[meteorite-list] The Reason Martian Meteorites Are From Mars
AL Mitterling
almitt at kconline.com
Sun Mar 13 18:14:10 EST 2005
Hi list,
Thought I would throw this on the list also. I have put it on before but
have edited it and added to it. Again if anyone can see any problems let
me know. Best!
--AL Mitterling
The Reason Martian Meteorites Are From Mars
By AL Mitterling
A. Martian Meteorites are (achondrite) or altered material. Which
indicates and requires a larger parent body.
B. A young crystallization age is present in most Mars meteorites,
called SNC’s and shows recent activity.
C. Mars has a smaller amount of gravity making escape easier.
Also it’s easier for material to loose energy and fall
toward the Sun (and Earth) rather than gain energy and
leave the solar system.
D. Several Man made probes have been to Mars and performed
quanitive chemical analyze of Mars rocks, soil and atmospheric
content from their sites. (Viking 1,2, Pathfinder, Spirit and
Opportunity) This showed an excellent connection in the past and
exact chemical composition to the Shergotti’s during the recent
missions. All Martian Meteorites have some common similarities
which pair them.
E. Geological age matches activity on Mars (volcanoes). Martian
Meteorites are: .3 billion, 1.3 billion to 2 billion, 4.5
billion Y.O. (southern area of Mars) best match in the solar
system for this material.
F. Spectral analyze matches of dark regions to the shergotti’s
meteorites. (Hubble and Keck) A major mapping project was
carried out not long ago to determine nearly 1% of the total
surface area of Mars and establish chemical composition of
the planet.
G. Trapped gases in the volcanic shergotti glasses of Martian
meteorites, matches the Martian atmosphere measured by the
Viking Landers.
H. SNC’s are slightly magnetized showing a magnetic field from
a larger parent body.
I. SNC’s show a weathering process in the form of clay carbonites,
salts from liquid water.
J. The fall of Zagami was a witnessed fall and rough calculations
from observers show the orbit this Martian Meteorite triangulating
back to the orbit of Mars! (from information I have been told but
can't verify)
K. Mars samples show a more dynamic change from heating and reheating
than other achondrites. (except the Moon)
L. SNC’s are more sodium rich than the HED’s (asteroid Vesta)
achondrites and crystallized under more oxidating conditions
than the HED’s.
M. Based on 15 volatile trace elements, which are last to condense on
a planet, 6 source regions on Mars have been established, showing the
areas from which the different Mars Meteorites are from. (Not only
are they from Mars but we think we know where on Mars they are
from!!)
N. Possible source craters also have been identified for some of the
Martian Meteorites source region. This shows impacts that could have
liberated material from Mars that later can fall on the Earth. These
source regions from above (M.) are where these impact craters have
been found.
O. Oxygen isotopes are similar in the Martian Meteorites and are
different from the Earth/Moon system isotopes, as well as other
meteorite types that have been found. This shows a relationship
to Mars and not the Earth/Moon system or any other meteorite types.
P. Cosmic exposure age does not favor the Martian Meteorites coming
from outside our solar system. The exposure age is relatively
short in terms of solar system age and universe age. Material
coming from other parts of the galaxy (let along other parts of
the universe) would be much older maybe even older than our solar
system itself.
--AL Mitterling
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