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Meteorite-Times MagazineBruderheim, Canada Bruderheim. Timing is Everything.by Martin Horejsi

Updated: Martin Horejsi's Meteorite Books Website

A March 1960 Witnessed Fall: Bruderheim, Canada

Bruderheim.Timing is Everything.

A rolling landscape of fresh fusion crust blankets this 72% complete stoneof Bruderheim. Falling nearly vertically onto a frozen, snow covered land,many individuals of Bruderheim retained their crust intact.

Over the past couple decades that I have been collecting meteorites, I'vehad several representatives of Bruderheim in my collection. But when theopportunity to trade for the specimen pictured above, I jumped at thechance.

According to Folinsbee, R. E. & Bayrock, L. A. in an article titled The Bruderheim Meteorite-Fall and Recoverypublished in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Vol. 55, a wonderful slice of recent meteorite

history is chronicled. This months installment will feature excerpts from the article with author commentary within thecaptions of the photographs and graphics.

Bruderheim, a gray chondritic meteorite which fell on March 4, 1960, at 1 :06 a.m. MountainStandard Time, is, in aggregate weight (over 300 kilograms), Canada's largest knownmeteorite (Millman 1953). By strange coincidence the bolide detonated halfway between thepoint where the Edmonton meteorite was found, and the Abee meteorite fell.

At 1 :06 in the morning the late show on television had just finished, a factor addingsubstantially to the number of eye witness accounts. Bruderheim is a typical eveningmeteorite, solving the entry problem' by reason of its relatively low atmospheric velocity.

If this were a piece of pottery entered in an art contest, it would no doubtlose. And with good reason. But since it is a meteorite sculpted byatmospheric forces, it is truly a work of art.

The pockets of superheated surface captured perfectly the events takingplace on this meteorite's surface as it fell. Given that many reports claimthat freshly fallen meteorites were warm or even too hot to touchimmediately after they fell, I would have hoped that studious observers ofsuch things would have provided commentary about the immediatephysical situation in which the found stone was nested.

photo courtesy of: http://www.meteoritecollector.org/

Earl Milton, past president of the Edmonton Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society ofCanada, was instrumental in alerting the public through the media of press, radio andtelevision, to the possibility that a meteorite fell from the bright detonating bolide.

He obtained eye witness reports that narrowed down the possible fall area. Stanley Walkerand Tyrone Balacko of Fort Saskatchewan, following a lead given by recovery of a singlefragment, mapped the principal fall area in outline, and recovered about 75 kilograms ofmeteorite in the two days immediately after the fall. Heavy snow then fell, and no furtherrecoveries were made till spring.

This old photo shows the range of sizes of Bruderheim individuals. Twoindividuals were more than 30kg with another four between 20-30kg , andanother four between 10 and 20 kg. Additionally another 500 individualssmaller than 100g each were collected.

The Bruderheim bolide was probably first observed by Alexis Simon, an Indian of the Paul'sBand Indian Reserve at Duffield, Alberta. His account is as follows: On the night [sic] ofFriday, March 4th, 1960, I happened to be outside of my home at midnight when I saw a largemeteorite in the north-westerly direction from Duffield. It lighted up the sky as it passed swiftlyin a north-easterly direction, giving off what appeared to be flashes of fire.

He describes also a rushing sound, resembling a high wind, which lasted for 5 to 6 secondsafter the fireball passed, a phenomenon distinct from the shock-wave detonationsaccompanying meteorites, and characteristic of reports of fireballs (Smith and Hey 1952). Itmay be primarily due to suggestion, without real existence (Heard 1949).

One of the larger individuals of Bruderheim was measured, then broken topieces. As demonstrated in the picture above, examination could bepainful.

I suspect that if one staged a similar photo today, it would be treated aseither a joke or meteoritical blasphemy.

