[meteorite-list] Lutetia

From: Benjamin P. Sun <bpsun2009_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:18:13 -0500
Message-ID: <CAE1PX87mEnSRHHh914dtoCfRULCrqhahsssv5sjWCu-5KPnUag_at_mail.gmail.com>

Doug,

By your own argument, it would be a speculative assumption to consider
that Lutetia is not an E-class meteorite, and that it's spectroscopy
doesn't reflect in some way it's general composition. Like you say,
without a direct sample of Lutetia, no one can be absolutely certain.
On this I agree.
But for me, all signs are pointing towards ---> enstatite. If I were
to place a bet, that's what I would be betting on.
In the case of Vesta, it was predicted that it was the source for
HED's through Spectroscopy long before the chain of Vestoids was found
spanning along Vesta's orbit.
Granted, Spectroscopy of asteroids from Earth is probably not as
accurate as from a space probe in a close flyby. But that's one of the
reasons why it's nice that we have Dawn and Rosetta now.
Received on Sat 12 Nov 2011 09:18:13 PM PST