DOCSLIB.ORG

Lost Lake by Robert Verish

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Lost Lake by Robert Verish Meteorite-Times Magazine Contents by Editor Like Sign Up to see what your friends like. Featured Monthly Articles Accretion Desk by Martin Horejsi Jim’s Fragments by Jim Tobin Meteorite Market Trends by Michael Blood Bob’s Findings by Robert Verish IMCA Insights by The IMCA Team Micro Visions by John Kashuba Galactic Lore by Mike Gilmer Meteorite Calendar by Anne Black Meteorite of the Month by Michael Johnson Tektite of the Month by Editor Terms Of Use Materials contained in and linked to from this website do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Meteorite Exchange, Inc., nor those of any person connected therewith. In no event shall The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. be responsible for, nor liable for, exposure to any such material in any form by any person or persons, whether written, graphic, audio or otherwise, presented on this or by any other website, web page or other cyber location linked to from this website. The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. does not endorse, edit nor hold any copyright interest in any material found on any website, web page or other cyber location linked to from this website. The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. shall not be held liable for any misinformation by any author, dealer and or seller. In no event will The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. be liable for any damages, including any loss of profits, lost savings, or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, consequential, or other damages arising out of this service. © Copyright 2002–2010 The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction of copyrighted material is allowed by any means without prior written permission of the copyright owner. Meteorite-Times Magazine Beyrout, Lebanon: Ending the year with a Bang. Literally! by Martin Horejsi Like Sign Up to see what your friends like. Updated: Martin Horejsi’s Meteorite Books Website A December 1921 Witnessed Fall: Beyrout, Lebanon Beyrout, Lebanon Ending the year with a bang. Literally! As a “hut” hammerer, a New Year’s Eve fall, a LL3, a historic fall, and the only meteorite from its homeland, Beyrout has it all. Well, all except, much remaining material. With only 21% of the original 1100g accounted for, a piece of any size in a meteorite collection is is a welcomed addition. What is better than a witnessed fall? An LL3 witnessed fall! And what’s better than that? An LL3 witnessed fall that crashed through a house! And adding icing to this particular cosmic cake are the facts, that the meteorite has an extremely low total known weight (made worse through years of bad curation), and it is the only witnessed fall in its country’s history. Oh, and on top of all that it fell on New Years Eve and is world’s only fall on that day. According to the standard report, at 3:45 in the afternoon on December 31, 1921, a single stone of 1100g fell through the roof of a “hut” not far from the University of St. Joseph in Beirut, Lebanon. But like all meteorite falls, there is more to the story. The Catalogue of Meteorites lists only a single entry in any collection anywhere in the world, a 51g specimen. If that is really the case, then over the past 90 years, 79% of the initial mass has been lost. The one and only collection entry in the Catalogue for Beyrout is the Natural History Museum in Paris, a location that is quite understandable due to history. Thumbprints as Fingerprints Crust is an important if not imperative feature on historic meteorites. The presence of crust, while not proof of authenticity, does provide a unfalsifiable piece of information. Many witnessed falls have distinct crust that can easily be compared to other known samples. In fact, many seasoned collectors experienced with crust across both time and classifications can quickly assess a specimen’s potential as an authentic historic with the same skill as most others have discriminating between Campo, Canyon Diablo, and Sikhote-Alin. To those in the know, its obvious. Interestingly, the entry in the Catalogue of Meteorites lists Beyrout, Lebanon as falling in Syria. Had the fall happened two years earlier, the actual country of landing would not be in question, and would without a doubt be Syria. But that neck of the global woods was in turmoil back then. Not that I was around at that time, but someone was and here’s what the CIA Factbook has to say about it: Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French separated out the region of Lebanon in 1920, and granted this area independence in 1943. Clear as mud, right. I guess with that kind of explanation either Syria or Lebanon will work as the home country for Beyrout. Heck, I’m still trying to figure out what “acquired a mandate” means. But since the land of Lebanon