It is interesting to speculate that the more acute senses of Alexis Simon enabled him toobserve the meteorite during the time when it first was entering the atmosphere, and to note asound phenomenon not recorded by other observers whose vision and hearing, dimmed anddulled by television, were quickened only by the bright glare of the fireball lower in theatmosphere, and shaken by the sonic boom at detonation point. However, more prosaically,there was considerable patchy overcast in the Edmonton area, and at Newbrook, though theall-sky camera was on and recorded the general brightening brought about by the bolide at1:06 a.m., the meteor cameras were not operating (Jack Grant, Newbrook, personalcommunication).

Mrs. P. I. B. Wood of Carvel observed the fireball from point of detonation to disappearance,as did a number of observers from the slightly overcast city of Edmonton. The most accurateobservations of which the writers have record were made from Edmonton by D. B. Russell, astudent at the University of Alberta, and from Beverly by M. Reis at the Texaco Oil Refinery.Cross sighting was made by S. E. J. Mitchell of Clyde and by a number of observers nearEgremont and in Fort Saskatchewan (Miller 1960).

This strewnfield map show the distribution of Bruderheim individuals.

Connecting the dots, I'd guess that a couple of stones of size landed in theriver. Further, looking at the density of specimens across this largeexpanse of land, I would not be surprised if more modern methods ofsearching were employed, many more, albeit weathered, specimens wouldbe found.

Hey Meteorite Men! You guys listening?

Some of the sighting and sound data from the Egremont district suggested a fall area north-east of this village: flash sound intervals were small, averaging 20 seconds (from sevenobservations where time could be judged by repeating motions). L. A. Bayrock and R. S.Taylor spent considerable time in air and ground searches in this area on March 6th and 8th,and as late as April 4th, with negative results. The theory that the Bruderheim bolide had aninitial north-easterly trajectory, and at the detonation point split into two main masses, onetraveling approximately north 200 east over Egremont, the other 1000 (100 south of east) tofall in the Bruderheim area, while plausible, has not been substantiated by finds.

The assignment of an azimuth of north 1000 to Bruderheim is based largely on the shape ofthe ellipse of fall and on the fact that most of the sighting evidence does not directly contradictsuch an interpretation. One hundred miles east of the fall area, on this 1000 azimuth, Mr. andMrs. A. C. Butz of Dewberry observed the flash and " ... about two to three minutes after light,a thundering noise was heard, windows rattled...." This is the outer limit of sound reports.

A wall of L6 matrix dominates one side of my specimen. Although a fewlarger chondrules are poking out of the gray monotony, and some mildspecks of rust coloring add hints of life to wall, it's just a fact of life that theinterior of L6 chondrites are often the least exciting visuals of the meteoriteworld.

Though it is clear that the bolide first became brightly illuminated almost directly north ofEdmonton, reports of its height at this time vary greatly, and the slope of the path and thegeocentric velocity needed for calculation of the radiant, or direction in space from which thebody was coming, are not easily judged. The best evidence suggests that at a height of about30 miles the fireball flared a bright blue-white, of sufficient intensity to attract the attention ofground observers, and continued in this halo of plasma-type illumination for 25 air miles to thedetonation point at a height of 16-17 miles.

Fragments thrown off at detonation remained bright, though changing from white to red asthey approached the ground point, about 25 air miles east of the point of detonation. Theslope of the illuminated path therefore was about 40°, and since most observers recorded a5-6 second duration for illumination, the geocentric velocity was about 8-10 miles per second.This interpretation is a best fit interpretation of available sighting data. Heard (1949) describesa fireball similar in many respects to Bruderhein1, and gives the equations necessary forsolution of the meteor's path in space, given azimuth, slope, and geocentric velocity. I tbecomes clear, on examining the university report forms (based on a Russian example), thatthese were too complex for an unskilled observer. Most of the forms that were turned inprovided little more enlightenment than this initial letter received from John Mandryk ofBruderheim: "I have seen the light and heard the crash. If you wish to send me a form I shallanswer it to best of my ability."

Tyrone Balacko and Stan Walker posing with some of the Bruderheimmeteorites they recovered. The pair found about 75kg of meteorites withintwo days. After than, the snows fell and the search efforts were put on holduntil spring.

