[meteorite-list] Specific Gravity Question

From: David Gunning <davidgunning_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2010 06:45:48 -0400 (EDT)
Message-ID: <2089.69.50.53.154.1285843548.squirrel_at_webmail.fairpoint.net>

Hi All,

I'm a confessed specific gravity advocate for all things mineralogical,
including meteorites. It seems to me that there is very little useful
specific gravity information on the web concerning meteorites, with the
singular exception of Randy L. Korotev', excellent website at Washington
University in St. Louis; an informative website listing various specific
gravity values for various meteorite types and classifications.

It occurs to me that many people may not be taking specific gravity
measurements of their meteorite specimens because of some sort of biased
but unfounded fear of specimen contamination. Is this true?

One of the benefits of measuring specific gravity is in being able to
spot density anomalies in meteorites. For example, you procure a small
meteorite specimen of a meteorite has been classified as an "L" ordinary
stoney chondrite, with a range of specific gravity values, as found on
Professor Korotev' s.g. list, of between 2.50 and 3.96 (with an average
s.g. of 3.35). When you, yourself, measure the specific gravity of your
L chondrite, and it's s.g. value comes in at 4.06, what does that mean?

Would such a s.g. reading #1: be possible? And #2: be meaningful?

Are meteorite specific gravity values exclusively constrained to the
range of values that the scientists peg them at?

And, if not, if actual specific gravity measurements cam occur outside
the conventionally accepted range of values of the "experts", should
anyone give a hoot one way or another?

Best wishes,

Dave Gunning
Received on Thu 30 Sep 2010 06:45:48 AM PDT