was identified as separate in 1920 and the fall was in 1921 I think this meteorite should be rightfully claimed by Lebanon. Either way, its understandable how the only sample listed in a collection happens to be in a French museum. Like Earth compared to Jupiter, the sliced chondrules visible in this face represent a sizable portion of the surface area. Of course a larger face would eliminate this problem, but with the rarity of Beyrout material, more real estate is not an option. Beyrout’s entry in the Meteoritical Bulletin lists it as an LL3.8 with a total known weight of a mere 1100 grams, while the Catalogue of Meteorites adds, “only two small fragments preserved.” I’ve avoided adding small specimens to my meteorite cabinet since making the arguably brutal collecting shift exclusively to historic witnessed falls. At eleven years shy of a century being historic was not an issue for Beyrout, and the fact Beyrout is a hammer did help, but a sub-two gram slice was pushing my unwritten collecting rules. Then again, specimens such as Beyrout come along only rarely if ever in the big picture of meteorite collecting so acquiring it allowed me to question my motives while passing on it would have set me up for later regrets. Regardless of its diminutive size, as an LL3.8 Beyrout does have some great chondrule activity. I just wish there was more surface area to enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful to be the temporary caretaker of this locality, but a larger slice would have certainly been welcome and easier to justify given my picky collecting habits. Small specimens of a gram or two have not gained traction in my collection over the past few years. I tend to avoid the smaller pieces figuring that they are more placeholders in a collection rather than full fledged members. But when something like Beyrout comes along, the terms placeholder and membership are synonymous. So how did this piece of Lebanese history come to into my collection in the first place? It just took a few bits of luck for both a long-time meteorite dealer and for me. The story picks up at the Denver show back in the early 1990s. Apparently a professor from the University of Beirut with more than a passing interest in meteorites just happened to be in Colorado during the show. And this professor just happened to have with him a small piece of the Beyrout meteorite. And the dealer mentioned above just happened to cross paths with the professor while at the show. The professor was actually more interested in a trade for his precious Beyrout, but material as rare as Beyrout requires an equally rarified specimen in exchange. Luckily in this situation a large sum of cash carried the same significance as rare meteorite material. The slice of Beyrout remained in the personal collection of the meteorite dealer for over a decade before a slice was removed. With my nose always sniffing for rare material as the meteorite winds drift around, I jumped on the piece the instant it became available. Since then, a pleasant swing in the trends of meteorite collecting over the past few years has generated an exaggerated interest in the so-called hammer stones. Not only have the prices for such samples skyrocketed, but the general awareness of hammers as a collecting genera–as well as their routinely small TKWs–have led these special localities to increase in monetary value by a magnitude or two…or even in some cases three! Everything is large under magnification. Whether through loupe, scope or macro lens, the telling nature of an LL3 shows through. Alas, with all explosive price amplifications, there is an ugly side to meteorite collecting in that some unscrupulous collector-dealer-robber-barons (CDRBs) have gotten a hold of important meteorite material including rare historics, or hammers (or both) and are offering millispecs on eBay from a seemingly never ending supply. Of course if one of these CDRBs got their greedy hands on, say a couple grams of Ensisheim or Orgueil, and broke the grams into milligram or centigram pieces, the singularly rare sample is now dozens of nothing more than souvenir meteorite samples barely related to the locality upon which it claims ancestry. Lets take a quick detour to do the numbers. Imagine a two-gram slice of Beyrout. Hit it with a hammer. The two gram piece is now 2000 milligrams. Many of the CDRBs offer samples of about 0.05g. There are forty 0.05g samples in 2g. If the CDRB sold each millispec for say $20, then the total selling price (40 times $20) would be about $800 (not subtracting the eBay and PayPal fees).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Handbook of Iron Meteorites, Volume 3
