[meteorite-list] Chondritic parent bodies

Jeff Grossman jgrossman at usgs.gov
Wed Sep 9 14:47:03 EDT 2009


Backing up and extending what Alan said, in current usage, a slash means 
one of two things: 1) there are properties of this meteorite that are 
intermediate or transitional between the two classes, or 2) The 
classifier could not decide which group it was due to some kind of 
limitation in methodology or samples.  In the case of Holbrook, it is 
the first meaning.  A variety of properties have been measured that put 
Holbrook near the L/LL boundary, including O isotopes and metal composition.

So what does that mean?  Nobody knows.  Either the L and LL asteroids 
had overlapping properties, in which case we don't know which was 
originally home to Holbrook, or there are other asteroids with 
intermediate properties that could be the parent of Holbrook.

The L and LL groups are not particularly well resolved from each other 
in many properties, although it is certain they are not all from one 
asteroid. I am confident that quite a number of classified L chondrites 
are from the LL body and vice versa, and not just limited to the ones 
that are called L/LL. 

Jeff

Dave Gheesling wrote:
> Bernd, Alan, and List,
> Thank you both for the diplomatic and informative responses.  While we're on
> the subject, might one of you (or anyone else) expand on, say, the L/LL6
> classification designation?  Holbrook was recently moved from an L6 to such
> a classification, and I have a few others in my collection which are not
> breccias (and presumably are entirely from one parent body and not two) but
> yet have this classification assigned to them...which, "by definition,"
> would imply connection with both the L and LL parent bodies, presumably
> anyway.
> Thanks, and all best,
> Dave
> www.fallingrocks.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of
> bernd.pauli at paulinet.de
> Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:47 PM
> To: Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Subject: [meteorite-list] Chondritic parent bodies
>
> Hello Dave, Alan, and List,
>
> Here is a paper that may be of interest with regard to LL chondrite parent
> bodies:
>
> Dixon E.T., Bogard D.D. and Garrison D.H. (2002) 40Ar-39Ar Chronology of LL
> Chondrites (Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIII, 1114.pdf).
>
> They even discuss *three* models:
>
> 1. The onion-shell model
> 2. The rubble-pile model
> 3. The re-assembly model
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Bernd
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________
> http://www.meteoritecentral.com
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
> ______________________________________________
> http://www.meteoritecentral.com
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>   


-- 
Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman       phone: (703) 648-6184
US Geological Survey          fax:   (703) 648-6383
954 National Center
Reston, VA 20192, USA





More information about the Meteorite-list mailing list