Again, note the geologic hammer.

photo courtesy of: http://www.meteoritecollector.org/

Matt Krys holding a Bruderheim meteorite. A majority of Bruderheimspecimens in the University of Alberta's collection were purchased fromfarmers. It became clear early on that the locals of the area were moreadroit at finding the cosmic stones than those visiting the area just tosearch.

photo courtesy of: http://www.meteoritecollector.org/

Nick Broda, a farmer of the Bruderheim district, recovered the first stone from his barnyardon Friday, March 4. It was brought to the Sherritt Gordon Nickel Refinery at FortSaskatchewan by an employee, and identified as a meteorite. S. Walker and T. Balackoproceeded to the area and began systematically to map the fall and recover fragments which,upon striking frozen ground, had rebounded onto the hard-packed snow surface where theybecame clearly visible from district roads. On Saturday and Sunday, March 5 and 6, Walkerand Balacko mapped and collected a total of 155 pounds of meteorite, which they later madeavailable to the university as the nucleus of its collection.

At the same time district farmers collected fragment B-74, a complete individual weighingmore than 25 kilograms. This stone was then broken by the collectors into a number offragments, and widely distributed. Most of these pieces mere ultimately acquired by theuniversity, and since B-74 was a completely unweathered specimen it was used as thesource of all samples employed in analyses of the meteorite. Andreas Bawel and Walter andNick Holowaty of Bruderheim collected about 10 kilograms of fragments from their farms onMarch 4, 5, and 6. Walter Holowaty made the first collections off the ice on the NorthSaskatchewan River, digging down through the snow to the ice surface wherever he observedan impact hole. On March 7 it snowed heavily and no further recoveries could be made untilspring, with the exception of a few small fragments collected from snow banks.

Another side of my specimen contains an almost unbroken wall of crust.Having a fist-sized chunk of crusted meteorites is always a treat to besavored. Luckily, the curators who managed this rock for the decades priorto my ownership were careful stewards preserving the integrity of thisbeauty.

Bruderheim individuals struck the ground almost vertically, apparently at terminal velocity,perhaps 200 miles per hour at impact. The largest fragments, weighing 30 kilograms, traveledfarthest, and are grouped at the south-east apex of the ellipse. They dug holes about 8 inchesdeep in the frozen ground and then rebounded onto the snow surface, ending up about 6 to 8feet east of the impact point, with a shower of dirt splayed south-east of the impact craters.One individual fell onto a cushion of swathed wheat. The position of these large individualsconfirms the 1000 azimuth traced by the fireball, coincident with the axis of the ellipse of fall.

Point of impact of the larger fragments (greater than 4 kilograms) was surveyed with a planetable. Smaller individuals were plotted from the Walker-Balacko map, from mapping on aerialphotos while collecting, and from all reliable information obtained from farmers in the area.The Bruderheim bolide continued breaking up into smaller fragments even after the initialdetonation at high altitude, and in this and other respects the fall resembles Tenham(Spencer 1937). A small but significant number of fragments, perhaps 10 per cent. of theindividuals, show partial fusion crusts, in one instance three stages, late-formedfragmentation surfaces that are not completely blackened. There is evidence from the fallpattern that some individuals broke into two or more pieces while still in the air, thoughtraveling below the speed at which fusion crust would form. In the case of the smallerindividuals, direction of fragments from pits is almost random, though there is a suggestion ofit being outward from the centre of the ellipse. This probably represents motion imparted bythe detonations. These smaller individuals in some cases rebounded onto the snow surface

Icing on a cosmic cake. I'm not exactly sure of the specific nomenclature ofthese specimens, but I suspect that this is Bruderheim specimen number8. It weighed 706 grams originally. It is the 4270 number I am unsure of.

I don't believe the 4270 number is a weight because it is hard to imaginethat my piece is one eighth the total mass of what it was as an individual. Ifit were the case, then the initial intact specimen must have had an unusualshape like that of a baguette. However, my half-kilo piece could easily bemissing 200g of the original form.

