[meteorite-list] Names and synonyms (was ...Mali or Argelia...)

From: Jeff Grossman <jgrossman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:11:41 -0400
Message-ID: <OF35D1E502.439F8F71-ON8525737D.0006AD97_at_usgs.gov>

Nothing will happen to the old names. Because
the NWA specimens have no location information,
they generally cannot be officially paired with a
named meteorite, according to the rules. If, in
an extraordinary case, the nomcom decided to
establish such a pairing, it has to option of
abolishing the NWA name (which, in reality, would
demote it to the status of synonym).

jeff

At 08:12 PM 10/22/2007, Martin Altmann wrote:
>And what will happen with the paired NWA-numbers,
>when more stones will be found with coordinates and therefore with an
>assigned geographical name?
>Will the old NWA-numbers be combined and the new name assigned to them too,
>or will they be preserved independently from the new paired geographical
>name?
>
>Best!
>Martin
>
>
>-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
>Von: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
>[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von Jeff
>Grossman
>Gesendet: Dienstag, 23. Oktober 2007 01:25
>An: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>Betreff: [meteorite-list] Names and synonyms (was ...Mali or Argelia...)
>
>Here is what I can tell everybody about official names and synonyms.
>
>Every meteorite is given one, and only one, official name. This is
>the name that must be used in publications. There are no rules for
>how the name is chosen, only guidelines. Mainly the guidelines call
>for naming the meteorite after a nearby geographic feature that can
>be found on maps. If there are competing candidates for the name,
>weight may be given to many factors in choosing which to bestow,
>including existing usage among scientists and collectors, finder's
>privileges, distribution of specimens, and a little politics now and then.
>
>There are no rules at all concerning synonyms, although nowadays
>these are often vetted by the NomCom too. In general, these are any
>other names by which specimens of a meteorite may have been known
>throughout history. Synonyms are NOT official names. Sometimes you
>see "officially recognized" synonyms, meaning the NomCom has
>published it, but it's still not an official name. The NomCom
>usually tries to recognize synonyms when they have appeared in
>scientific publications, press reports, well-known catalogs, or when
>the meteorite is widely sold or traded under another name.
>
>One grayish area in all of this is "named masses," like the
>Ahnighito, Agpalilik, Woman, Dog, and other masses of Cape
>York. Some of these names are so engrained that even scientists who
>have long studied them don't realize they aren't the official names,
>like Filomena. But these are also unofficial names: the official
>name for Filomena is North Chile. Nevertheless, the NomCom
>encourages the preservation of names of such masses on specimen
>labels and in catalogs, as they convey potentially important
>information about the provenance of a particular subsample. A good
>way of doing it would be to say "North Chile (Filomena
>mass)". Conversely, there is little value in preserving archaic
>names that do not carry specimen information, e.g., you would never
>refer to a Kirin mass of Jilin.
>
>jeff
>
>
>
>Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman phone: (703) 648-6184
>US Geological Survey fax: (703) 648-6383
>954 National Center
>Reston, VA 20192, USA
>
>
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Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman phone: (703) 648-6184
US Geological Survey fax: (703) 648-6383
954 National Center
Reston, VA 20192, USA
Received on Mon 22 Oct 2007 09:11:41 PM PDT