The classification of chondritic meteorites. American Museum novitates ; no. 2085

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMason, Brian Harold, 1917-en_US
dc.date.accessioned2005-10-06T17:02:35Z
dc.date.available2005-10-06T17:02:35Z
dc.date.issued1962en_US
dc.description20 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (p. 18-20).en_US
dc.description.abstract"Prior's classification of the chondritic meteorites into enstatite, olivine-bronzite, and olivine-hypersthene chondrites is extended by the recognition of two more groups, the olivine-pigeonite and the carbonaceous chondrites. These groups are defined by chemical composition, most readily by the FeO/FeO+MgO mol per cent (in enstatite chondrites this is zero or near zero, olivine-bronzite chondrites 15-22, olivine-hypersthene chondrites 22-32, olivine-pigeonite chondrites 32-40, carbonaceous chondrites 40-50). However, the mineralogical composition is related to chemical composition, and the classification of an individual meteorite can be rapidly obtained by the presence or absence of olivine and its composition. The boundaries between different groups of chondrites are marked by hiatuses and discontinuities in chemistry and mineralogy, rather than continuous transitions. Meteorites belonging to different groups are notably unequal in abundance. Of more than 800 chondrites, nine are enstatite chondrites; 11, olivine-pigeonite chondrites; 14, carbonaceous chondrites; and the remainder, olivine-bronzite and olivine-hypersthene chondrites in approximately equal numbers. The chondrites as a whole show a uniformity of composition in terms of the non-volatile elements, except that the olivine-hypersthene chondrites contain about 5 per cent less iron than the other groups; they comprise Urey and Craig's low-iron type, whereas the other groups of chondrites belong to their high-iron type. The significance of these facts is discussed, and it is concluded that all chondritic meteorites were derived by processes of dehydration and reduction from a primary material similar in composition to the carbonaceous chondrites. The hiatuses and discontinuities between the different groups are ascribed to differences in the intensity of these processes and to a limited amount of chemical and phase differentiation"--P. 18.en_US
dc.format.extent1494292 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2246/3457
dc.languageengen_US
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherNew York, N.Y. : American Museum of Natural Historyen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesAmerican Museum novitates ; no. 2085en_US
dc.subject.lccQL1 .A436 no.2085, 1962en_US
dc.subject.lcshChondrites (Meteorites) -- Classification.en_US
dc.subject.lcshMeteorites -- Classification.en_US
dc.titleThe classification of chondritic meteorites. American Museum novitates ; no. 2085en_US
dc.typetexten_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
/v2/dspace/ingest/pdfSource/nov/N2085.pdf
Size:
1.43 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

Collections

American Museum Novitates