[meteorite-list] Marjalahti - Finmarken pallasite connection?

From: (wrong string) ørn Sørheim <bsoerhei_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:42:01 2004
Message-ID: <200101181555.QAA02666_at_mail44.fg.online.no>

Dear List,
In the late evening of June 1, 1902 a big meteorite fell
from the sky in the Karelia area of Finland (later
to become a part of Russia).
About 45 kg of the meteorite was recovered. It turned out
it was a rare type meteorite, a pallasite, the very first of its
kind found in the Nordic countries.

The summer went, but then in september the same year, another
pallasite was found! (the 2nd one ever). This time in the north
of the Nordic countries. This one was found (not a fall) at the
high plains near Alta, in Norway's northernmost province of Finmark.
It got the name Finmarken from the province, in Norway known
as the Alta-meteorite. A total of 78 kg was recovered.

So far these are the only recognized pallasites of the Nordic
countries. A bit strange they both popped up in the same
year, only 3 months apart?
In my meagre collection of information about these meteorites,
I have an article which ask if there is a connection between these two.
The direction of the trail of the Marjalahti fall points in a
northwesternly direction (towards Finmark). They are both
main group pallasites, they have the same divergent rare metal
abundances (toghether with two others), they both contain both
round and polyhedral olivine grains.
Is this pure coincidence?

Are there any new results about the possible connection between these
two interesting meteorites?

Bjørn Sørheim
Received on Thu 18 Jan 2001 10:55:58 AM PST