[meteorite-list] POP QUIZ Fridays Answer

[Shawn Alan]

Chris and Listers

That's is true the US and Japanese team teamed up in 76 when ANSMET was first formed.

Down below is a write up of the agreement with the two teams quoted from Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica by William A Cassidy

The US–Japan
agreement

Text of the memorandum that served as an agreement between Takesi
Nagata and William Cassidy for cooperation in a field search for
meteorites.

TO: DUWAYNE ANDERSON
FROM: DR. T. NAGATA
DR. W. CASSIDY
DATE: DECEMBER 9, 1976

SUBJECTS: 1. POSSIBLE RECOVERY OF METEORITE SPECIMENS
RESULTING FROM JOINT FIELD EXCURSIONS
DURING 1976–77 IN THE DRY VALLEY AREA OF
ANTARCTICA.

2. DISPOSITION OF RECOVERED SPECIMENS.

3. PROVISION FOR EXPANDING THE INITIAL SCOPE
OF THE WORK.

4. RESEARCH PROGRAMS

1. Logistics and base facilities of the USARPprogram at McMurdo
will be used by a joint U.S.–Japan team to search for meteorites
in the Dry Valleys and adjacent parts of the surrounding ice cap
during the 1976–77 field season.

2. Any meteorite specimens recovered will be distributed in the
following way:
a. Specimens larger than 300 g will be cut in two approximately
equal pieces at the Thiel Earth Science Laboratory
(in McMurdo). One piece will be utilized by the U.S. group
and the other by the Japan group.

336 a: the us–japan agreement

b. Specimens 300 g or smaller will be distributed in equal numbers
between the groups on an alternate-choice basis. Each
group will retain the privilege of later requesting study materials
from the other group’s collection in connection with
existing research programs of their own.

3. As observations from helo pilots and other groups come in, we
may find it desirable to visit other field areas. The arrangements
described above will apply to any meteorites recovered as a result
of such change of plans.

4. Even though specimens will be distributed between our two
groups we will remain in contact about our current research
programs on them, in order to avoid duplication of effort and in
order to plan better how they may be utilized. We feel it would
be appropriate to acknowledge the efforts of the joint U.S.–Japan
team in any subsequent publication of research results.

Signed: W.A. Cassidy

Takesi Nagata

pg 335-336

In addition to the agreement, I also was looking through the book written by William and I found a section that talks about their first finds. But the draw back is that there are no names presented, only a helicopter ride, an ices field, and two meteorites. Take a look down below of the excerpt taken from pg 31 in William's book, Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica.

success! success!

Ed, Keizo and I were ferried up to our first campsite in a helicopter
piloted by Lt. Sam Feola. Sam is a VietnamWar veteran who combined
great flying skill with an inquiring mind and tremendous enthusiasm
for the experience of being in Antarctica and helping in scientific research.
His co-pilot and crewman on this trip apparently also shared
his enthusiasm. When we had unloaded our gear and supplies below
the end of the UpperWright Glacier, Sam calculated that he had some
extra time that we could use for reconnaissance, if we wanted to. I
asked him to fly us up to the planned site of our second camp, to see
if it was a suitable spot. To get there, we flew 10 km while the surface
below rose vertically through 1 km. Most of the vertical ascent
was over a spectacular icefall cascading down through a feature called
Vortex Col. At the top was a small patch of exposed ice about 3 × 3 km
in area, partially covered in a very patchy way by snow. It didn’t look
very promising, but we got out and Keizo almost immediatedly spotted
a meteorite near the helo. We were ecstatic, but while we were
photographing it and admiring it, Keizo was scanning the ice with his
binoculars. Presently he started running and we, of course, followed.
Sam ran back to the helicopter and took off, following us at an elevation
of about 2m, and 20m behind. In silhouette, it would have been a
memorable, if puzzling, tableau: a figure running at top speed over the
ice, two more people chasing him and a helicopter skimming along
behind. I remember looking back and thinking that this is what an
insect must feel like, being stalked by a praying mantis. Meanwhile,
Keizo had spotted another meteorite.

So Keizo Yanai had found our first two meteorites during our
first 20 minutes in the field, and that is how it all began. We didn’t
find another for the next six weeks!

Now after reading this I remembered on the Meteoritical Bulletin Database for ALH76001 "Circumstances of find: Sighted from a helicopter which was taxying 10-15 m above bare ice, during the 1976-1977 season of the U.S.-Japan Joint Antarctic Expedition, 80 m from Allan Hills A76002."

Now I wonder if this event is the first find or not when I went to MOUNT BALDR page for the Circumstances of find this is what it said on the Meteoritical Bulletin Database..... "Two stones were found by the U.S.-Japan Joint Expedition to Antarctica during the 1976-1977 season, on blue ice. They weighed 13.782 kg and 4.108 kg respectively and were found 700 m apart."

Again two stones but no mention of a helicopter. It would be nice if I could find out the name and location of the second base camp. Also I like to add that Chris also sent a link that stated that the Mount Baldr was found a month before the ALH76001. But I have seen that both meteorites were found in Dec 76 and the month has to be a typeo because in the book, William states that it took 6 more weeks before they found more meteorites. At any rate it will be interesting to find out which was found first by the ANSMET team or it could be another stone altogether.


Shawn Alan 
IMCA 1633 
eBaystore 
http://shop.ebay.com/photophlow/m.html 




[meteorite-list] POP QUIZ Fridays Answer
Chris Spratt cspratt at islandnet.com 
Mon May 9 20:46:53 EDT 2011 

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A lot of my recent postings on ANSMET are from old resources and my 
memory. The Japanese were not looking for meteorites per say but 
"rocks", a few of these "rocks" turned out to be meteorites. After 
that both countries sort of agreed to share "hunting" resources. 

Chris Spratt 
(Via my iPhone) 

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