[meteorite-list] 08-21-1978 Brian Mason on "new" Antarctica achondrite meteorite

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Feb 24 20:56:10 2005
Message-ID: <BAY104-F28FA69A244E5568B748ACEB3650_at_phx.gbl>

Paper: Syracuse Post-Standard
City: Syracuse, New York
Date: Monday, August 21, 1978
Page: 5

Meteorite a 'First'

     WASHINGTON (AP) - A meteorite found in Antarctica last winter has been
identified as the first of an entirely new class of space rock, the National
Science Foundation announced Sunday.
     The rare meteorite, one of hundreds of well-preserved samples recovered
by a U.S.-Japanese expedition, is a type called achondrite. Samples of this
general type comprise only about 7 percent of all known meteorites.
     Dr. Brian Mason, a curator in the Smithsonian Institution's mineral
sciences department, said the new meteorite has features in common with two
classes of achondrites called chassignite and diagenite.
     "In its mineralogy, the specimen I examined shows resemblances to these
two classes, but its overall composition is significantly different," said
Mason.
     Meteorites are chunks of stony or metallic material from space that
survive the scaring trip through earth's atmosphere to strike the surface.
Scientists believe they are remnants of the solar system's formation 4.5
billion years ago and may provide valuable clues to the origin of the
planets.

(end)


Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
Wichita, Kansas
http://www.meteoritearticles.com
http://www.kansasmeteoritesociety.com
http://www.imca.cc

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PDF copy of this article, and most I post (and about 1/2 of those on my
website), is available upon e-mail request.

The NPA in the subject line, stands for Newspaper Article. The old list
server allowed us a search feature the current does not, so I guess this is
more for quick reference and shortening the subject line now.
Received on Thu 24 Feb 2005 08:55:02 PM PST