[meteorite-list] Letter from Jeff Grossman concerning NWA 1110 andpairings

From: Jeff Grossman <jgrossman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Sep 9 16:52:04 2004
Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20040909162436.03aa8970_at_gsvaresm02.er.usgs.gov>

The NomCom is trying to prevent confusion and chaos. By approving the name
NWA 1110 we are certifying that experts have looked at the original mass of
material and classified it correctly. If you buy it or borrow a specimen
for research, you can be fairly sure of what you are getting. If
nonexperts take responsibility for making pairing decisions, soon names
could become meaningless as lots of errors would occur (for various reasons
that you might imagine). NWA 869 is a perfect example of what can happen
when shortcuts are taken... who knows what this material is? The result of
not following our guidelines would be that meteorite names become worthless.

I don't think this is the result most of us want. We really do try to do
what's best for everybody!

jeff

At 03:55 PM 9/9/2004, MARK BOSTICK wrote:
>Hello everyone,
>
>With all respect to the Meteoritical Society the rules for submitting
>meteorites are not exactly meteorite rules or laws. The organization
>makes guidelines. I do agree it would be nice if EVERY NWA was
>individually classified....and it would be nice if EVERY meteorite find
>was reported and added to the total known weight. Meteorites outside of
>Africa, as well.
>
>But we live in a real world and I do not think I will live to see such
>things happen. Or at least as long as it remains set up the way it is, on
>both sides of the water, that will happen. I have seen enough of the past
>to see we are going to have more cases like NWA 1068 / NWA 1110 and NWA
>869 or the CR2, where stones are unofficially added to the total known
>weight.
>Where more surfaces then when originally classification. If you haven't
>noticed the Moroccan sellers have been pretty smart about only releasing a
>small portion of a meteorite out, until it gets classified. This is not
>the case of someone picking a Moroccan out of their pile or a rock off the
>floor and labeling it "Martian". The trading in Morocco is very
>organized. Which you have to admit is pretty smart on the Moroccans part.
>
>And being a realistic person, I can accept that the next time the new
>"CK4" (example) comes out, and four dealers are selling it (half under
>different numbers) and I get offered some from Morocco, it's most likely
>the same meteorite.
>
>There are other problems with Meteoritical Society naming procedures. For
>example, I have multiple stones from Arizona and Nevada that are
>classified and have cordinates......but will not get official names. No
>biggie, I'm not selling them.
>
>Mark Bostick
>www.meteoritearticles.com
>
>
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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 Thu 09 Sep 2004 04:52:00 PM PDT