How many meteorites hit the earth per day (on average)?

Hello, Mrs. Sneaky ~

Your question was fun to research, and the answer was really
astounding.

According to Our Dynamic Earth, (
http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk/education/howitallstarted_science.asp ),
"The number of meteorites which survive the journey through the
atmosphere, land on the Earth and are large enough to be seen and
found is about 2 per day."

What I find more significant is that approximately "40,000 kg of
material falls daily on Earth, most of it in the form of
micrometeorites." That's a lot of cosmic dust added to our planet.
These figures are confirmed in information provided by the Louisiana
State University at Shreveport 's Shreveport/Bossier Astronomical
Society at:

( http://www.lsus.edu/nonprofit/sbas/meteors.htm ) ... that
micro-meteorites "... are falling continuously on us at an estimated
rate of 10,000 tons daily. This amounts to about 4 ozs. per square
mile per year."

These figures do not take into consideration the variables of Earth's
taveling through the cosmic debris of comet tails, etc., of course,
which would reasonably be expected to increase the daily number during
those periods.

Search terms: daily meteorite impact, meteorites compacting earth

Hope this helps answer your question,

Serenata

Thanks!

The statement:
"The number of meteorites which survive the journey through the
atmosphere, land on the Earth and are large enough to be seen and
found is about 2 per day" is somewhat peculiar and suggess that the
source may not be entirely trustworthy.
By definition, ALL meterorites survive the journey through the
atmosphere.  It is only upon striking the Earth that they become
meteorites - in the atmosphere, they are meteors - in space,
meteoroids.

Also, the statement that "these figures are confirmed" is
questionable.  There is a huge (about a factor of a 250) difference
between 40,000 kg/day and 10,000 tons a day!