[meteorite-list] NWAs and their country of origin

[Prof. Zelimir Gabelica Université de Haute Alsace ENSCMu,]

Dear Jeff, list,

I overlooked with curiosity the link suggested by Jeff (example of NWA  
2986 described in Met Bull). Nothing to argue about the O isotopic  
data, all is OK there.

But read the whole writeup by curiosity and note that NWA 2986 is  
"probably paired with NWA 2975 and related stones".

Upon clicking at NWA 2975 (link given), it appears its country is  
Algeria, the meteorite being purchased by M. Farmer in Erfoud  
(Morocco) but beneath, it is said that the place op purchase  
is...Algeria.
Nothing dramatic though somewhat confusing...

Now, back to NWA 2986.
If both shergottites are paired, souldn't one expect they were found  
in the same country ? Though the find place for NWA 2575 is referred  
to as Algeria while Morocco is claimed to be the find place of NWA  
2986 ...

Strange again, this could suggest to some readers that both were  
possibly found somewhere near the border of the two countries  
(logically, where they fell...)

Both were purchased (at different moment) in the same city (Erfoud) by  
the same person (Farmer). Though not sure the seller was the same  
(only Mike can tell).

It is possible the seller N° 1 told Mike NWA 2975 was found in Algeria  
and the N° 2 that NWA 2986 comes from Morocco. Or  that the same  
seller claimed the same...Or perhaps he (or they) actually did not  
know at all where it was found...or forgot?...or mentined a country  
just by chence...or by purpose ?

Why, in such a confusing case, not simply mention as country "NWA" or  
"Sahara", as it is often mentioned so for most of the NWAs ?

Is there somebody in the NomCom supposed to correct and to address  
these obvious uncertainties some day ?

Thanks and best wishes,

Zelimir
-- 
Prof. Zelimir Gabelica
Université de Haute Alsace
ENSCMu, Lab. LPI-GSEC,
3, Rue A. Werner,
F-68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0)3 89 33 68 94


Jeff Grossman <jngrossman at gmail.com> a écrit :

> If you go to any entry for which oxygen isotope data are present,  
> you'll see the a link to the plots, e.g.:
>
> NWA 2986: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=33436
>
> Jeff
>