Most of the material recovered from Bruderheim was in the form of individuals weighing over4 kilograms. There is a significant grouping of weights around 25-30 kilograms, which seemsto be an optimum size for chondrite fragments surviving the penetration of the earth'satmosphere (Lightfoot, MacGregor and Golding 1935), as evidenced by the weightdistribution of stones in the British Museum.

In this tearsheet of meteorite history, a newspaper clipping revisits the Bruderheim meteorite fall. Iespecially enjoy the final line:

"Scientists were elated because of information it revealed about the nature ofradiation in space, the origin and nature of the solar system and indeed theuniverse."

Wow. Not a bad scientific haul from one ordinary L6. The universe? Really?

As Until next time….

The Accretion Desk welcomes all comments and feedback. accretiondesk@gmail.com

Meteorite Times MagazineMeteorite Hunting Book Reviewby Jim Tobin

I have done book reviews before. Usually the only characters in the books are meteorites or tektites. In thiscase Meteorite Hunting How To Find Treasure From Space I know almost every character mentionedin the book. That made it very special for me, but by the end of the reading it was clear that this book wasfar more than a collection of stories about individuals I know. It was so rich in information that it will be theinstructional tool for new meteorite hunters for years to come. It will serve as a great resource for theseasoned hunter as well.

Here's Geoff Notkin at one of the book signings duringthe Tucson Gem Show. Not pictured is the long line ofadoring fans waiting to meet him and get a book.

To hunt anything in life requires that the hunter know their prey. After telling us what meteorites are, and anintroduction of the proper terminology, Geoff dives right in with a very thorough description of the differenttypes of meteorites and how to recognize them. The physical, visual and textural characteristics ofmeteorites are covered in detail. Fewer stones will escape the pursuit of the hunter who has read this

book.

For the new hunter waiting by his TV for the next fall Geoff gives loads of information about strewn fieldcharacteristics, the importance of research and how to prepare for and carry out a search. Always puttingthe emphasis on doing it right. All the warnings about regard for others property and observing the varyinglaws are stressed. The needed discussion of compensation for the land owner is offered. Dreams ofquick riches are tempered with a more realistic view of rewards achieved from honest labor diligently putinto hunting.

The thrill of finding a treasure from outer space is never far from the reader’s mind as Geoff recounts oneadventure after another. And nothing ever makes for a better book then when the author truly loves whathe is writing about. Geoff’s passion and determination to find meteorites jumps off every page.

Just barely readable is the name Imilac on this shot up sign, from just one of Geoff's greatmeteorite adventures

No matter what you hunt you will need tools, and the same goes for meteorites. What works for one typeof meteorite at a particular location may not work for the next. The variables discussed regarding whattools to use and when will really help the novice increase their chances of success. Metal detectors,magnet canes, GPS units, and cameras are just some of the equipment that the meteorite hunter needsto use. Geoff doesn’t paint an unrealistic picture of how these tools perform. We are told that there is a lotof scrap metal to be dug before the real thing is found. But, with a gentle pat on the back Geoff sends thereader forward with the encouragement that perseverance will pay off. And after all anything in life that isreally important requires time and effort and practice.

I know I am never going to have a meteorite hunting tool as cool as the custom madeMeteorite Men motorcycle.

Important topics like recording the location, getting the newly found meteorites tested, and submitting it forofficial listing are provided to aid the eager new hunter. Advise on how to be safe and still have fun arealways important when desert and isolated locations are involved and Geoff handles these topics well.

I guess it is clear that I really like this book. But, it would just be a good read with less usefulness if it wasnot done with great pictures and diagrams. Fortunately, this book is another example of what seems to beGeoff’s endless capacity to produce beautiful printed products. Great photography, well reproduced on anice heavy coated stock makes this book both a delight to read, but more importantly a real resource withclear visual information about what meteorites are and how they look.

I hope to see this book around for years to come. I can only image how many new meteorite hunters willget a boost up to the successful recovery of the rarest objects on Earth from studying its pages. I know ithas made me want to get out more often.

