[meteorite-list] Exploring the Solar System in Antarctica (NWA vs Antarctica)

[Adam Hupe]

I will not debate the legacy of Antarctic meteorites.  They have had a wonderful history and their contribution to  science has been invaluable.  Most researchers are sample oriented and are not biased by find location but there are still a few that cling to legacy.  Antarctica had a a two decade plus head start in the abstract/paper queue so naturally there are more documents.  Ten years ago, maybe one in ten papers were on hot desert finds. Now, I estimate about 50%.  At this rate, as very important samples from NWA and other deserts enter the queue, it will not be long before these finds handily overtake Antarctica by a wide margin in the business of science.

In other words; There is not enough material coming out of Antarctica anymore to reverse the current trend which favors the hot desert meteorites for research material in the future. 


Adam