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

From: lebofsky at lpl.arizona.edu <lebofsky_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:49:49 -0700 (MST)
Message-ID: <59739.71.226.60.25.1234705789.squirrel_at_timber.lpl.arizona.edu>

Jeff and all:

You reminded me of the importance of certain meteorites to the study of
asteroids.

It was a near infrared spectrum of Orgueil and then Murchison that led to
the discovery of water of hydration on C-class asteroids and made a very
important connection between the "primitive" asteroids and carbonaceous
meteorites. This work is still going on today thanks to those early
spectra, including the Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres.

Larry


On Sun, February 15, 2009 5:53 am, Jeff Grossman wrote:
> [retransmit of message that didn't seem to go through]
>
>
> I can speak to the subject of chondrites and what they tell us about the
> very early solar system. I read the question in the present tense: what
> ARE the most important meteorites [today].
>
>
> Among ordinary chondrites, there is one meteorite that is clearly the
> most important to current research: Semarkona. It is the least
> metamorphosed ordinary chondrite and best preserves the pre-accretionary
> record. NASA ADS lists >50 references that mention it in the abstract
> since the year 2000. If you want to study primitive OCs, you study this
> one if you can get it. Nothing else is close.
>
> Among carbonaceous chondrites, there are several:
>
>
> Acfer 094 has seen almost no thermal metamorphism and almost no aqueous
> alteration, an extreme rarity among carbonaceous chondrites. It too is a
> hotly studied meteorite. 50 references since 2000.
>
> Murchison is still probably the king of CM chondrites. Although heavily
> altered by water, none of the CMs have seen much heating, and they still
> retain a good record of nebular and presolar processes. By virtue of its
> large recovered mass, and the high content of organic compounds in this
> group, it is still widely studied 40 years after the fall. >100 refs
> since 2000.
>
> Although the CV chondrite Allende is now known to be fairly altered and
> somewhat metamorphosed, no meteorite is studied as much, even today, with
> >350 refs since 2000. It is especially important for what it tells
> us about CAI formation. Another CV, Vigarano, also sees a lot of research
> because it is less messed up than Allende (>50 refs since 2000) and has a
> large mass in collections.
>
> The fairly massive CI chondrite Orgueil is still the go-to meteorite in
> this chemically primitive, unmetamorphosed, but greatly altered group,
> especially for studies of organic compounds: >150 refs since 2000.
>
> Other C chondrites like Renazzo, Isheyevo, and especially Tagish Lake
> (>150 refs) are also widely studied. I think Kaidun is also a very
> important meteorite due to the incredible diversity of clasts it contains,
> but it is hard for researchers to obtain.
>
> Among enstatite chondrites, it's harder to say which are the most
> important. I guess I'd name Yamato 691 and Qingzhen as the most important
> primitive ones. They are not widely studied these days.
>
> So there are 12 of what I think are the most important chondrites. I
> probably forgot some too!
>
> Jeff
>
>
Received on Sun 15 Feb 2009 08:49:49 AM PST