocks that have been found on Mars. I have been trying to get someone to test this rock, but I have had little success yet, although I am actively working to that end.

Since I have this rock in my possession and can look at it each time a Pathfinder announcement is made, I feel it gives me some insight into the problem of the magnetic dust. I have predicted that this dust will look much like Barnacle Bill, in that it is comprised of this high silicon material, which is very brittle and light and makes good dust.

Much more information is available at my web site at www.micromike.com under the Mars section. I have pictures of the rock and its dust and information about the landing site and other general information. So if I can't get you to look at my site now, maybe you will if the spectrum of the dust shows it is probably the Barnacle Bill type of rock. Remember that I made this claim before the rover has taken the measurements.

Thanks for any help that you can give me.

Walter Gotz has been kind enough to respond to my inquiry, since he and his colleges believe this type of rock should be on Earth, but simply unrecognized. He gave me your name and said that I should contact you. I know my rock is a meteorite because of the circumstances surrounding its fall and the because of the physical changes that have taken place on the outside of the rock due to its entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

This rock is highly vesicled, with walls thinner than a piece of paper and is full of sand and dust which matches the Martian dust is color and reflectivity The dust that is magnetic appears the same color as the Martian magnetic dust. The reason there are so many round rocks on Mars comes from the delicate nature of these rocks. Mars has less gravity and less atmospheric pressure than does Earth, so these high silicon volcanic rocks, produce thin walls and numerous vesicles that are more delicate than Earthly rocks. Any motion of the rock, by whatever means, tends to break off these tiny, delicate structures, resulting in round rocks and magnetic dust. I took a sample yesterday for a K-Ar test, and found that I could easily break the inner structures with my fingernail.

If you would like, I can send you a sample of the magnetic dust, or a sample of all the Martian dust. But some where, some time, some one is going to have to listen to me and understand that I am an honest and capable person, and this rock fell from the sky in the winter of 1971. To get some Martian dust, all you must do is ask me for a sample. I do now have promises to test the rock for planet of origin from two universities, but neither has yet completed these tests.

Your friend,