Re: [meteorite-list] Secret Find/Fall Coordinates and Legitimacy - Someone help me understand this.
Hi list The NWA case clearly shows why coordinates are important. Many paired NWA's are classified by different researchers (not always arriving at the same verdict). This makes the situation confusing and, above all, it is a waste of effort. With coordinates, it would be easy to find out which stones belong together, and which are not. I agree that for a scientific study of an interesting special meteorite, it does not matter much where it was found. But if more of the same stuff turns up, you want to know if it was found together with your special sample, or whether it is a different fall. Best regards Beda __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] PhD opportunity
There is an open meteorite-related PhD studentship opportunity in our research group, anybody interested please consult: http://www.earthworks-jobs.com/geoscience/bern8041.html With best regards Beda Hofmann -- * Dr. Beda Anton Hofmann Konservator, Abteilung Erdwissenschaften / Curator, Earth Science Department Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern / Natural History Museum Bern Bernastrasse 15 CH-3005 Bern, Schweiz / Switzerland Tel/Phone +41 31 350 72 40 FAX+41 31 350 74 99 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.nmbe.ch/ * __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Sand-crusted, polished OC slice
Hello listmembers From a donated collection I unpacked an unlabelled slice of an ordinary chondrite, with a very high quality polish. The meteorite is crusted with an up to 5 mm thick rind of sand grains, well rounded quartz mostly, cemented by oxides released from the meteorite. I assume that the slice was acquired more than 15 years ago, material looks as H4-5, W3. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Thanky for any hints Beda Hofmann -- * Dr. Beda Anton Hofmann Curator, Earth Science Department Natural History Museum Bern Bernastrasse 15 CH-3005 Bern, Switzerland Phone +41 31 350 72 40 FAX+41 31 350 74 99 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.nmbe.ch/ * __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Some comments regarding Oman
Dear listmembers One of the reasons that make meteorites so fascinating is that we don't stop to wonder about all the information they carry to Earth. Recently, another source of astonishment has turned up: Comments about meteorite collection in Oman and all the related stories. Some time ago we already posted a statement but I am not sure it went through, so I post it again below. Just some comments on recent developments in the discussion: 1) John Blennert's Website: I can understand his frustration to some extent, and I get the impression that the tale of events given by him is realistic, so this adds to clarification. However, to state that travelling in Oman is dangerous is ridiculous. It is also dangerous to travel and live in Switzerland or any country if you do not obey the law. Laws concerning prospecting for minerals and rocks are not handed out at airports in any country (at least I have never seen such activity), but it appears logical that foreigners planning to collect rocks on a large scale would contact local authorities beforehand to check out. Any person reading John B.'s account in detail will stumble over inconsistencies, such as just collecting a few rocks for fun versus: 9 persons invest several weeks, rent several 4WD's, return to Oman several times within a few months. That does not appear as the typical habit of people just wanting to collect a few rocks for fun during a holiday trip. I find this website is just an insult to a whole country for which I have very fond feelings and memories. Besides, I fully agree with what Martin Altmann recently posted. 2) A meteorite museum in Oman I agree that setting up a whole meteorite museum probably would be both difficult and the future would be uncertain. However, there is a nice Natural History Museum in Muscat where a section about meteorites might be installed without too much trouble. The future of such a display of even of a museum will, however, very strongly depend on how meteorite collection in Oman will be managed in future. Our group is certainly supporting the idea of a display in Oman. 3) A pallasite may still be missing from Oman, but we found a nice 8 kg IIIAB octaedrite: Shisr 043. With my best regards Beda Hofmann *** EARLIER STATEMENT of May 20, 2005 *** Statement of the Swiss group regarding the recent developments in Oman Dear listmembers The recent developments in Oman has led to the circulation of lots of rumors, also referring to our activities. Here we try to contribute to a clarification regarding our involvement. The Institute of Geology, University of Bern, Switzerland, has a long-standing (35 years) scientific collaboration with Oman. This collaboration always was of mutual benefit: Swiss geologists have access to unique field sites and in turn a significant number of Omani geologists have beed educated in Switzerland. Until 2001, this activity has not involved meteorite research, but was purely earth science oriented. During all this time samples were exported with permits from the Directorate General of Minerals (DGM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which is responsible for minerals. After the first publication of many