[meteorite-list] Lunar Crusts + Portales Valley

From: Rhett Bourland <rbourlan_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:01:32 2004
Message-ID: <IOEBKAHMGFBDJMOFGDFNIECGDMAA.rbourlan_at_evansville.net>

Greetings Mark and other listees,
Ah, more Portales questions! The more I think about this meteorite the more
I love it.

<<1. Is there any brecciation present at all in observed
pieces and/or do the "current" large metal areas look
as if they were formed through "peaceful" processes? >>

While not being able to answer this question completely I do know that from
all the pictures I've seen the etch pattern on PV is pretty normal. Normal
being not stretched or twisted in any way. Actually, that is to be expected
because if in my last email on the subject was correct then the metal would
have still been its liquid form when the impact occurred. Since it hadn't
solidified at that point it would be kind of hard to wreak havoc on the
pattern. ;)

<<2. If one were to isolate a chunk of one of the more
larger metal areas in Portales Valley, etch it, and
then proceed to have it classified as a separate
meteorite, what would you think it would be classified
as?>>

If not a plain old IIE then at least something close to it. Some IIE's are
silicated (Miles being a perfect example) and the oxygen isotopes of the
silicates found in those meteorites match up with the H chondrites close
enough that some researches claim that the two could have come from the same
parent body.
Thanks for continuing this fascinating discussion!!!
Rhett Bourland
www.asteroidmodels.com
www.asteroidmodels.com/personal
www.meteoritecollectors.org
Received on Mon 10 Jun 2002 02:16:12 AM PDT