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Column: Micro Visions

NWA 6007 L3.5

April 1, 2012

NWA 6007 L3.5

NWA 6007 is terrestrially fresh but shocked. It has well defined chondrulesSmall round and oval structures of crystal grains found in most chondrite type meteorites. as you would expect of an L3.5. Compression has caused an orientation of components within the stone. Dark inclusions are scattered throughout.                 [...]

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An Ungrouped Carbonaceous Chondrite

March 1, 2012

An Ungrouped Carbonaceous Chondrite

NWA 5958 C3.0-ung was 286 grams of fragments. We bought a fragment from Greg Hupé and had thin sections made from it. The Met Bull entry and two papers are here: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteorThe luminous phenomena in the sky caused by the high velocity passage of a cosmic body through the atmosphere./metbull.php?code=50844 http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2011/pdf/2343.pdf http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2011/pdf/2325.pdf       [...]

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Estherville Meteorite, a Mesosiderite

February 1, 2012

Estherville Meteorite, a Mesosiderite

MesosideriteA class of stony-iron meteorite that contains silicate and other mineral inclusions as a major portion of its mass. meteorites are stony irons with roughly 50-50 proportions of each. The iron is asteroidal core and the stone is the crust of a differentiated asteroidA body in our solar system composted of either metal or rock [...]

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Metal-troilite Intergrowths

January 1, 2012

Metal-troilite Intergrowths

Sometimes melt rock in meteorites contains blebs of metal-troiliteA common mineral found in all types of meteorites. Troilite is chemically FeS and is related to Pyrrhotite which is found on Earth. It is bronze in color and only 4.6 in hardness. Dis-solvable in a nitric acid solution it will stain the surface of iron meteorites [...]

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Moorabie L3.8-an

December 1, 2011

Moorabie L3.8-an

A few of us were talking meteorites when one friend mentioned Moorabie. When I couldn’t recall the stone I was admonished to refresh my memory as soon as possible. I make amends with this column. Even before checking my small collection I consulted David Weir’s Moorabie page to see what the score was. He lays [...]

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Vugs and Vacuoles in D’Orbigny Meteorite

November 1, 2011

Vugs and Vacuoles in D’Orbigny Meteorite

D’Orbigny The D’Orbigny angriteAn achondrite meteorite type characterized by calcium-titanium-aluminum rich pyroxene abundance. is famous for a lot of things. Among them are holes – vugs and vacuoles. The irregular vugs are usually filled with a tangle of well formed dark augite crystals. The vacuoles or vesicles are spherical. Most are empty. Some contain glass. [...]

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Seeing Processing in a CV3

October 1, 2011

Seeing Processing in a CV3

Not all CV3 carbonaceousA family of chondritic meteorites that contain several percent carbon by weight and are among the most primitive of meteorites. chondrites are alike. More than most, NWA 6207 makes it easy for us to see that its components went through a succession of processes before they were delivered to us. Existing large [...]

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Isheyevo

September 1, 2011

Isheyevo

Right now Isheyevo is being called a CH/CBb and might not even be a chondrite in the usual sense of the term. It is a complex mix of components from different sources. For example, there are two distinct populations of CAIs. There are two sets of chondrule textures corresponding to two blended lithologies. And the [...]

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Begaa NWA 4910 LL3.1: Now This is a Chondrite!

August 1, 2011

Begaa NWA 4910 LL3.1: Now This is a Chondrite!

For a long time Begaa had no official name and several stated classifications. Now Begaa is a synonym for NWA 4910 LL3.1. Whether this change is welcome, a comedown or something else is a matter of opinion. But we can agree that it is one fine meteorite. It’s a rock you can show any novice [...]

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Column: Micro Visions

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The NWA 1109 Meteorite – Polymict or Something

July 1, 2011

The NWA 1109 Meteorite – Polymict or Something

The Meteoritical Bulletin database lists NWA 1109 as a polymict eucriteA class of achondrite meteorites that is similar in composition to basalt lavas found on Earth. – at least a 2.54 kilogram portion of the find was classified that way. I know that in 2002 and 2003 some material was sold as NWA 1109 howarditeA [...]

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Column: Micro Visions

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NWA 6704 – A New Ungrouped Achondrite

June 1, 2011

NWA 6704 – A New Ungrouped Achondrite

Greg Hupé tells about his new ungrouped achondriteMeteorites formed from an igneous source rock and lacking chondrules, group includes lunar and planetary meteorites. in this issue of Meteorite-Times so this is a good time to show close up pictures of it. Dr. Tony Irving did the classification and we learned about this stone from his [...]

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NWA 5426 R4

May 1, 2011

NWA 5426 R4

NWA 5426 is a Rumuruti type chondrite. Most R chondrites show brecciation, though Rumuruti itself does not. They have a somewhat high ratio of matrixThe material of a meteorite that fills the spaces between chondrulesSmall round and oval structures of crystal grains found in most chondrite type meteorites. and inclusions. It is made of much [...]

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Talbachat n’aït Isfoul Meteorite

April 1, 2011

Talbachat n’aït Isfoul Meteorite

Talbachat n’aït Isfoul is an eight kilogram meteorite found in Morocco twelve years ago this month. The Meteoritical Bulletin database lists it as an LL3. You’ll see it called an LL3.7, too. Sometimes it’s called Tagounite 019. As expected with those classifications it has largish, well preserved chondrulesSmall round and oval structures of crystal grains [...]

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Column: Micro Visions

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Thinner Thin Sections

March 1, 2011

Thinner Thin Sections

The canonical thickness for thin sections is 0.03mm. Professionals depend on it. Collectors insist on it. Still, if we have to rely on a conventional light microscope there are some times when thinner sections show more features. The dark, fine grained matrixThe material of a meteorite that fills the spaces between chondrulesSmall round and oval [...]

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Relict Grains

February 1, 2011

Relict Grains

ChondrulesSmall round and oval structures of crystal grains found in most chondrite type meteorites. were molten droplets.  What caused the melting is hotly debated  (har).  Chondrule textures reflect the extent of melting  and rates of cooling.  Porphyritic chondrulesSmall round and oval structures of crystal grains found in most chondrite type meteorites. did not fully melt.  [...]

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