Oman meteorite finds in Met. Bull. 84 (2000), we asked for the permission to search for meteorites on the basis of a collaboration in the tradition mentioned above. This permission was granted. Since 2001, we have conducted four search campaigns in collaboration with and involving Omani geologists. Our permission only concerns the collection and export for study, all samples are defined as Omani property up to this date. We do not have a problem with this, as our interest is purely scientific. We have contributed with the finds to an exhibition at the Natural History Museum Bern (Nov. 03-Sept 04) where, among others, the main mass of SaU 169 was shown to the public for nearly a year. We do not have in any way the feeling that our group should be the only one having the permission to search in Oman. We have communicated repeatedly to DGM that we would not mind if other groups get a permission, provided that information on the exact location is gathered and all specimens are classified/ checked for pairing. We have also repeatedly suggested that the laws/ regulations should be made accessible either by publication in a journal (e.g. MAPS) or on a website. As scientists and museologists we prefer to maintain good relations with the community of collectors and dealers (of meteorites and minerals). We do not have and never had have the intention, therefore, to turn in persons that have been searching for meteorites in Oman. No Swiss person has taken action to provoke the arrests of foreign meteorite searchers. Nevertheless, we support the idea of the Omani governments to get control over the, so far, mostly unregulated collecting activities. In this context it is certainly true
[meteorite-list] Oman developments
Statement of the Swiss group regarding the recent developments in Oman Dear listmembers The recent developments in Oman has led to the circulation of lots of rumors, also referring to our activities. Here we try to contribute to a clarification regarding our involvement. The Institute of Geology, University of Bern, Switzerland, has a long-standing (35 years) scientific collaboration with Oman. This collaboration always was of mutual benefit: Swiss geologists have access to unique field sites and in turn a significant number of Omani geologists have beed educated in Switzerland. Until 2001, this activity has not involved meteorite research, but was purely earth science oriented. During all this time samples were exported with permits from the Directorate General of Minerals (DGM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which is responsible for minerals. After the first publication of many Oman meteorite finds in Met. Bull. 84 (2000), we asked for the permission to search for meteorites on the basis of a collaboration in the tradition mentioned above. This permission was granted. Since 2001, we have conducted four search campaigns in collaboration with and involving Omani geologists. Our permission only concerns the collection and export for study, all samples are defined as Omani property up to this date. We do not have a problem with this, as our interest is purely scientific. We have contributed with the finds to an exhibition at the Natural History Museum Bern (Nov. 03-Sept 04) where, among others, the main mass of SaU 169 was shown to the public for nearly a year. We do not have in any way the feeling that our group should be the only one having the permission to search in Oman. We have communicated repeatedly to DGM that we would not mind if other groups get a permission, provided that information on the exact location is gathered and all specimens are classified/ checked for pairing. We have also repeatedly suggested that the laws/ regulations should be made accessible either by publication in a journal (e.g. MAPS) or on a website. As scientists and museologists we prefer to maintain good relations with the community of collectors and dealers (of meteorites and minerals). We do not have and never had have the intention, therefore, to turn in persons that have been searching for meteorites in Oman. No Swiss person has taken action to provoke the arrests of foreign meteorite searchers. Nevertheless, we support the idea of the Omani governments to get control over the, so far, mostly unregulated collecting activities. In this context it is certainly true that our collaboration with DGM has led to an increased awareness of meteorites and their scientific value in Oman, and we are eager to contribute to a process that eventually will lead to careful and appropriate management of one of the richest meteorite accumulation areas in the world. Repeatedly it has been claimed that it was perfectly legal to collect and export meteorites from Oman. We were always aware that this is not true, even though we have not seen the law in writing either. But we also need to obtain a permission for exporting any kind of common rock material. However, we would be very interested to know should anybody have gotten information from an official Omani source (e.g. embassy) that exporting of rocks and, inpaerticular, of meteorites does not require a permission. Beda Hofmann and Edwin Gnos Natural History Museum Bern / University of Bern, Switzerland Beda Hofmann University of Berne [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- This mail was sent through IMP at http://mail.unibe.ch __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Mike's new find from Oman
