[meteorite-list] Technical question about NomCom and Bulletin

[Jeff Grossman]

Martin and list,

No, votes do not have to be unanimous.  No meteorite has even been 
rejected on this basis.  There are ongoing discussions both within the 
nomenclature committee and between the committee and council about 
ethical issues like this, and I would characterize several committee 
members as "deeply concerned." But right now, it has not affected the 
operations of the committee.

I think it would be a good discussion topic for the List.  Some 
questions could be, "Is it ethical for the Meteoritical Society to 
approve and publish the names and data about meteorites for which there 
may be doubt -- or just lack of information -- about whether they were 
legally removed from their country of origin?  Does such endorsement and 
publication potentially provide some degree of support for illegal 
activity?"

These are not easy questions.  Note that the activities of the Society 
only involve dissemination of information... the Society does not buy, 
sell, or trade meteorites, nor directly support research done on them.  
It is also a non-profit organization in the US with unpaid board and 
committee members.

I would be glad to answer questions, but I will not participate in any 
discussion on the List.  I will listen.

Jeff

On 2010-06-05 6:51 AM, Martin Altmann wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have a question, whether the vote of the Nomenclature Committee of the
> Meteoritical Society has to be unanimous, that a new meteorite will be
> recognized?
>
> I got somewhat worried, when I read the last "Minutes of the Council" of the
> MetSoc:
> http://www.meteoriticalsociety.org/newsletter/2009%20Mar%20minutes.pdf
>
> There under 6):
>
> "The nomcom is also still struggling with the
> question of how to handle meteorites that may be illegally exported from
> their countries of origin;
> some members will not vote to approve names for such meteorites."
>
> Has this happened already and which meteorites were afflicted?
>
> I'm worried, that the scientific quality of the Meteoritical Bulletin as THE
> standard reference source for all meteorites and that for generations of
> researchers and collectors could strongly deteriorate, if that position has
> an influence on the recognition process.
>
> And I think, that position isn't conform to the guidelines for NomCom.
> See:
> 1.1 Objectives
>
> http://www.meteoriticalsociety.org/bulletin/nc-guidelines.htm
>
>
> Also MetSoc states on the homepage:
>
> http://www.meteoriticalsociety.org/
>
> "The Meteoritical Society is the organization that records all known
> meteorites in its Meteoritical Bulletin"
>
>
> (The actual members of the Nomcom you'll find here:
> http://www.meteoriticalsociety.org/bulletin/TermExpirations.htm )
>
>
> Thanks,
> Martin
>
>
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-- 
Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman       phone: (703) 648-6184
US Geological Survey          fax:   (703) 648-6383
954 National Center
Reston, VA 20192, USA