    Sierra Blanca - Sierra Gorda 1119 ing that created an incipient recrystallization and a few COLLECTIONS other anomalous features in Sierra Blanca. Washington (17 .3 kg), Ferry Building, San Francisco (about 7 kg), Chicago (550 g), New York (315 g), Ann Arbor (165 g). The original mass evidently weighed at least Sierra Gorda, Antofagasta, Chile 26 kg. 22°54's, 69°21 'w Hexahedrite, H. Single crystal larger than 14 em. Decorated Neu­ DESCRIPTION mann bands. HV 205± 15. According to Roy S. Clarke (personal communication) Group IIA . 5.48% Ni, 0.5 3% Co, 0.23% P, 61 ppm Ga, 170 ppm Ge, the main mass now weighs 16.3 kg and measures 22 x 15 x 43 ppm Ir. 13 em. A large end piece of 7 kg and several slices have been removed, leaving a cut surface of 17 x 10 em. The mass has HISTORY a relatively smooth domed surface (22 x 15 em) overlying a A mass was found at the coordinates given above, on concave surface with irregular depressions, from a few em the railway between Calama and Antofagasta, close to to 8 em in length. There is a series of what appears to be Sierra Gorda, the location of a silver mine (E.P. Henderson chisel marks around the center of the domed surface over 1939; as quoted by Hey 1966: 448). Henderson (1941a) an area of 6 x 7 em. Other small areas on the edges of the gave slightly different coordinates and an analysis; but since specimen could also be the result of hammering; but the he assumed Sierra Gorda to be just another of the North damage is only superficial, and artificial reheating has not Chilean hexahedrites, no further description was given.
    [Show full text]
  • Innovator, 1989-11-09 Student Services
    Governors State University OPUS Open Portal to University Scholarship Innovator Student Newspapers 11-9-1989 Innovator, 1989-11-09 Student Services Follow this and additional works at: http://opus.govst.edu/innovator Recommended Citation Governors State University Student Services, Innovator (1989, November 9). http://opus.govst.edu/innovator/353 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspapers at OPUS Open Portal to University Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Innovator by an authorized administrator of OPUS Open Portal to University Scholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INNO GOVERNORS STATE UNIVERSITY November 9, 1989 UNIVERSITY PARK, IL 60466 Vol. xvn No. 7 The World Comes to GSU International Students Host Festival ''The World Comes to GSlf'. an Chenkwun wh1ch represents good International Festival of cultures luck inviting the angels. tndia will will be presented on Saturday. be represented in the classical November 18th from 4 to 7:30PM dance Bharanatyam and other on the GSU campus. The festival folk dances. Musicians from is being hosted by the Inter­ Chicago will be performing Carib­ national Students Organization bean steel-drum music Also per­ and will feature ethnic foods. en­ f.onnign contemporary and tradi­ tertainment and a bazaar of arts tional Greek music will be enter­ and crafts from the diHerent tainer, Athanios Zervas. H1s per­ countries. formance is being underwritten by the Greek-American Cultural A continental dinner featuring Center and the Illinois Endow­ the different cuisines of the coun­ ment for the Humamties. tries will be served in the Hall of Governors.Some of the dishes on Ticket can be purchased from the menu will include: the Cashier's Office during busi­ Eba .
    [Show full text]
  • RESALE Numberor Stating You Are a Retailor In
    TucsonAuction08.html 9th Annual Tucson Meteorite Auction ----------------------------- Tucson Meteorite Auction 2008 Saturday, February 9th, 2008 Bidding starts 7:30PM Sharp Viewing & Socializing begins 5:30PM Food and Drink available http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/TucsonAuction08.html (1 z 36) [2008-05-28 18:09:44] TucsonAuction08.html (Please drink only with a designated driver) ----------------------- While in Tucson I will have a cell phone: (619) 204-4138 (Feb2-Feb10) NEW LOCATION VFW Hall (Post # 549) 1884 So. Craycroft, Tucson, AZ 85711 (see directions below) NOTE: Click HERE for printer friendly copy of this catalog (Click on any photo to see a greatly enlarged image) 1 AH 1 Claxton L6, GeorgiaDecember 10 th , 1984 - Hit A Mailbox! .992g Rim Crusted Part Slice (21mm X 20mm X 2mm) No Minimum 2 AH 2 Dhofar 908 Lunar Meteorite - Rosetta - 1.242g Full Slice (24mm X 16mm X 2mm) No Minaimum - (est: $2.5K min) 3 AH 3 NWA 2999 Angrite Famous Paper "The Case For Samples From Mercury" 3.216g FC End Piece (18mm X 15mm X 7mm) No Minimum http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/TucsonAuction08.html (2 z 36) [2008-05-28 18:09:44] TucsonAuction08.html 4 AH 4 NWA 4473 Polymict Diogenite 13g Full Slice(70mm X 13mm X ~2.5mm) No Minimum 5 AH 5 NWA 4880 (Shergottite) .540g 70% F Crusted Whole Stone (11mm X 9mm X 5mm) No Minimum 6 AH 6 NWA 4880 (Shergottite) 32.3g 92% FC Oriented Main Mass (35mm X 32mm X 32mm) Minimum Bid: $12,900.00 (Less Than $400/g) 7 AH 7 Oued el Hadjar (LL6) Fall March 1986 - "The Wedding Stone" 6.322 g (41mm X 30m X 3mm) The stone was broken into many pieces, then sacrificed on an alter during a wedding ceremony.
