[bonesmccoy]

The energy of the impact is irrelevant to my comment.

My posting focused on a observation that can be made scientifically. The observation of the color of the plume gives you the ability to discern the contents of the plume.

Direct observation of the plume and understanding what it is defines the incident to a greater extent than making a guess based on the mass of the object (which is currently arguable), the impact angles, and the energy involved.

Do the experiment and you can tell what the plume is.

You could also identify if the RCC is dislodged to an extent that there could be leakage of plasma to the wing glove structures.

[Cold Heat]

I would think a spectro-analysis of the color would require better film than we have here.

A destructive spectrometer is hard enough to get a accurate reading from a sample.

[Budge]

Bones, did you get my FReep-mail this morning?

[spunkets]

" The observation of the color of the plume gives you the ability to discern the contents of the plume."

The color percieved depends on the sorce of illumination. Those flicks have 2, the sun and those large flames from the booster rockets. Those large flames are yellow. If the dust is yellow it will look yellow. If it's white, it will also look yellow.