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Re: What is a Meteorite?

	I have asked this question many times, but there seems to me no 
absolute answer. We know that they must originate from somewhere in the 
solar system, other than planet Earth. Also we know they have different 
characteristics than Earth rocks, so that helps us to understand what a 
meteorite is. But I feel that this is too narrow a focus.
	When we look at meteorites, we see reoccuring patterns, ones that 
we can relate to in meteorites we have actually seen to fall. Does this 
mean that anything falling to our planet will follow these same patterns? 
Could our Solar System be a breeding ground for only a few different 
materials? 
	There are 12 types of iron meteorites, 3 types of stony iron 
meteorites, approximatly 6 types of chondrites, and approximatly 12 types 
of achondrites. This totals to about 33 known types of meteorites. That 
is an awfully small amount when we consider the size of the Solar System.
	I estimate that the Earth has over 1,000 distinctly different 
rock types. These different rock types, are subtle, but distinct enough 
to allow a division, and classification. This leads me to believe there 
are vastly more meteorites out there, to which we have no 
information. 
	Many meteorites land on the Earth. Most all are never found, and 
a very few are actually witnessed hitting the planet. Weather then begins 
to destroy the meteorite almost instantaneously. After a couple thousand 
yrs, the meteorite can be just an amorphous lump in the soil, never to be 
realized as a true meteorite. It's chemical, physical, and mineralogical 
state has been severly altered, till almost unrecognizable.
	 Perhaps many new meteorite types have been overlooked on the 
account of the above processes. Can we ignore the ones we don't know 
about? Yes we can, on the fact that we know more types may come to light.
	However, some would argue that what meteorites we have are the 
sum total of what our Solar System has to offer, although they would 
allow some leeway in the discovery of new types, albeit very few. I make 
no effort to argue with their position.
	I say this, that what meteorites we have sampled are more than 
likley not the sum of our Solar System, but rather a smattering of a few 
regions of the Solar System. We have samples from Mars, the Moon, and the 
Asteroids, that accounts for about a 10th of the mass of our solar 
system, not including the Sun. What about other moons, comets,planets, 
and object coming into our Solar System from somewhere else in the 
galaxy? That is my question, and I wanted to share it with the members of 
this list.
	No one person can ever say they know for sure that we live in a 
stable system, and this applies to meteorites as well. Who's to say what 
is a meteorite, if we may have samples from such possibly diverse 
sources? I am NOT saying anything can be a meteorite, what I am saying is 
that, we should always be openminded, to what could be out there. 
Investigate all rocks that may be meteorites till we are satisfied they 
are, or are not. When we do this we may allow ourselves to discover 
something new, and unique.

Frank Stroik
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