[meteorite-list] Scientists at Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Discover 18kg Antarctic Meteorite

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:55:00 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201302282055.r1SKt0JM009337_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.antarcticstation.org/news_press/news_detail/scientists_at_princess_elisabeth_antarctica_discover_18kg_antarctic_meteori/

Scientists at Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Discover 18kg Antarctic Meteorite
International Polar Expedition Press Release
February 28, 2013

A team of scientists working at Princess Elisabeth Antarctica have
recently discovered a meteorite weighing 18kg embedded in the East
Antarctic ice sheet, the largest such meteorite found in the region
since 1988.

The eight members of the SAMBA project, from Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Japan's National Institute of Polar
Research (NIPR) and Tokyo University were searching for meteorites scattered
across the Nansen Ice Field on January 28, when they found the 18kg ordinary
chondrite. The team discovered a total of 425 meteorites, with a total
weight of 75kg during the 40 day expedition, at an altitude of 2,900m,
140km south of Belgium's Princess Elisabeth Antarctica research base.

"This meteorite was a very unexpected find for us, not only due to
its weight, but because we don't normally find such large meteorites
in Antarctica", said Vinciane Debaille, a geologist from Universite
Libre de Bruxelles, who led the Belgian team during the expedition
"This is the biggest meteorite found in East Antarctica for 25 years,
so it's a very special discovery for us, only made possible by the existence
and location of Princess Elisabeth Antarctica."

The SAMBA project contributesto the US and Japan-led global collection
of Antarctic meteorites, and is an initiative of VUB and ULB, in
collaboration with the Japanese Institute of Polar Research. SAMBA is
supported by the Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO) and the International
Polar Foundation.

Initial field analysis by the scientists suggests that the 18kg
meteorite is an ordinary chondrite, the most abundant kind of
meteorite. The fusion crust - the meteorite's outer casing - was eroded,
allowing the scientists to inspect the rock underneath. The meteorite is
currently undergoing a special thawing process in Japan - to ensure
water doesn't get inside the rock - but will be brought to Belgium in
the future.

"We study meteorites in order to better understand how the solar
system formed, how it evolved, how the Earth became such a unique
planet in our solar system", said Debaille. "This season's SAMBA
mission was a success both in terms of the number and weight of the
meteorites we found. Two years ago, we found less than 10kg. This
year, we found so much that we had to call the travel agency -
because we had 75kg of meteorites to take home".

Princess Elisabeth Antarctica is the world's first zero emission polar
research station, and is operated by the International Polar Foundation,
in partnership with the Belgian Polar Secretariat. Princess Elisabeth
Antarctica's design and construction seamlessly integrates passive
building technologies, renewable wind and solar energy, water treatment
facilities, continuously monitored power demand and a smart grid for
maximising energy efficiency. Located in East Antarctica's Sor Rondane
Mountains, Princess Elisabeth Antarctica welcomes scientists from around
the world to conduct research in this little-studied and pristine
environment.

"Both Princess Elisabeth Antarctica and the International Polar
Foundation are proud to support the research work of the Belgian and
Japanese meteorite team", said expedition leader Alain Hubert. "By
providing solid logistics and field accomodation solutions to
scientists working on the ice, we can ensure they can concentrate on
what they have come to Antarctica to achieve: unlocking of Nature's
mysteries and broadening understanding of our planet".

To find out more about science at Princess Elisabeth Antarctica and life
in the frozen south, visit Inside the Station
<http://www.insidethestation.be> - an interactive exhibition that takes
visitors on a journey inside Belgium's zero emission polar research
centre - currently taking place at Tour & Taxis, Brussels.


Belgian and Japanese team:

* Vinciane Debaille (Belgium, ULB)
* Wendy Debouge (Belgium,ULB)
* Genevi??ve Hublet (Belgium, ULB)
* Nadia Van Roosbroek (Belgium,VUB)
* Harry Zekollari (Belgium,VUB)
* Naoya Imae (Japan, NIPR)
* Akira Yamaguchi (Japan, NIPR)
* Takashi Mikouchi (Japan, University of Tokyo)
* Yukihisa Akada (Japan, Field Guide)
* Christophe Berclaz (Switzerland, Field Guide)

The four Japanese members are also part of the 54th Japanese Antarctic
Research Expedition (JARE-54), while the other members are part of the
2012-2013 BELARE Belgian programme.

The Numbers:

* Total known meteorites discovered 56,555
* Total meteorites found in Antarctica only: 38,537
* Among Antarctic meteorites, only 30 have a mass greater than 18
  kg. The 18kg meteorite has the fifth largest mass ever discovered
  in East Antarctica (Dronning Maud Land), and is the first of this
  size found in the area since 1988.
* Per year, around 1,000 meteorites weighing less than 100g are
  found, and about 100 less than 1kg.

Source: The Meteoritical Society
</ee-admin/%20http:/www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php>


The team found:

* 425 meteorites
* Total weight: 75kg
* 1 meteorite at 18kg
* 1 meteorite at 6kg
* 1 meteorite at 4.5kg
* 2 at 2kg
* 4 at 1kg
Received on Thu 28 Feb 2013 03:55:00 PM PST