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Stony Meteorite
In meteoritics, a meteorite classification system attempts to group similar meteorites and allows scientists to communicate with a standardized terminology when discussing them. Meteorites are classified according to a variety of characteristics, especially mineralogical, petrological, chemical, and isotopic properties. Terminology There is no single, standardized terminology used in meteorite classification; however, commonly used terms for categories include ''types'', ''classes'', ''clans'', ''groups'', and ''subgroups''. Some researchers hierarchize these terms, but there is no consensus as to which hierarchy is most appropriate. Meteorites that do not fit any known group (though they may fit somewhere within a higher level of classification) are ''ungrouped''. Genetic relationships Meteorite classification may indicate that a "genetic" relationship exists between similar meteorite specimens. Similarly classified meteorites may share a common origin, and therefore may com ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meteoritics
Meteoritics is the science that deals with meteors, meteorites, and meteoroids. It is closely connected to cosmochemistry, mineralogy and geochemistry. A specialist who studies meteoritics is known as a ''meteoriticist''. Scientific research in meteoritics includes the collection, identification, and classification of meteorites and the analysis of samples taken from them in a laboratory. Typical analyses include investigation of the minerals that make up the meteorite, their relative locations, orientations, and chemical compositions; analysis of isotope ratios; and radiometric dating. These techniques are used to determine the age, formation process, and subsequent history of the material forming the meteorite. This provides information on the history of the Solar System, how it formed and evolved, and the process of planet formation. History of investigation Before the documentation of L'Aigle it was generally believed that meteorites were a type of superstition and those ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Achondrite
An achondrite is a stony meteorite that does not contain chondrules. It consists of material similar to terrestrial basalts or plutonic rocks and has been differentiated and reprocessed to a lesser or greater degree due to melting and recrystallization on or within meteorite parent bodies. As a result, achondrites have distinct textures and mineralogies indicative of igneous processes. Achondrites account for about 8% of meteorites overall, and the majority (about two-thirds) of them are HED meteorites, possibly originating from the crust of asteroid 4 Vesta. Other types include Martian, Lunar, and several types thought to originate from as-yet unidentified asteroids. These groups have been determined on the basis of e.g. the Fe/ Mn chemical ratio and the 17O/18O oxygen isotope ratios, thought to be characteristic "fingerprints" for each parent body. Classification Achondrites are classified into the following groups:O. Richard Norton. The Cambridge encyclopedia of meteorites. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
L Chondrite
The L type ordinary chondrites are the second most common group of meteorites, accounting for approximately 35% of all those catalogued, and 40% of the ordinary chondrites. The ordinary chondrites are thought to have originated from three parent asteroids, with the fragments making up the H chondrite, L chondrite and LL chondrite groups respectively. Name Their name comes from their relatively low iron abundance, with respect to the H chondrites, which are about 20–25% iron by weight. Historically, the L chondrites have been named ''hypersthene chondrites'' or ''olivine hypersthene chondrites'' for the dominant minerals, but these terms are now obsolete. Chemical composition Characteristic is the fayalite content (Fa) in olivine of 21 to 25 mol%. About 4–10% iron–nickel is found as a free metal, making these meteorites magnetic, but not as strongly as the H chondrites. Mineralogy The most abundant minerals are olivine and hypersthene (an orthopyroxene), as well as ir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
H Chondrite
The H type ordinary chondrites are the most common type of meteorite, accounting for approximately 40% of all those catalogued, 46% of the ordinary chondrites, and 44% of all chondrites. The ordinary chondrites are thought to have originated from three parent asteroids, whose fragments make up the H chondrite, L chondrite and LL chondrite groups respectively. Name The name comes from their High iron abundance, with respect to other ordinary chondrites. Historically, the H chondrites have been named ''bronzite chondrites'' or ''olivine bronzite chondrites'' for the dominant minerals, but these terms are now obsolete. Parent body A probable parent body for this group is the S-type asteroid 6 Hebe, with less likely candidates being 3 Juno and 7 Iris. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ordinary Chondrite
The ordinary chondrites (sometimes called the O chondrites) are a class of stony chondritic meteorites. They are by far the most numerous group, comprising 87% of all finds. Hence, they have been dubbed "ordinary". The ordinary chondrites are thought to have originated from three parent asteroids, with the fragments making up the H chondrite, L chondrite and LL chondrite groups respectively. Origin It is suspected that they are not representative of typical asteroid parent bodies, but rather of a select few which are advantageously placed to send impact fragments to Earth-crossing orbits. Such positions are e.g. near Kirkwood gaps and/or secular resonances in the main asteroid belt. In fact, only the one rather insignificant asteroid 3628 Božněmcová has been identified to have a spectrum close to the ordinary chondrites. A probable parent body of the H chondrites (comprising about 46% of the ordinary chondrites) is 6 Hebe, but its spectrum is dissimilar due to what is li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allende Meteorite
The Allende meteorite is the largest carbonaceous chondrite ever found on Earth. The fireball was witnessed at 01:05 on February 8, 1969, falling over the Mexican state of Chihuahua. After it broke up in the atmosphere, an extensive search for pieces was conducted and over 2 tonnes (2.2 tons) were recovered. The availability of large quantities of samples of the scientifically-important chondrite class has enabled numerous investigations by many scientists; it is often described as "the best-studied meteorite in history." The Allende meteorite has abundant, large calcium–aluminium-rich inclusions (CAI), which are among the oldest objects formed in the Solar System. Carbonaceous chondrites compose about 4 percent of all meteorites observed to fall from space. Prior to 1969, the carbonaceous chondrite class was known from a small number of uncommon meteorites such as Orgueil, which fell in France in 1864. Meteorites similar to Allende were known, but many were small and poorly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
