[meteorite-list] PV way out of hand!

[MARK BOSTICK]

Tom and list,

Most of us have high respect for few meteoritic scientist we have.  I don’t 
think anyone was balking at your question, but as another member noted, your 
lack of sensitivity.  There are correct ways to ask questions, and there are 
incorrect.

Step back a minute and look at it from a scientist that worked on the 
meteorite.  You pretty much said they were incompetent and lazy, or at least 
was how it came across to me and others.

How would you take that if you worked several hours on the meteorite and 
submitted your findings, to get such response?  Classifiers do not make 
meteorite classifications or names official.  They submit their work, and 
will note the meteorite classification they believe it to be and a name, 
they think is appropiate.  The Met Com then decides on the official name and 
classification, after getting further information from the scientist or 
other scientist as needed.  It is not un-common for scientist to not 
completely agree, but we...or I guess they...usually seem to come to an 
agreement.  All in all, it is a pretty good check and balance system.

PV is a unique meteorite.  However, it is unlikely it will get it owns class 
since it is chemically an H chondrite and the metal seems derived from an H 
chondrite body.  So now your maybe wondering why it looks the way it 
does…..my answer there would be to Google "Portales Valley Meteorite" and 
PDF.  There are over a dozen of papers online on this meteorite and why it 
looks the way it does.

Which makes it one of the most studied US meteorites of recent time.  
Perhaps our scientific body is not so lazy.

Do now maybe your wondering, “But it doesn’t look like my H5’s.”  We do not 
classify meteorites by hand specimen appearance.  Classification is more of 
a chemical thing now days, although chondrule appearance and the like does 
factor in.

Should you still have PV questions, after reading the articles that are 
on-line,, you can ask a more specific question.  You can not expect anyone 
to fully explain such a meteorite over e-mail.  Before sending the e-mail, 
you might check to see if you are offending anyone, since this line seems to 
be blurry to you, I suggest taking a conservative step.

Another example of what I am saying here is your Rubin e-mail last week that 
I tried to smooth feathers down.  Such formed questions are seen as usually 
passive aggressive attacks.  If I was Rubin, who had classified an ordinary 
NWA chondrite for you a couple weeks earlier…..I would have been annoyed I 
think.

In a more pro-Tom note, I got the endcut of his Franconio find that he 
placed on ebay last week.  Nice looking endcut that was well 
polished....about to 800? grit it appears.  Tom was kind enough to include a 
free extra slice of the meteorite.  Only 2.49g., but it is rasor thin, 
~1.5mm., and polished on both sides.  (Anytime I have tried to polish 
anything that thin it usually breaks and flat bed shoots the piece broken 
off across the room.)

I bet that daughter of your would be a good meteorite hunter.  She seems to 
pick up on things pretty fast.  I think I would be doing some 
father-daughter trips if I was you.  ("That's right, for every 20 meteorites 
you find I will buy you a barbie.")

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com