[meteorite-list] What are the top 10 most scientifically important meteorites?

From: Jason Utas <meteoritekid_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:46:43 -0800
Message-ID: <93aaac890902131646o2b1eedabu77ee3c75fe1f9909_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hello Graham,
The list would probably include primitive stones such as Ivuna,
Orgueil, Murchison, Tagish Lake, and Allende, as well as ordinary
chondrites like Semarkona, etc. - and don't forget Krymka.
They all contain information about the earliest days of the solar
system - they're some of the oldest rocks we have.

Other meteorites of particular scientific interest include older
achondrites such as Shallowater aubrite, angrites, etc.
They teach us about the earliest changes that began to occur in
primitive bodies billions of years ago.
And while some name angrites to be from Mercury, there is no
confirmation of this hypothesis - the evidence to date is purely
circumstantial, and points to their having come from a km+ sized body
in the terrestrial planted O-isotope range...nothing more. See
Melinda Hutson's aricle in the May 2008 Meteorite Magazine.

With regards to planetary specimens, EETA79001 (the first recognized
martian meteorite), ALHA 78001 (life?), and ALHA81005 (first
recognized lunar meteorite). You could probably include Shergotty,
Chassigny, and Nakhla, simply because they were the type specimens of
those.
They've taught us much about Mars and the Moon - don't think I need to
elaborate that much.

If you wanted to stretch it to other meteorites, I would include
ungrouped stones because, individually speaking, they are more
important than more common stones. Things like ungrouped chondrites
and achondrites offer us views of unique parent bodies...it's hard to
get more important than that. You might throw some unique irons or
stony irons in with that lot - the trouble is that irons seem to be
too ill-understood, even in today's day and age.

But, a list of 10...I wouldn't ask for such a short list...

Regards,
Jason

On Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 3:55 PM, <ensoramanda at ntlworld.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Just thought it might be interesting to discover list members opinions on what they would choose as the most important meteorites with regard to science? Which ones have been the most significant in increasing our understanding of the evolution of our solar system, and what they have taught us?
>
> Graham Ensor, UK.
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Received on Fri 13 Feb 2009 07:46:43 PM PST