[meteorite-list] Lovina Iron

From: Sterling K. Webb <sterling_k_webb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:31:51 -0600
Message-ID: <50CEA61C86F44E07AE26EC0B753CF700_at_ATARIENGINE2>

I think what we all assume, just from looking at
the remarkable photograph, is that these pyramids
are the taenite portion of the meteorite and that
sea water, oxygen, UV light, and all the agents of
weathering has eaten the kamacite away entirely
to miraculously reveal it.

Both iron phases, taemite and kamacite, are
isometric-hexoctahedral crystals, which is a
fancy geometry term for a unit crystal shaped
like two four-sided pyramids fitted base-to-base.
More commonly this is called a "cubic" crystal.

The "pyramids" in Lovina are "step" pyramids. I'm
guessing that the height of those "steps" corresponds
to what would be the width of the Widmanst?tten
bands if the original structure were in place and
we could slice and etch it.

It is a remarkable chance to "look inside" the crystal
structure of an iron meteorite in three dimensions
and with "x-ray" vision. What it shows is something
I don't think any imaging technique could ever
produce.

I'm not a petrologist, you understand, just an old
physicist and anything bigger than an atom (like
crystals) is above my pay grade. These are just
my guesses.

It certainly is pretty, though.


Sterling K. Webb
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Kuyken" <info at meteorites.com.au>
To: "Meteorites USA" <eric at meteoritesusa.com>;
<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:45 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron


While I don't actually know (so don't assume it's anywhere near correct)
I
would presume the pyramidal feature is a result of weathering in the
tropical climate exposing the crystalline structure of the meteorite and
it's different minerals. (i.e. kamacite, taenite, etc, etc.) I would
also
assume the extremely high nickel content helped the whole thing from
pulling
a Nantan and allowing this to occur.

Does anyone actually know how this occured?

Cheers,

Jeff


----- Original Message -----
From: "Meteorites USA" <eric at meteoritesusa.com>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:30 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron


I second that question... This is perhaps the oddest looking meteorite
I've seen.

It appears to have some sort of mineral growth attached to it. Perhaps a
mineralization which formed the crystalline pyramidal structures. The
structures show no sign of ablation at all and appear to be too fragile
to have survived atmospheric entry in such pristine shape. What are we
looking at in those structures?

Regards,
Eric


On 2/22/2010 6:51 AM, Jeff Kuyken wrote:
> Agreed! Great news and easily the most interesting looking meteorite
> I've ever seen!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matthias B?rmann"
> <majbaermann at web.de>
> To: "Jim Strope" <nwa482 at comcast.net>; "Meteorite Central"
> <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:47 AM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
>
>
>> Thanks, Jim, Darryll - as I already mentioned: simply incredible.
>> Should have been found in the treasure of an old Aztec pyramide. (But
>> Indonesian beach is okay too ;-)
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Matthias
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Strope" <nwa482 at comcast.net>
>> To: "Meteorite Central" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM
>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
>>
>>
>>> Listees......
>>>
>>> There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina
>>> Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined
>>> to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then
>>> news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the
>>> partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in
>>> Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out.
>>>
>>> Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now
>>> back to being a meteorite.
>>>
>>> Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting:
>>>
>>> http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg
>>>
>>> I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked.
>>> Congrats Darryl.
>>>
>>> Jim Strope
>>> 421 Fourth Street
>>> Glen Dale, WV 26038
>>>
>>> http://www.catchafallingstar.com/
>>> ______________________________________________
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>>
>> ______________________________________________
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>>
>
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Received on Tue 23 Feb 2010 02:31:51 AM PST