    [Show full text]
  • Meteorite Shower in Park Forest, Illinois
    PSRD:: Meteorite Shower in Park Forest, Illinois http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Aug04/ParkForest.html posted August 26, 2004 Meteorite Shower in Park Forest, Illinois --- An L5 chondrite strewnfield is centered at Park Forest, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago. Written by Linda M. V. Martel Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology Steven Simon (University of Chicago) and seven colleagues from the University of Chicago, the Planetary Studies Foundation, Harper College, Pacific Northwest National Lab, and the Field Museum in Chicago have classified the meteorite fragments that fell on Chicago's southern suburbs on the night of March 26, 2003. Described as ".. the most densely populated region to be hit by a meteorite shower in modern times," the village of Park Forest is at the center of the strewnfield and fortuitously also happens to be home to the Simon family, who answered scores of phone calls from neighboring meteorite finders. No injuries were reported though plenty of roofs, windows, walls, and cars were hit, and the police department took individual fusion-crusted fragments into custody as evidence (see picture above). Its chemical and mineralogical compositions establish the Park Forest meteorite as an L5 chondrite, one of the most primitive groups of known meteorites. It is a strongly shocked monomict breccia (a term applied to a breccia made of one kind of rock) with light-colored clasts in a very dark matrix. The team measured cosmic radionuclides in Park Forest and found nearly zero 56Co and high 60Co, values that indicate a large preatmospheric mass. They estimate the meteoroid was at least 900 kilograms and possibly as large as 7000 kilograms before it broke apart in the atmosphere, of which only about 30 kilograms of fragments have been recovered.
    [Show full text]
  • Disequilibrium Melting and Melt Migration Driven by Impacts: Implications for Rapid Planetesimal Core Formation
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 100 (2013) 41–59 www.elsevier.com/locate/gca Disequilibrium melting and melt migration driven by impacts: Implications for rapid planetesimal core formation Andrew G. Tomkins ⇑, Roberto F. Weinberg, Bruce F. Schaefer 1, Andrew Langendam School of Geosciences, P.O. Box 28E, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia Received 20 January 2012; accepted in revised form 24 September 2012; available online 12 October 2012 Abstract The e182W ages of magmatic iron meteorites are largely within error of the oldest solar system particles, apparently requir- ing a mechanism for segregation of metals to the cores of planetesimals within 1.5 million years of initial condensation. Cur- rently favoured models involve equilibrium melting and gravitational segregation in a static, quiescent environment, which requires very high early heat production in small bodies via decay of short-lived radionuclides. However, the rapid accretion needed to do this implies a violent early accretionary history, raising the question of whether attainment of equilibrium is a valid assumption. Since our use of the Hf–W isotopic system is predicated on achievement of chemical equilibrium during core formation, our understanding of the timing of this key early solar system process is dependent on our knowledge of the seg- regation mechanism. Here, we investigate impact-related textures and microstructures in chondritic meteorites, and show that impact-generated deformation promoted separation of liquid FeNi into enlarged sulfide-depleted accumulations, and that this happened under conditions of thermochemical disequilibrium. These observations imply that similar enlarged metal accumu- lations developed as the earliest planetesimals grew by rapid collisional accretion.
