THE COMPOSITION OF THE CHASSIGNY METEORITE

Spark source mass spectrometric analysis of the Chassigny meteorite has given the following data (in ppm): Rb 0.4, Sr 7.2, Y 0.64, Zr 1.5, Nb 0.32, Ba 7.1, La 0.39, Ce 1.12, Pr 0.13, Nd 0.54, Sm 0.11, Eu 0.038, Gd 0.11, Tb 0.02, Dy 0.12, Ho 0.03, Er 0.09, Yb 0.10, Pb 1.0, Th 0.057, U 0.021. These data, in conjunction with major element composition and mineralogical and textural features, indicate that this meteorite is an olivinerich cumulate, possibly genetically related to the nakhlites.     

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE KAROONDA METEORITE

New bulk compositional results are presented for the Karoonda meteorite which show that it is a member of the Vigarano type carbonaceous chondrites. Use of the petrographic symbol CK for Karoonda is shown to be unnecessary and inadvisable.     

THE ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF TELLURIUM IN THE ABEE METEORITE

Smith et al. (1978) measured the isotopic composition of tellurium in a number of whole rock meteorites by solid source spectrometry and concluded that all the data were identical to a terrestrial standard within experimental errors. However, Oliver et al. (1981) reexamined the data reported by Smith et al. (1978) and argued that, in the case of the Abee meteorite, a negative anomaly in ¹²⁴Te may be present, supporting the claim for a similar anomaly in Allende. The present work reports two sets of measurements of the tellurium isotopic composition of Abee, and compares the meteoritic data with a terrestrial tellurium standard. No isotopic anomalies can be distinguished within the error limits. However, further work on the isotopic composition of Te in residues from the Allende meteorite need to be pursued by accurate mass spectrometric analysis.     

COMPOSITION AND ORIGIN OF THE UNUSUAL OKTIBBEHA COUNTY IRON METEORITE

We have analyzed Oktibbeha County, the most Ni-rich iron meteorite, for Ni, Co, Cu, Ga, Ge, As, Sb, Ir, and Au. Cu and Sb are higher than in any other iron, but other trace elements are within the ranges typically found in iron meteorites. Extrapolation of trace element trends in group IAB indicates that Oktibbeha County is a member of this group. This sheds light on the origin of groups IAB and IIICD, which are thought to be derived from impact melts on parent bodies of chondritic composition. Lafayette (iron), another sample reported in the literature to have a similarly high Ni content, is probably a pseudometeorite.     

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE HAVERÖ METEORITE AND THE GENESIS OF THE UREILITES

The chemical composition of Haverö is presented and compared with the composition of the other five ureilites     

X-RADIOGRAPHY OF SLABS OF THE ALLENDE METEORITE

X-radiographs of eight slabs of the Allende meteorite, each about 8 mm thick, reveal significant chemical and textural heterogeneities of our Allende fragment at the 100–1000 g level. They also reveal systematic arrangements of chondrules (“strings”). Our preliminary interpretation is that the observed features are probably all due to regolith processes on Allende's parent body, and that these processes included “mini” slope slides along dry, “sandy” slopes.     

THE MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF THE ALTA'AMEEM METEORITE

The Alta'ameem hypersthene chondrite is a light gray brecciated and metamorphosed meteorite composed mainly of olivine (27% Fa), orthopyroxene (24.5% Fs) and plagioclase (An¹⁰). Other minerals include troilite, kamacite, taenite, chromite, ilmenite, clinopyroxene, chalcopyrite, and apatite or merrillite. The mineralogical and chemical analyses suggest that the Alta'ameem meteorite belongs to the amphoterite group of chondrites. The chemical composition includes the following: Fe 3.39, Ni 1.13, Co 0.05, Cu 0.01, FeS 6.48, SiO₂ 39.48, TiO₂ 0.28, Al₂O₃ 2.25, FeO 16.46, MnO 0.40, MgO 25.66, CaO 1.47, Na₂O 1.05, K₂O 0.15, P₂O₅ 0.47, Cr₂O₃ 0.45; total 99.18.     

THE METEORITE CRATERS OF MORASKO IN POLAND

In 1914, in Morasko near Poznań, a 77.5 kg iron meteorite was found. Later there were additional findings. In 1955 seven crater-like structures, situated in the neighborhood of the meteorite finds, were identified. Until now it has been doubtful whether the iron meteorites and the craters belong together. New examinations by the author confirm beyond any doubt that the meteorites and the craters were caused by the same event.     

THE WASHOUGAL METEORITE

The Washougal, Washington, U.S.A., howardite fell in 1939. We studied its mineralogy optically and determined the ranges of composition of plagioclase and pyroxenes from measurements of densities and indices of refraction. Notable among many unique xenoliths are a round object whose morphology is that of an armored chondrule; a stratified fragment; and a centimeter-sized dunite xenolith (olivine Fa_12.8). The abundances of 27 elements, including all major elements and 15 trace elements (Sc, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Sr, Y, Ba, La, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu and Hf) are reported. To a first approximation, the composition of Washougal corresponds to a mixture of 51 weight percent of eucritic material and 49 percent of a diogenitic component, but excesses of some elements suggest a minor component of chondritic composition     

THE ELLICOTT METEORITE

Two individual specimens (total weight 15.7 kg) of a new medium octahedrite were found near Ellicott, El Paso County, Colorado. The find is only 1.2 km from the find (in 1890) of the Franceville medium octahedrite. Ellicott and Franceville are distinct meteorites, the latter exhibiting pronounced differences in shock features, kamacite band width, and Ni, Ga, Ge, and Ir contents. Ellicott is a group IA iron while Franceville is in group IIIA.     

THE CANYONLANDS METEORITE

The Canyonlands meteorite weighing 1,520 grams was found near the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, Utah, near lat 38°11′N.; long 109°53′W. It is a shocked, brecciated H6 chondrite containing large black veins which do not differ in composition from the main chondritic mass. A black fusion crust remains on part of the meteorite.     

THE HEDJAZ METEORITE

The Hedjaz meteorite has been studied in detail and on a chemical basis, with 22.1% total Fe, 9% metallic Fe, 1.3% Ni and constant olivine composition (Fa_23–24), can be classified as an L-group chondrite. However, petrographically Hedjaz is quite hoterogeneous and contains features characteristic of types 3, 4, 5, and 6, observations that refute a petrographic type classification. Indeed, Hedjaz, as a complex breccia, exhibits no evidence of metamorphic equilibration after accretion and supports the contention that type 4 (also 5 and 6) chondrites are not derivatives of type 3 material, and that types 5 and 6 are not necessarily more “metamorphosed,” only better crystallized.     

THE LANDES METEORITE

The Landes silicate-bearing octahedrite is a new find from Grant County, West Virginia. Minerals and their compositions are very similar to those in Odessa-type silicate inclusions. The angular nature of the inclusions, recrystallization textures, and mineral compositions indicate a “xenolithic” origin for the inclusions.     

MOUNTING PROBLEMS IN THE NAMING OF METEORITE DISCOVERIES

One of the most important steps in the recovery and study of meteorites is the concise naming of each fall so that confusion of one fall with another is avoided. The presently-used system of naming meteorite falls has been arrived at through an evolutionary process spurred on by necessity. The evolutionary history of the naming of meteorite falls is briefly sketched. Current naming practices are defined and the mounting problems of the present system are discussed. Measures for forestalling growing confusion in the naming of contiguous and overlapping falls, based upon a partial survey of curators of meteorite collections, are presented. A suggestion for the elimination of confusion in the dating of meteorite discoveries is included