[meteorite-list] Show me the Shockhttps://www.space.com/boomerang-meteorite-left-earth-and-returned A dark reddish-brown stone, picked up from the Sahara desert in Morocco a few years ago, appears to be an Earth rock that was flung into space where? it stayed for thousands of years before returning home ? surprisingly intact.? If scientists are right about this, the rock will officially be named the? first meteorite to boomerang from Earth. [Not for certain!] The discovery team's work was *presented* ( https://conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2023/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/20218 ) last week at an international geochemistry conference and has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. "I think there is no doubt that this is a meteorite," said Frank Brenker, a geologist at the Goethe University Frankfurt in Germany, who was not involved with the new study. "It is just a matter of debate if it is really? from Earth."? [But, still could be the other way around.] Early diagnostic tests show the unusual stone features the same chemical composition as volcanic rocks on Earth. Interestingly, however, a few of its elements seem to have been altered into lighter forms of themselves. These lighter versions are known to occur only upon interacting with energetic *cosmic rays* ( https://www.space.com/32644-cosmic-rays.html )? in space, which provided one of two key pieces of evidence? declaring the rock's trip beyond Earth, geologists say. Other pending measurements include unambiguous data about how much shock? from the original impact the stone absorbed. This unique signature can be detected? in the permanently altered microstructures of the mineral crystals forming the rock.? Estimating the meteorite's shock levels is "something that can be checked or done? in one hour or so max, using naked eyes," Ferri?re said, "thus, not costly and a? very important observation in this case."?? ( https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uh7CnCZNh4MNnFY78yR2ke.jpg ) |
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