[meteorite-list] Need help naming new group

From: Jeff Grossman <jgrossman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:22:40 2004
Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20030618080749.02d35248_at_gsvaresm02.er.usgs.gov>

New groups names are not a NomCom issue, although there are people who
think it should be. Group names come into being through consensus. Many
group names have died at birth, never being adopted by anybody other that
the person who wrote the initial publication (e.g., F chondrites, CA
chondrites). Others have caught on and become widely accepted (recently,
R, CH, CK, CR chondrites). Still others remain on the fence (e.g., CB
chondrites versus bencubbinites or just bencubbin-like meteorites). It
takes time.

My personal opinion is that "olivine diogenite" is a perfectly fine
term. Although it preserves the antiquated, nondescriptive, trivial term
"diogenite," everybody in meteoritics now knows what a diogenite is, and
that it comes from the HED parent body, most likely Vesta. What we don't
need now, in this age where we actually know where meteorites come from, is
more trivial terms. I strongly doubt that any publication that proposes
calling them something else would ever catch on.

jeff


At 10:55 PM 6/17/2003, Adam Hupe wrote:
>Dear List Members,
>
>It is our pleasure to announce NWA 1877, (provisional) the second so-called
>"Olivine Diogenite" in private hands. This makes number five including the
>three Antarctic finds. The significance of it being number five is that it
>now qualifies to be promoted to main group status if approved by the
>Nomenclature Committee. Scientists who are working on it agree that this
>ultra-rare class is suited in every way for a new full-blown group and are
>willing to propose this new group. Since O-Isotopes place this from the
>same parent body as the HED group, naming this new group would be a
>history-making event. A main group has never been added to the HED
>assemblage, only subgroups.
>
>This is not paired with NWA 1459, which was found in Iriqui and only weighed
>49 grams. Weighing in at 312 grams, NWA 1877, (provisional) is the most
>olivine-rich yet found with ~50% of this mineral. The scientists who are
>working on it suggested coming up with a new name for this group since
>Diogenite, by definition, does not accurately describe this type of
>meteorite. The name "Olivine Diogenite" was coined by scientists working on
>the Antarctic finds for lack of a better term at the time. If these five
>were from Earth they would be called "Harzburgitic Peridotites" but you
>cannot use terrestrial terms to name meteorite types. This is where the
>List may be able to help. Scientists suggested that the meteoritic
>community, meaning the List, come up with a name for this group.
>
>We do not know what to call this proposed new group since none of them are
>from witnessed falls. It was suggested that it be named in honor of some
>famous pioneer in the field of meteoritics or some closely related
>discipline. We are open to suggestions and know that List members can be
>very creative. Who knows? you may be able to become a part of history by
>coming up with a suitable name.
>
>In case you have not guessed this will be the weekly rare material
>announcement but with some added flare because it is something anyone could
>get involved in if they wished. If you come up with a suitable name we
>will send you a 1-gram plus specimen free of charge.
>
>Wishing everybody the very best,
>
>Adam and Greg Hupe
>The Hupe Collection
>IMCA 2185
>
>
>
>
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Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman
Chair, Meteorite Nomenclature Committee (Meteoritical Society)
US Geological Survey
954 National Center
Reston, VA 20192, USA
Phone: (703) 648-6184 fax: (703) 648-6383
Received on Wed 18 Jun 2003 08:23:50 AM PDT