[meteorite-list] Main Mass Status - EXAMPLE

From: Jeff Kuyken <jeff_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:25:34 2004
Message-ID: <005d01c31121$546f7750$83428a90_at_mandin4f89ypwu>

I remember that I had this issue came up in an email with Alex Bevan late
last year. Basically, just because a specimen is the "Largest Piece" does
not automatically make it the "Main Mass". Take Veevers for example. The
"Largest Piece" is around 37g. Calling this the "Main Mass' of the Veevers
meteorite is just plain ridiculous. Remember the huge hole in Australia! ;-)

The definition that Jeff Grossman came up with is probably a much more
reasonable view of the term "Main Mass". But I guess only time will tell
with how this one pans out.

Cheers,

Jeff Kuyken
I.M.C.A. #3085
www.meteoritesaustralia.com



----- Original Message -----
From: "walter branch" <branchw_at_bellsouth.net>
To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2003 2:20 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Park Forest Main Mass Status


> Hello Everyone,
>
> I have always felt the term "main mass" was so ill
> defined as to be one of the least important (to me)
> properties of a find or fall. If it is strictly a collecting term
> then the potential problems are enormous. Suppose, for
> example, a museum has the 10 kg "main mass" (I'll define
> it as the largest recovered piece) of a given fall or find. But
> then the museum decides to do a trade and cut the meteorite
> roughly 60/40, keeping the larger piece. Does it still have
> the main mass? Not if I have a 7.5 kg specimen.
>
> Not that I have a 7.5 kg specimen of anything.
>
> Think of the problems with all the NWA meteorites (no, I'm
> not picking on them).
>
> An operational definition would be nice but when a simple cut
> of the saw can alter the main mass, for many meteorites this property
> would change overnight.
>
> Now, don't get me started on TKW...
>
> -Walter
> ---------------------------------------------
> www.branchmeteorites.com
>
>
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>
Received on Fri 02 May 2003 11:08:51 PM PDT