    [Show full text]
  • Australian Aborigines and Meteorites
    Records of the Western Australian Museum 18: 93-101 (1996). Australian Aborigines and meteorites A.W.R. Bevan! and P. Bindon2 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2 Department of Anthropology, Western Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000 Abstract - Numerous mythological references to meteoritic events by Aboriginal people in Australia contrast with the scant physical evidence of their interaction with meteoritic materials. Possible reasons for this are the unsuitability of some meteorites for tool making and the apparent inability of early Aborigines to work metallic materials. However, there is a strong possibility that Aborigines witnessed one or more of the several recent « 5000 yrs BP) meteorite impact events in Australia. Evidence for Aboriginal use of meteorites and the recognition of meteoritic events is critically evaluated. INTRODUCTION Australia, although for climatic and physiographic The ceremonial and practical significance of reasons they are rarely found in tropical Australia. Australian tektites (australites) in Aboriginal life is The history of the recovery of meteorites in extensively documented (Baker 1957 and Australia has been reviewed by Bevan (1992). references therein; Edwards 1966). However, Within the continent there are two significant areas despite abundant evidence throughout the world for the recovery of meteorites: the Nullarbor that many other ancient civilizations recognised, Region, and the area around the Menindee Lakes utilized and even revered meteorites (particularly of western New South Wales. These accumulations meteoritic iron) (e.g., see Buchwald 1975 and have resulted from prolonged aridity that has references therein), there is very little physical or allowed the preservation of meteorites for documentary evidence of Aboriginal acknowledge­ thousands of years after their fall, and the large ment or use of meteoritic materials.
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Os ISOTOPIC CONSTRAINTS on the CRYSTALLIZATION HISTORY of IIAB IRON METEORITES
    Lunar and Planetary Science XXVIII 1258.PDF Re-Os ISOTOPIC CONSTRAINTS on the CRYSTALLIZATION HISTORY of IIAB IRON METEORITES. M.I. Smoliar, R.J. Walker, J.W. Morgan. Dept. of Geol., Univ. MD, College Park, MD 20742 The IIAB group represents one of the clearest cases of face bet-ween IIA and IIB subgroups [4]. It also shows an fractional crystallization of metallic magma during core intermediate struc-ture - roughly half of this 2700 kg iron is formation. The Ni-Ir trend in the IIAB group (Fig. 1) has a a single hexahedral crystal of kamasite (typical for IIA sub- very steep negative slope which indicates a correspon- group), while the other part has the coarsest octahedral dingly high Ir distribution coefficient, and, consequently, structure, very similar to Navajo and Mount Joy - the neigh- high sulfur content in the parental metallic magma [1]. Sta- bors of Old Woman from IIB subgroup [5]. Specimens from tistical analyses of the IIAB Ni-Ir trend indicates that the both octahedral and hexahedral parts of Old Woman were observed scatter of datapoints along the ideal crystalli- analyzed. zation line is mostly due to analytical uncertainty. This Fig. 2 shows the Re-Os experimental results for the IIB implies that the Ni-Ir distribution pattern in IIAB irons re- meteorites along with previously publisued IIA isochron flects fractional crystallization, with no significant parallel ([7], age = 4.537 ± 8 Ga, initial 187Os/188Os ratio = 0.09550 or subsequent processes. Originally two separate groups ± 7, MSWD = 1.15). Low age uncertainty and low MSWD were recognized (IIA and IIB) on the basis of their different value imply that the whole IIA subgroup crystallized in a crystallographic structure and the prominent hiatus in the Ir narrow time interval not exceeding 16 m.y.
