The Twannberg meteorite is a hexahedrite iron meteorite. It is the only meteorite of the IIG group found in Europe and the largest meteorite ever found in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

Discovery and naming

The first fragment () was found on 9 May 1984 in a barley field near Twann, after it had been ploughed (Twannberg I). Two additional fragments were found in an unnatural setting. One fragment (II) was found in 2000 in an attic in Twann and another (III) in 2005 in the Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, in a collection received from the Museum Schwab in Biel where it had been labeled as hematite around 1930. Twannberg IV, V and VI were found in the creek Twannbach. The meteorite is named after Twannberg (from German: Twann mountain), a mountain that lies north of Twann. EtikettenSchwab

The find location is a glacial till deposit. This paired with minerals found in the oxidized surface of the meteorite are an indicator that the meteorite fell on the Rhone glacier and was transported by it to Twann during the

Würm ice age The Würm is a river in Bavaria, Germany, right tributary of the Amper. The length of the river is , or including the ''Steinbach'', the main feed of Lake Starnberg. It drains the overflow from Lake Starnberg and flows swiftly through the villa ...

and then deposited there.

Mineralogy

The meteorite is composed of meteoric iron and schreibersite. The meteoric iron has 5.1% Nickel, and is all in the form of kamacite. The preatmospheric mass was estimated to be at least . The surface of the meteorite is covered in an oxidation layer.

Classification

The meteorite is classified as a member of group IIG.

References

{{Meteorites by name Meteorites found in Switzerland

Discovery and naming

Mineralogy

Classification

See also

References