[meteorite-list] Pairing discussion/questions

From: Adam Hupe <raremeteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:46:31 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <142917.72195.qm_at_web30706.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Hi Jeff and List,

I agree with most of what you stated in your last post although I believe there is a real bias among a very few scientists, and certainly a few museums.

Access to planetary material , Angrites and other rare material from NWA is supposed to be a simple matter of contacting the repository. There has been many times, my brother and I have provided additional material beyond type specimen requirements in order to satisfy science. My brother has gone as far as allowing having a sizable core taken from a large Angrite individual at a great lose in commercial value. I donated more than twice the requirement for NWA 5000 and have given scientists access to the main mass. We do this because we recognize that science is the most important aspect in qualifying meteorites. Without it, they are fairly worthless. There are other collectors and dealers who have done the same when asked. For the most part, collectors and dealers would love to have their hot desert finds studied. Then there are a few who are stingy in regards to parting with samples.

I totally disagree with the following statement:

These are the reasons that NWAs are relatively understudied and, I would argue,
less valuable to science in general.

I believe the hot desert finds are every bit as important to science as the the Antarctic finds. Acceptance and access of hot desert finds has improved dramatically the last ten years. There are several surprises yet to come, from both Antarctic and NWA. To value one over the other is demonstrating a bias in my opinion.

Best Regards,

Adam
Received on Tue 19 Jan 2010 01:46:31 PM PST