[meteorite-list] Classification of Chondrites Without a Number

Jeff Grossman jgrossman at usgs.gov
Tue Aug 17 14:27:48 EDT 2010


Reasons for not giving a petrologic type these days might include:

1) The classification was not done using a thin section.  Pet type is 
hard to determine in reflected light or based on hand samples.
2) The meteorite is so badly altered that you can't tell the pet type.
3) The meteorite is an impact melt rock, where pet type is not defined, 
but you can still tell the parent group based on mineralogy.
4) The meteorite is so small that you can't see enough area to determine 
pet type.

In the past, especially at the dawn of the modern classification system 
in the 1960s, the analyst may just not have determined pet type prior to 
publication.

Jeff

On 8/17/2010 1:41 PM, Thunder Stone wrote:
>
> Hi List:
>
> Here is something I've wondered for a while and I hope someone can answer it for me.
>
> Why are some Chondrites only classified as a 'L' or 'H' or in some cases 'EH' and 'E'
>
> Is it just the way classifications were done in the past and is it possible to probe the samples and give them the appropiate number? Or do they fall out of the 3-6 range? I do see some in the 2000's classified in this manner.  Perhaps the institution the classifications were done?
>
> Much Thanks,
>
> Greg S.
>   		 	   		
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