After all is said and written there really are few things as exciting as digging up a piece ofasteroid that no other person has ever seen before.

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Meteorite-Times MagazineMeteorite Market Trendsby Michael Blood

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Meteorite-Times MagazineThe Flandrau – Part 2 – UA Mineral Museumby Robert Verish

The University of Arizona Mineral Museum is a must-see attraction when you are inTucson, especially if you are attending the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show.

The meteorites in the UA Mineral Museum Collection are notstored in boxes, they are all on display at the Science Center.

This article is the 2nd Part of a two-part series highlighting the meteorite displays at "The Flandrau"(Science Center) on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson.My previous article (the 1st part of this series) was titled, "The Flandrau - Science Center & Planetarium",and was an overview of all of the facilities at "The Flandrau".

This article will be focusing on the meteorite displays that are open to public viewing at the UA MineralMuseum in the Flandrau Science Center.

The "UA Mineral Museum" is presently housed in the basement of the Science Center, which is alsoknown as Flandrau: The UA Science Center. The Science Center had its beginnings in 1972 when theUniversity received a generous donation. The University decided to use the donation to fund facilities in theAstronomy Department that would increase public appreciation and understanding of science. The MineralMuseum was moved into the UA Science Center in 1993. The Mineral Museum has been on the UAcampus since 1905.

What was originally called, "The Flandrau Planetarium", has expanded over the years into a large circular,temple-looking building that now houses, not only the Flandrau Planetarium, but the Flandrau Observatory,the UA Mineral Museum, and the Science Center, comprising a Gift Shop and several exhibits bothpermanent and temporary. This building (located on the University of Arizona campus ) is now known as

the "UA Science Center - Flandrau". This building with its white domes is situated next door to the KuiperBuilding, which is home to the Lunar & Planetary Lab (LPL). The LPL, a world-famous research facility,was the site of the 2010 Arizona Meteorite Exhibit.

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is a venue for many meteorite dealers, which explains why so manymeteorite collectors come to Tucson in the month of February. The prime objective of these collectors isto visit as many of the meteorite dealers as is possible, and to view the meteorites, which in most cases,are in display cases that are set up in the dealer's motel room. Now if this is your objective when you visitTucson, but you don't schedule a visit to the UA Mineral Museum, then you will be missing out on one ofthe finest meteorite displays that Tucson has to offer!

For those who haven't been to the Mineral Museum recently, you may be surprised by all of therenovations to the Flandrau - Science Center since the Flandrau Planetarium re-opened in April of 2010.If you have visited the "The Flandrau" and the UA Mineral Museum in the past, you should visit it again andsee the renovations for yourself. And if you haven't seen UA Mineral Museum, I highly recommend that youtake the time on your next visit to Tucson.

You can find a "MAP TO Flandrau Science Center" by going to the Arizona Guide website.

Gallery of Images - Bob's Findings Article for March 2011

The UA Mineral Museum at Flandrau - Science Center

The UA Mineral Museum is dedicated to providing publiceducation, as well as, to the preservation of minerals andmeteorites, while also serving the research needs ofprofessionals, students, and collectors. The collection is world-wide in scope, but with specific emphasis on minerals fromArizona and Mexico.

The University of Arizona will mark the 56th Tucson Gem andMineral Show in February with a celebration of historic Bisbeeand an exhibition of rare Bisbee minerals at the FlandrauScience Center and the UA Mineral Museum. This exhibit,“Treasures of the Queen: The Amazing Minerals and Mystery ofBisbee, Arizona,” will run beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday,February 6, through May 31.

An excellent display of oil paintings depictingArizona mining are on exhibit in the MineralMuseum, known as The "Miner's Story" oilpaintings.

In 1973 O. Richard Norton was hired to become the Flandrau'sfirst Planetarium director. Richard "Dick" Willey becamedirector of the Planetarium in 1978. The Planetarium wasopened to the public in 1975.

Above is an image of the placards and photos in the displaycase that form the tribute to the first two directors of theFlandrau Planetarium, O. Richard Norton (1937-2009) andRichard Willey (1924-2010).

