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Re: Mars again
- To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
- Subject: Re: Mars again
- From: Ron Baalke <BAALKE@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
- Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1999 1:17:36 GMT
- Old-X-Envelope-To: <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
- Resent-Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1999 21:18:45 -0400 (EDT)
- Resent-From: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
- Resent-Message-ID: <"XWFrCC.A.WaG.GDWC3"@mu.pair.com>
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>Is it still possible to see a marsian meteorite fall in our time?
Not only it is possible, it has already been done. The following Mars
meteorites were witnessed falls:
o Chassigny in 1815
o Shergotty in 1865
o Nakhla in 1911
o Zagami in 1962
>If
>yes, could it be the result of a relatively recent impact on Mars?
Not necessarily. Most meteorites are in space for millions of
years before they impact Earth, including the Mars meteorites.
>Also, what would be its approximate worth, by the gram?
Depends on the which type of Mars meteorite it is. Current prices
ranges from about $750/gram (Zagami) to about $50,000/gram (Chassigny).
These are the current price ranges. If a 2-ton Mars meteorite was found, then
the prices would drop.
>If it fell in
>the hands of a private collector/hunter, what would happen in terms of
>its ownership,
Ownership laws varies from country to country. It may or may not
belong to the finder depending on where the meteorite was found.
>in other words, would there be significant pressure from
>the scientific community to get it in its entirety?
Depends on the size of the meteorite. Generally, only a small portion of
the meteorite is required for scientific analysis, which isn't a problem
unless the meteorite is small to begin with. To be positively identified
as a Mars meteorite does require lab analysis from a reputable lab anyway.
Also, additional scientific data
can be collected without sacrificing the meteorite, such as
photos of the entire meteorite from different camera
angles to record fusion crust and flight markings. If there is a strewn
field, then recording the weight and location of each fragment is important.
It should be pointed out the last two Mars meteorites were found and
are currently owned by private individuals.
Ron Baalke
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