    [Show full text]
  • Magnetite Biomineralization and Ancient Life on Mars Richard B Frankel* and Peter R Buseckt
    Magnetite biomineralization and ancient life on Mars Richard B Frankel* and Peter R Buseckt Certain chemical and mineral features of the Martian meteorite with a mass distribution unlike terrestrial PAHs or those from ALH84001 were reported in 1996 to be probable evidence of other meteorites; thirdly, bacterium-shaped objects (BSOs) ancient life on Mars. In spite of new observations and up to several hundred nanometers long that resemble fos­ interpretations, the question of ancient life on Mars remains silized terrestrial microorganisms; and lastly, 10-100 nm unresolved. Putative biogenic, nanometer magnetite has now magnetite (Fe304), pyrrhotite (Fel_xS), and greigite (Fe3S4) become a leading focus in the debate. crystals. These minerals were cited as evidence because of their similarity to biogenic magnetic minerals in terrestrial Addresses magnetotactic bacteria. *Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California 93407, USA; e-mail: [email protected] The ancient life on Mars hypothesis has been extensively tDepartments of Geology and Chemistry/Biochemistry, Arizona State challenged, and alternative non-biological processes have University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1404, USA; e-mail: [email protected] been proposed for each of the four features cited by McKay et al. [4]. In this paper we review the current situa­ tion regarding their proposed evidence, focusing on the Abbreviations putative biogenic magnetite crystals. BCM biologically controlled mineralization BIM biologically induced mineralization BSO bacterium-shaped object Evidence for and against ancient Martian life PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon PAHs and BSOs Reports of contamination by terrestrial organic materials [5°,6°] and the similarity of ALH84001 PAHs to non-bio­ genic PAHs in carbonaceous chondrites [7,8] make it Introduction difficult to positively identify PAHs of non-terrestrial, bio­ A 2 kg carbonaceous stony meteorite, designated genic origin.
    [Show full text]
  • Problems of Planetology, Cosmochemistry and Meteoritica Alexeev V.A., Ustinova G.K
    Problems of Planetology… Problems of Planetology, Cosmochemistry and Meteoritica Alexeev V.A., Ustinova G.K. Meteoritic evidence radionuclides before the meteorite fall onto the Earth. The investigation of radionuclides with different T1/2 in the on peculiarities of the contemporary solar cycles chondrites with various dates of fall, which have various V.I. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry extension and inclination of orbits, provides us with such RAS, Moscow long sequences of homogeneous data on variation of the Abstract. The meteorite data on monitoring of the intensity and GCR intensity and integral gradients (E >100 MeV) in the gradient of the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) in the heliosphere 3D heliosphere [Lavrukhina,Ustinova,1990]. The long during 5 solar cycles are used for the correlative analysis with the sequences of homogeneous data on the GCR intensity in variations of the solar activity (SA), strength of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and tilt angle of the heliospheric current the stratosphere [Stozhkov et al., 2009] are used for sheet (HCS). The dependence of the GCR modulation depth in the evaluation of the gradients. Nowadays, such a sequence of 11-year solar cycles on the character of the solar magnetic field certain homogeneous data on the GCR intensity and (SMF) inversions in the heliosphere at the change of the 22-year gradients in the inner heliosphere covers ~5 solar cycles magnetic cycles is revealed. (see figure 1) [Alexeev, Ustinova, 2006]. This smoothes, Key words: galactic cosmic rays, solar modulation, solar cycles, to a considerable extent, both the temporal and spatial inversion of magnetic field, solar dynamo, climate.