The above image depicts a close-up of the Udall Park (H4)meteorite that is in the display case along with the tribute to thefirst two Flandrau Planetarium Directors. This Arizonachondrite was the first meteorite classified by O. RichardNorton. "Click" on the above image in order to ENLARGE.

Above is an image of the placard with thebiography of O. Richard Norton (1937-2009),with information that was obtained from hisobituary. "Click" on the above image in order toENLARGE.

Above is an image of the placard with thebiography of Richard Willey (1924-2010), withinformation that was obtained from his obituary."Click" on the above image in order toENLARGE.

The above image shows one of the placardsthat were made in honor of Jim Smaller (1940-2009). Along with two other posters (one poster

is a Jim Smaller biography, and the other posterdescribes the Sacramento Wash 005meteorite), these form a tribute to the life andaccomplishments of Jim Smaller.

Above is an image of the placard with thebiography of Jim Smaller (information obtainedfrom his obituary) . "Click" on the above imagein order to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts a poster that is in the display casewith the "Jim Smaller Tribute" that describes the SacramentoWash 005 (H-metal) meteorite. "Click" on the above image inorder to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts another poster that isin the display case with the "Jim SmallerTribute" that describes the Sacramento Wash005 (H-metal) meteorite. The placard correctlystates that SaW 005 is an H-metal meteoritefound within the Franconia (H5) strewn field, butthe reference to the chondritic portion of SaW005 being texturally similar to "H4" is confusing.The question is, how can only "2mm of silicate"be sufficient to supply evidence for a petrologicgrade determination of "4" with confidence?"Click" on the above image in order toENLARGE.

The above image shows the label that identifies the "Wallapai" ironmeteorite on display at the Museum. It was a pleasant surprise to beable to see up-close this meteorite. I have been researching the historyof this meteorite, as well as the ethno-history of the tribe on whosereservation these two irons were found, and I have come to theconclusion that the two Wallapai (IID) irons were, long ago, transportedfrom the Needles (IID) iron meteorite find locality. But this subject wouldbe better delt with in a future Bob's Findings article.

The above image depicts the "Wallapai Iron" meteorite ondisplay at the Mineral Museum. "Click" on the above image inorder to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts the opposite-side, or back-side viewof the "Wallapai Iron" meteorite on display at the MineralMuseum. "Click" on the above image in order to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts an "end-view" of the "Wallapai Iron"meteorite. "Click" on the above image in order to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts a view of the opposite end of this"Wallapai Iron" meteorite which has been cut and etched. Theetch-pattern is clearly visible. Also visible, are curious lathe-shaped inclusions of sulfides and phosphides. (No, these arenot scratches.) "Click" on the above image in order toENLARGE.

This is another view of the etched surface on the cut-end of the"Wallapai Iron" meteorite. "Click" on the above image in order toENLARGE.

The above image depicts the display case containing samplesof "IRON METEORITES" in the UA Mineral Museum collection."Click" on the above image in order to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts the display case containing samplesof "STONY METEORITES". "Click" on the above image in orderto ENLARGE.

The above image depicts the Arizona Meteorite display case.Depicted are samples of the Franconia (H5) meteorite and agraphite nodule from the Canyon Diablo iron, along with a mapof Arizona meteorite localities. "Click" on the above image inorder to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts the right side of the Arizona Meteoritedisplay case which contains samples of the "Adamana", GoldBasin, and Wickenburg stony meteorites, along with an endcutof the main-mass of the Weaver Mountain iron meteorite."Click" on the above image in order to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts specimens ofthe Winona (WIN) Meteorite contained inthe Arizona Meteorite display case. "Click"on the above image in order to ENLARGE.

The above image depicts the Arizona Meteorite display casecontaining Bob Haag's specimen of his "Adamana" meteorite(actually, a cast of his original meteorite find). "Click" on theabove image in order to ENLARGE.

The Flandrau - UA Mineral Museum is next door to the KuiperSpace Sciences Building.