Hi list Maybe this is nasty, but to me Mike's Oman rock looks like a terrestrial fine-grained sedimentary conglomerate. Rocks of this type are not uncommon in the Oman desert. Beda -- * Dr. Beda Anton Hofmann Curator, Earth Science Department Bern Natural History Museum Bernastrasse 15 CH-3005 Bern, Switzerland Phone +41 31 350 72 40 FAX+41 31 350 74 99 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.nmbe.ch/ * __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] mars iron classification
I agree with Jeff Pringle that the MER microscopic images show what is basically a Widmannstaetten pattern. There are obviously taenite lamellae in what must be kamacite. So Heat shield rock HSR clearly is an octahedrite. Based on the images the bandwidth of kamacite lamellae is approximately 1.5 mm wich yields to the structural classification Og (coarse octahedrite). Several chemical groups are possible, but IAB seems the most likely based on abundance statistics. Possible inclusions of silicates and large (burned out) troilites, typical for IAB, would also explain some of the irregularities seen in the surface of HSR. I wonder what the reddish dark coating is on HSR (visible on color images constructed from Sol 352 Pancam images). I first thought it might be fusion crust, bue the microscopic images show a rather irregular transition from the metal to that crust, and the reddish color suggest weathering. It might be a weathering crust from an earlier, more oxidizing climatic period, later on being partially removed by sandblasting. Beda __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Mars Rover's Meteorite Discovery Triggers Questions
The first meteorite found on Mars - Heat shield rock - really raises questions. Based on its size I estimate it is approx. 6-7 liters in volume or around 50 kg mass. The smallest craters on Mars are just a few m in size, e.g. Fram 8 m, but there are smaller ones. Has anyone a clue what the size of the projectile would be to create one of the smaller craters on Mars, e.g. of 5 m diameter? On Earth, as a rule of thumb 1/20 of the crater diameter might be used, this would be just 25 cm for a 5 m crater. Am I totally off? Then why did Heat shield rock not explode upon impact? It actually looks quite nice and undamaged. Might this be an indication for a thicker atmosphere at the time of fall? Maybe the ratio between small impact craters and meteorites can be used to deduce the relative amounts of time Mars had a thin atmosphere as today, or a thicker one... Beda -- * Dr. Beda Anton Hofmann Curator, Earth Science Department Bern Natural History Museum Bernastrasse 15 CH-3005 Bern, Switzerland Phone +41 31 350 72 40 FAX+41 31 350 74 99 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.nmbe.ch/ * __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Meteorite on Mars?
I first thought the boulder near Opportunity's heat shield might be a meteorite, but now I believe it is material ejected somewhere else from Mars like Bounce, possibly a sediment from the Meridiani subsurface. I have produced an anaglyph from Sol 339 pancam raw images and the weathering sculpturing indicates to me heterogeneities in this rock, and subtle layering, not typical of meteorites. Perhaps there are aqueous deposits in this rock... looks intriguing! Anyone interested in this anaglyph, contact me off list. Beda Hofmann __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Exhibition Ping-Pong im All (Ping-Pong in Space)
Dear meteorite afficionados I would like to bring your attention to a new exhibition entitled Ping-Pong im All (Ping-Pong in Space) Inaugurated yesterday evening and open to the public from today, Nov. 28, until end of September 2004, at the Natural History Museum Bern, Bernastrasse 15, Bern, Switzerland. Ping-Pong stands for interplanetary travel of space probes and meteorites There is information about onging Mars missions (with a 1:1 model of the Beagle 2 lander) and fossil microbial traces of life as one would like to find it on Mars. The meteorite part features samples from our expeditions to Oman (including the main masses of Mars meteorite SaU 094 and the Lunar meteorite SaU 169). Loans from private collections and museums complete the meteorite part. There are samples from 14 (independent) Mars meteorites and 5 Lunar meteorites. Also on exhibit are the main masses of the two Twannberg meteorites from Switzerland, the original mass found 1984 and a second mass found on an attic in the vialleg of Twann in 2000. Both are in possesion of our museum now. The exhibition is in german language. There is a website with some further information (also in german): http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMURGXLDMD_Switzerland_ge_0.html With best regards Beda Hofmann * Dr. Beda Anton Hofmann Curator, Earth Science Department Bern Natural History Museum Bernastrasse 15 CH-3005 Bern, Switzerland Phone +41 31 350 72 40 FAX+41 31 350 74 99 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www-nmbe.unibe.ch/ * __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Sioux County/Jonzac/Padvarninkai
Hello List I am looking for small samples (3-5 g) of the following Eucrites: Sioux County or Jonzac and Padvarninkai Please contact me directly if anyone has/knowns anything. Beda Hofmann __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
