[meteorite-list] Re: 13.5 kg lunar (Significance)

From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon May 16 15:18:35 2005
Message-ID: <1dd.3d69b2a4.2fba4c02_at_aol.com>

En un mensaje con fecha 05/16/2005 10:50:39 AM Mexico Daylight Time,
jpringle_at_mail.stuartdean.com escribe:

>Doug escribe:
>>...how nice that this finder seems to be happy to share the
>>meteorite with scientists!

>Dude, it seems to me the finder does not give a rat's anorthite for the
science of meteoritics, or >sharing for that matter, if all they could kick down
for a type specimen is 20 of their 13,500 >grams.
>I hope it's a typo, or not the full story, 'cause a better example of
stingy you'd be hard pressed >to find!

>Jeff
Aloha Jeff,

Please elevate your mind above the rats' breccia!

Would you be quick to break the "W1" (W1 = not too weathered however that
works for Lunars...can someone say...) rock apart? It is basically the MAIN
MASS OF THE MOON here on Earth. No other rock from the Moon beats its size, at
13.5 Kg. The "Big Muley" rock is NASA's record at 11.7 Kg, and the Soviets
total haul was 0.301 Kg from all three successful Luna sample return missions.

As for your charge of "no better example of stinginess", hold your tongue,
for Kalahari 009. The lesser of 20 grams or 20% is the requirement of the
Meteoritical Society for classifying, and then the range of tests done with the
results published in the abstract in the provisional Bulletin I would think
consumed some additional sample and of course to make the thin section as well.

It looks like the same person is behind Kalahari 008, so add another 20
grams, classification analyses he coordinated with the Germans. Then the two thin
sections which probably used at least a gram each. Plus, whatever Kalahari
001 is (Hello - a mistaken reference in the provisional bulletin 89 for
Kalahari 008, or are there some more Kalahari's out there Sara?) there may be more.

Also I think if you have a special sample - which this Lunar certainly is -
you can negotiate smaller amounts, which this finder didn't in either case.
While your suspicion may prove true, there is no basis that I am aware of
that supports it.

If grandma finds a beautiful whole stone and is impressed by it, perhaps a
beautiful; fusion crust still intact, etc., and it is twice the size of all
other Lunar meteorites combined to date, is she stingy because she doesn't send
it to the "Chop Shop" for slicing and dicing to be distributed to careful
collectors as well as those who habitually break them into pieces and allow to
weather away in some corner, before it had been even classified? If she
wishes to have a bit of privacy, good for her. Maybe she is saving it for her
grandson. That would be a really nice grandma to have, bless her soul. None
of this means she is a scroogy grandma!! Maybe a little slow:-), I agree!,
but not stingy. Time will tell but your post is unsubstantiated as far as I
can see. All I commented was that it is a good start, and I hold and raise you
one. And most versions of the Lunar "mass driver" can't transport such a
heavy complete stone, so until someone finds another one, it is one for us to
contemplate having such a lucky grandma, over a Guiness, where such thoughts
belong...

I only hope that that the finder releases images at their convenience for us
other mere earthlings to appreciate...

Saludos, Doug
 
Received on Mon 16 May 2005 03:18:26 PM PDT