Very interesting meteorite displays along with fantastic gemsand mineral specimens!

What was originally called, "UA Mineral Museum at the Flandrau", is now the center-piece to what hasgrown into a multifunctional temple to science, The UA Science Center - Flandrau.

References:

Link to website with "University of Arizona Mineral Museum": History, andInformation: - The UA Mineral Museumc/o Mark CandeeFor more information:mcandee@email.arizona.edu

From the Calgary Gem & Mineral Show website:The University of Arizona Mineral Museum picturesby admin on September 1, 2010I was doing some work in Tucson, Arizona recently. No doubts, I paid a visit to the excellent mineralogicalmuseum in the University of Arizona. Here are a few pictures to your attention:The Flandrau Science Center, where the Museum occupies the lower level...

Link to a website for links to other museums in Arizona, to include:UA - Mineral Museum UA Science Center, University of Arizona, Tucson.

Link to a website for the :UA Science Center University of Arizona, Tucson

A website for links to images of other observatories in Arizona and California:http://www.xanaduobservatory.com/

Get information about upcoming events at the UA Science: Flandrau on Twitter.

$1,000,000 donated to UA Mineral Museum - Tucson Citizen Morgue ...The head of the University of Arizona’s Science Center was in a great ... in an endowment to supportthe Mineral Museum when it moves downtown with the UA Science Center ...

My previous articles can be found *HERE*

For for more information, please contact me by email: Bolide*chaser

Meteorite-Times MagazineIMCA Insights – March 2011by IMCA TEAM

Every year, during the Annual Meeting, the Meteoritical Society chooses the winners of several differentAwards, one of them being the Brian Mason Award, it rewards the best abstract submitted by a student tothe Meteoritical Society's Annual Meeting. It is of special interest to us because this award is sponsored bythe International Meteorite Collectors Association and Meteorite Magazine. And financed by the IMCA. Thisyear’s meeting was in New York, from July 26 to July 30, and the winner was Aidan Ross. As part of thedeal the winner was asked to tell us a bit about her, and here is her answer. One thing I particularlynoticed is that she only “discovered” meteorites 5 years ago, and she is already working on her Doctorate.Obviously she is a quick learner!

Anne M. BlackPresident of IMCAwww.IMCA.cc

My name is Aidan Ross, and I was the winner of the 2010 Brian Mason award at the Meteoritical Society

Meeting held in July in New York. I'm 25 and a PhD student studying at University College London joint withthe Natural History Museum in London. I first became interested in meteorites during my second year atuniversity (so only five years ago). I have always been obsessed with space, dragging my parents toscience museums and planetariums whenever possible. I was delighted when I won a telescope in araffle and was inspired to study astronomy at university. This ambition was further developed when Iattended the Research Science Institute (RSI) the summer before my final year of high school. RSI is asummer school held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology giving high school students a chance toexperience university research. I spent the summer studying and modeling pressure-energy densityrelationships in neutron stars. I then did my undergraduate degree at Cambridge University, where unlikemost UK institutions you can study a range of sciences. Geology really interested me so I took it as anoption. One of the classes I took was called "In the beginning..." and it was there that I got hooked onmeteorites. Looking through a microscope at objects that are the left over builders, rubble from the solarsystem was awe inspiring. From then on it was clear what I wanted to study.

For my PhD I'm studying ureilites, which are thought to represent the mantle of an asteroid. They aremostly composed of coarse grains of olivine and pyroxene (making beautiful thin sections!), though theyalso contain diamond (making them a nightmare to cut and polish!). Part of my PhD is focused onstudying the origin of the diamond in ureilites, and it was this research that I presented at MetSoc forwhich I won the Brian Mason Award. I studied diamond in a sample of the new and exciting ureiliteAlmahata Sitta and compared it with other ureilites from the Natural History Museum (UK) and NASAAntarctic meteorite collections. I used raman spectroscopy and found that the diamond is distinct fromthat in other ureilites and may represent a rare polymorph of diamond called lonsdaleite. The work wasconducted in collaboration with researchers from the Carnegie Institution of Washington and NASA and iscurrently in press at the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science.