CI Chondrite
CI chondrites, also called C1 chondrites or Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrites, are a group of rare carbonaceous chondrite, a type of stony meteorite. They are named after the Ivuna meteorite, the type specimen. CI chondrites have been recovered in France, Canada, India, and Tanzania. Their overall chemical composition closely resembles the elemental composition of the Sun (and hence the whole Solar System), more so than any other type of meteorite. CI chondrites are rich in volatiles- water, organics, and other light elements/compounds. They have more water than comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Some specimens which are classified as borderline CIs found in Antarctica are sometimes referred to as a separate group, the CY chondrites. Designation The abbreviation CI is derived from the C for ''carbonaceous'' and in the name scheme of Wasson, the I from Ivuna, the type locality in Tanzania. The 1 in C1 stands for the type 1 meteorites in the older classification scheme of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carbonaceous Chondrite
Carbonaceous chondrites or C chondrites are a class of chondritic meteorites comprising at least 8 known groups and many ungrouped meteorites. They include some of the most primitive known meteorites. The C chondrites represent only a small proportion (4.6%) of meteorite falls. Some famous carbonaceous chondrites are: Allende, Murchison, Orgueil, Ivuna, Murray, Tagish Lake, Sutter's Mill and Winchcombe. General description C chondrites contain a high proportion of carbon (up to 3%), which is in the form of graphite, carbonates and organic compounds, including amino acids. In addition, they contain water and minerals that have been modified by the influence of water. The carbonaceous chondrites were not exposed to higher temperatures, so that they are hardly changed by thermal processes. Some carbonaceous chondrites, such as the Allende meteorite, contain calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs). These are compounds that emerged early from the primeval solar nebula, co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chondrite
A chondrite is a stony (non- metallic) meteorite that has not been modified, by either melting or differentiation of the parent body. They are formed when various types of dust and small grains in the early Solar System accreted to form primitive asteroids. Some such bodies that are captured in the planet's gravity well become the most common type of meteorite by (whether quickly, or after many orbits) arriving on a trajectory toward the planet's surface. Estimates for their contribution to the total meteorite population vary between 85.7% and 86.2%. Their study provides important clues for understanding the origin and age of the Solar System, the synthesis of organic compounds, the origin of life and the presence of water on Earth. One of their characteristics is the presence of chondrules (from the Ancient Greek χόνδρος ''chondros'', grain), which are round grains formed as molten, or partially molten droplets, in the space by distinct minerals, that normally ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mesosiderite
Mesosiderites are a class of stony–iron meteorites consisting of about equal parts of metallic nickel-iron and silicate. They are breccias with an irregular texture; silicates and metal occur often in lumps or pebbles as well as in fine-grained intergrowths. The silicate part contains olivine, pyroxenes, and Ca-rich feldspar and is similar in composition to eucrites and diogenites. They are a rare type of meteorite; as of November 2014 only 208 are known (of which 56 come from Antarctica) and only 7 of these are observed falls. On the other hand, some mesosiderites are among the largest meteorites known. At Vaca Muerta in the Atacama Desert in Chile, many fragments with a total mass of 3.8 tons were found in a large strewnfield. They were first discovered in the 19th century by ore prospectors who mistook the shiny metal inclusions for silver and thought they had found an outcrop of a silver ore deposit. Later when an analysis was made and nickel-iron was found, the true na ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pallasite
The pallasites are a class of stony–iron meteorite. Structure and composition It consists of centimetre-sized olivine crystals of peridot quality in an iron-nickel matrix. Coarser metal areas develop Widmanstätten patterns upon etching. Minor constituents are schreibersite, troilite, chromite, pyroxenes, and phosphates ( whitlockite, stanfieldite, farringtonite, and merrillite). Classification and subgroups Using the oxygen isotopic composition, meteoric iron composition and silicate composition pallasites are divided into 4 subgroups:O. Richard Norton. ''The Cambridge encyclopedia of meteorites''. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2002. . * Main group pallasites (PMG): Almost all pallasites * Eagle Station group (PES): 5 specimens known. They are related to IIF irons. * Pyroxene Pallasite grouplet (PPX): Counts only Vermillion and Yamato 8451. They take their name from the high orthopyroxene content (about 5%). Metal matrix shows a fine octahedrite Widmanst ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ataxite
Ataxites (from Greek meaning "without structure") are a structural class of iron meteorites with a high nickel content and show no Widmanstätten patterns upon etching. Characteristics Ataxites are composed mainly of meteoric iron, a native metal found in meteorites that consists of the mineral taenite with minor amounts of plessite, troilite, and microscopic lamellae of kamacite. Ataxites are the most nickel-rich meteorites known; they usually contain over 18% nickel. The high nickel content is the reason that they do not develop a Widmanstätten structure, because in this case kamacite can be exsolved from taenite only at such a low temperature (below about 600°C) where diffusion is already too slow.F. Heide, F. Wlotzka, Meteorites, Messengers from Space, Springer-Verlag 1995, page 143 Classification Most ataxites belong to the[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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