[meteorite-list] New Atacama Desert Meteorite Stewnfields Paper Published

[Paul]

Dear Friends,

There is an interesting peer-reviewed paper in the October issue 
of the "Journal of Arid Environments", which provides a detailed 
analysis of 62 non-paired meteorites found in the Atacama Desert 
of Chile. The paper is:

Munoza, C., N. Guerraa, J. Martinez-Friasb, Author, R. Lunarc 
and J. Cerdaa, 2007, The Atacama Desert: A preferential arid region 
for the recovery of meteorites—Find location features and strewnfield 
distribution patterns. Journal of Arid Environments. vol. 71, no. 2, 
pp. 188-200.

Among other analyses, they mapped the principle strewnfield
distribution patterns and summarized the general nature of their
character. They found that these finds typically:

(1) showed more than a quarter of their body exposed;

(2) underwent some sign of terrestrial weathering; 

(3) stone meteorites have a brownish desert-varnish on hand specimen; 

(4) are non-oriented pieces;

and (5) are commonly members of a greater mass distributed in a 
certain place.

The Atacama Central Depression was where the most meteorites
were found and the distribution of saline deposits influenced the
weathering and preservation of meteorites.

Best Regards,

Paul H.








       
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