AW: [meteorite-list] Most important meteorite?

From: Jörn Koblitz <koblitz_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Nov 16 04:56:25 2004
Message-ID: <E5E6112EA31FA24CB448E091C6883C050EBD46_at_server2000.microfab.de>

Hello Adam and Walter,

Most important meteorite: ALH 84001 or NWA 3133?

I think it is difficult to say and is always biased by the personal preferences of the collector or scientist,

but there is a fairly objective measure (at least for scientific importance): the number of publications on a specific meteorite. Presently, the score is as following (based on a survey of 76,000 references in MetBase from year 1492 to 2003):

Allende: 2121 references
Murchison: 1200 references
ALH 84001: 478 references

Not counted are publications in minor/local journals or newspapers.

Considering that Allende and Murchison have a headstart of about 15 years, ALH 84001 will probably close the gap in the coming years. However, this is pure speculation as there are still plenty of studies on Allende and Murchison going on.

Best regards,

J?rn Koblitz
MetBase editor



> -----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: Adam Hupe [mailto:raremeteorites_at_comcast.net]
> Gesendet: Montag, 15. November 2004 22:51
> An: Walter Branch
> Cc: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] NWA 3133
>
>
> Hi Walter,
>
> According to some scientists, Maybe so. I personally think
> ALH84001 is
> probably the most important meteorite ever found. I guess it
> depends on how
> you view importance.
>
> All the best,
>
> Adam
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Walter Branch" <branchw_at_bellsouth.net>
> To: "Adam Hupe" <raremeteorites_at_comcast.net>;
> <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 1:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NWA 3133
>
>
> > Hi Adam,
> >
> > >NWA 3133 may be the most important
> > >meteorite to have been found in 30 years
> >
> > More important than ALH84001?
> >
> > -Walter
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Adam Hupe" <raremeteorites_at_comcast.net>
> > To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> > Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 4:03 PM
> > Subject: [meteorite-list] NWA 3133
> >
> >
> > > Dear List,
> > >
> > > Several have been asking about NWA 3133. NWA 3133 is
> destined to be a
> > > famous set of stones exclusive to the Hupe Collection.
> NWA 3133 was the
> > > very first achondrite to plot on the CV mixing line using
> oxygen isotope
> > > testing. It has been stated that NWA 3133 may be the
> most important
> > > meteorite to have been found in 30 years and is destined
> to become a
> > classic
> > > among scientists. There are several abstracts in
> progress in regards to
> > NWA
> > > 3133 and one that is already complete. Here is a link to
> the completed
> > > abstract:
> > >
> > > http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm04/fm04-sessions/fm04_P31C.html
> > >
> > > I have not seen anything formal on any other meteorite
> that would cause
> me
> > > conclude a pairing. Here is the classification submitted
> to the NomCom:
> > >
> > > Northwest Africa 3133
> > > Morocco
> > > Purchased 2004 March/August
> > > Primitive achondrite (anomalous)
> > > Several complete, dense, brown stones (total 2393 g) were
> purchased in
> > > Tagounite by a Moroccan dealer for A. and G. Hup? (Hup?)
> in 2004 March
> and
> > > August. Classification and mineralogy (T. Bunch and J.
> Wittke, NAU; A.
> > > Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS): equigranular texture of subhedral to
> anhedral
> > > grains with ~120? triple junctions; mean grain size =
> 0.28 mm. Moderate
> > but
> > > pervasive weathering (W2) has converted some metal and
> troilite to brown
> > > iron hydroxides, which also coat grain boundaries.
> Mineral mode in
> vol.%:
> > > olivine 46, orthopyroxene 28, plagioclase 7, Cr-diopside 5,
> Na-Mg-bearing
> > > merrillite 4, metal (including associated hydroxides) 5,
> chromite 3 and
> > > troilite 2. Highly equilibrated mineral compositions:
> olivine (Fa22.2
> to
> > > Fa22.6, FeO/MnO = 57 - 69), orthopyroxene (Fs18.6Wo2.8 to
> Fs19.2Wo2.1,
> > > FeO/MnO = 38 - 49), diopside (Fs7.3Wo44.6 to Fs8.7Wo42.2,
> FeO/MnO = 21 -
> > 33,
> > > Cr2O3 = 0.56 to 0.82 wt.%, Al2O3 =1.21 to 1.74 wt.%), plagioclase
> > > (An50.1Or2.5 to An53.5Or2.3), metal (Ni = 17.4 - 20.2
> wt.%), chromite
> > (TiO2
> > > = 2.61 wt.%, Cr/(Cr+Al) = 0.73), troilite (Ni = 1.2 - 5.2
> wt.%). Oxygen
> > > isotopes: replicate analyses of an acid-washed whole rock
> sample by
> laser
> > > fluorination (D. Rumble, CIW) gave respectively ?18O =
> 3.06, 2.46, ?17O
> > > = -1.75, -2.25, ?17O = -3.36, -3.54 per mil, and
> triplicate analyses of
> an
> > > acid-washed olivine-rich separate by laser fluorination
> (T. Larson and
> F.
> > > Longstaffe, UWO) gave respectively ?18O = 1.78, 0.92, 0.89, ?17O
> > > = -2.91, -3.67, -3.62, ?17O = -3.84, -4.16, -4.08 per
> mil. All of these
> > > oxygen isotope compositions plot on the CV3 mixing line,
> suggesting that
> > > this achondritic meteorite has affinities with CV
> chondrites (Irving et
> > al.,
> > > 2004). Specimens: type specimens, 20.1 g, and one polished thin
> section,
> > > NAU; 40.3 g, and four polished thin sections, UWS; main
> mass, Hup?.
> > >
> > > Irving, A. J., Larson, T. E., Longstaffe, F. J., Rumble,
> D., Bunch, T.
> E.,
> > > Wittke, J. H. and Kuehner, S. M. (2004) A primitive
> achondrite with
> > oxygen
> > > isotopic affinities to CV chondrites: Implications for
> differentiation
> > and
> > > size of the CV parent body. Eos, Trans. Amer. Geophys.
> Union, 85(47),
> > Fall
> > > Meet. Suppl., Abstract P31C-02.
> > >
> > > I hope this clears things up,
> > >
> > > Adam
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________
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> > > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> > > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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Received on Tue 16 Nov 2004 04:56:20 AM PST