Almahata Sitta is an extremely special meteorite. It was the first sample to be tracked as an asteroid(2008TC3) and while mostly ureilitic, also includes multiple associated chondritic samples giving theimpression that a large amount of mixing of different materials occurred in the accretion of this rubble pileasteroid. For more about Almahata Sitta I would highly recommend reading the Planetary ScienceResearch Discoveries page (http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/April10/AlmahataSitta.html). I have been verylucky to be able to obtain samples of Almahata Sitta through collaboration with NASA and the University ofKhartoum in Sudan who organized the sample collection expeditions. The samples have attracted a lot ofattention with dedicated sessions at the 2010 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference and MeteoriticalSociety Meeting with Meteoritics and Planetary Science recently publishing a special issue focusing onthem. I am a co-author on one of these papers which presented results of mineral thermometry andhence a history of Almahata Sitta and the ureilite parent body.

Most recently I have been studying the metals in ureilites (including Almahata Sitta) in collaboration withscientists at the NASA Johnson Space Center. In November/December I was a visiting researcher thereusing the new state-of-the-art laser-ablation mass spectrometry facility. Laser ablation is quite a nerveracking technique as once you've destroyed the grain you are trying to analyze, there is no way of getting itback. The results are preliminary but it seems like Almahata Sitta still has plenty more clues to give usabout ureilite evolution.

I've got about a year left of my PhD now and things aren't slowing down at all. I think that things arestarting to get even more exciting for the study of asteroids with the recent return of samples from Itokawaby the Japanese Hayabusa mission and the arrival of the NASA Dawn mission scheduled for thissummer. I've got plans for more analyses and ideas for more studies and I'm enjoying all of it. At the sametime I'm thinking about the future and hoping that I'll be able to continue on in planetary science andmeteorite research.

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Meteorite-Times MagazineThinner Thin Sectionsby John Kashuba

The canonical thickness for thin sections is 0.03mm. Professionals depend on it. Collectors insist on it.Still, if we have to rely on a conventional light microscope there are some times when thinner sectionsshow more features. The dark, fine grained matrix of low petrographic type carbonaceous chondrites canhide smaller mineral grains. Polish off some of that material and more shine through. Two Tagish LakeC2-ung slides and two CH3 slides illustrate this.

Let’s call these two thin section samples Tagish Thick and Tagish Thin. The field of view is the same foreach, 15 mm high. We are looking at them with light coming from the back.Thin, of course, passes more light. It is thinnest at the lower right.

Tagish Thick up close and in cross polarized light. We see typical interference colors telling us that thesection is at the correct thickness. Field of view is 3 mm wide.

Same view in plane polarized light.

Tagish Thin up close and in cross polarized light. No third order interference colors. The sample is thin.Field of view is 3 mm wide.

Same view in plane polarized light. Scads of detail.

Side by side comparison, Thick (correct, actually) and Thin.

These are “thick” and thin thin sections of NWA 4781 CH3. The field of view is the same for each, 30 mmwide by 20 mm high. Again, we are holding them up to the light.

The thicker CH3 in XPL and in PPL. FOV is 3 mm wide.

The thinner CH3 in XPL and in PPL. FOV is 3 mm wide.

Comparing the left sides of each PPL shot. The thicker (correct thickness) on the left and the thinner onthe right.

Meteorite-Times MagazineMeteorite Calendar – March 2011by Anne Black

Meteorite-Times MagazineHomestead Meteoriteby Editor

Homestead L5 Chondrite Fell February 12, 1875, Amana, Co., Iowa. Specimen 4.4 grams

Meteorite-Times MagazineIndochinite 69.7 Gramsby Editor

Indochinite Tektite 69.7 Grams

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Once a few decades ago this opening

was a framed window in the wall

of H. H. Nininger's Home and

Museum building. From this

window he must have many times

pondered the mysteries of

Meteor Crater seen in the distance.

Photo by © 2010 James Tobin