    [Show full text]
  • March 21–25, 2016
    FORTY-SEVENTH LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCE CONFERENCE PROGRAM OF TECHNICAL SESSIONS MARCH 21–25, 2016 The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center The Woodlands, Texas INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT Universities Space Research Association Lunar and Planetary Institute National Aeronautics and Space Administration CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS Stephen Mackwell, Lunar and Planetary Institute Eileen Stansbery, NASA Johnson Space Center PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIRS David Draper, NASA Johnson Space Center Walter Kiefer, Lunar and Planetary Institute PROGRAM COMMITTEE P. Doug Archer, NASA Johnson Space Center Nicolas LeCorvec, Lunar and Planetary Institute Katherine Bermingham, University of Maryland Yo Matsubara, Smithsonian Institute Janice Bishop, SETI and NASA Ames Research Center Francis McCubbin, NASA Johnson Space Center Jeremy Boyce, University of California, Los Angeles Andrew Needham, Carnegie Institution of Washington Lisa Danielson, NASA Johnson Space Center Lan-Anh Nguyen, NASA Johnson Space Center Deepak Dhingra, University of Idaho Paul Niles, NASA Johnson Space Center Stephen Elardo, Carnegie Institution of Washington Dorothy Oehler, NASA Johnson Space Center Marc Fries, NASA Johnson Space Center D. Alex Patthoff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Cyrena Goodrich, Lunar and Planetary Institute Elizabeth Rampe, Aerodyne Industries, Jacobs JETS at John Gruener, NASA Johnson Space Center NASA Johnson Space Center Justin Hagerty, U.S. Geological Survey Carol Raymond, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Lindsay Hays, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Paul Schenk,
    [Show full text]
  • Ron Hartman and the Lucerne Valley Meteorites by Robert Verish Ron Hartman and the Lucerne Valley Meteorites
    Meteorite Times Magazine Contents by Editor Featured Monthly Articles Accretion Desk by Martin Horejsi Jim's Fragments by Jim Tobin Meteorite Market Trends by Michael Blood Bob's Findings by Robert Verish IMCA Insights by The IMCA Team Micro Visions by John Kashuba Meteorite Calendar by Anne Black Meteorite of the Month by Editor Tektite of the Month by Editor Terms Of Use Materials contained in and linked to from this website do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Meteorite Exchange, Inc., nor those of any person connected therewith. In no event shall The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. be responsible for, nor liable for, exposure to any such material in any form by any person or persons, whether written, graphic, audio or otherwise, presented on this or by any other website, web page or other cyber location linked to from this website. The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. does not endorse, edit nor hold any copyright interest in any material found on any website, web page or other cyber location linked to from this website. The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. shall not be held liable for any misinformation by any author, dealer and or seller. In no event will The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. be liable for any damages, including any loss of profits, lost savings, or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, consequential, or other damages arising out of this service. © Copyright 2002–2011 The Meteorite Exchange, Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction of copyrighted material is allowed by any means without prior written permission of the copyright owner.
    [Show full text]
  • Organic Matter in Meteorites Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Spain
    REVIEW ARTICLE INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY (2004) 7:239-248 www.im.microbios.org Jordi Llorca Organic matter in meteorites Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Spain Summary. Some primitive meteorites are carbon-rich objects containing a vari- ety of organic molecules that constitute a valuable record of organic chemical evo- lution in the universe prior to the appearance of microorganisms. Families of com- pounds include hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amino acids, amines, amides, heterocycles, phosphonic acids, sulfonic acids, sugar-relat- ed compounds and poorly defined high-molecular weight macromolecules. A vari- ety of environments are required in order to explain this organic inventory, includ- ing interstellar processes, gas-grain reactions operating in the solar nebula, and hydrothermal alteration of parent bodies. Most likely, substantial amounts of such Received 15 September 2004 organic materials were delivered to the Earth via a late accretion, thereby provid- Accepted 15 October 2004 ing organic compounds important for the emergence of life itself, or that served as a feedstock for further chemical evolution. This review discusses the organic con- Address for correspondence: Departament de Química Inorgànica tent of primitive meteorites and their relevance to the build up of biomolecules. Universitat de Barcelona [Int Microbiol 2004; 7(4):239-248] Martí i Franquès, 1-11 08028 Barcelona, Spain Tel. +34-934021235. Fax +34-934907725 Key words: primitive meteorites · prebiotic chemistry · chemical evolution · E-mail: [email protected] origin of life providing new opportunities for scientific advancement. One Introduction of the most important findings regarding such bodies is that comets and certain types of meteorites contain organic mole- Like a carpentry shop littered with wood shavings after the cules formed in space that may have had a relevant role in the work is done, debris left over from the formation of the Sun origin of the first microorganisms on Earth.
    [Show full text]