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Re: (meteorobs) Neuschwanstein Meteorite recovery!

November 3, 2003

Dear Ed Majden and Fellow Meteor Enthusiasts!

It has again been a long time since I last said a
word, but now I would like to share a few thoughts on
the discovery of the EL6 chondrite, Neuschwanstein
(2003).  

It was indeed a spectacular moment, not only in its
recovery by a photographic network, but also in its
uncanny similarity to the descent of the Pribram H5
chondrite (1959).  Some meteor observers may not see
the significance of these two meteorite falls off
hand, but in truth, they represent a small but
interesting piece of evidence for the existence of a
real meteorite producing meteor stream!  Because of
the surprising differences of the two in composition,
the idea of a meteorite producing meteor stream has
underwent much rethinking.  While it is possible that
the meteorites were just a very unusual, chance
alignment, it is also possible that some meteor
streams (particularly those from asteroids) are not
homogeneous, but are composed of a variety of
different material.  In a way this would actually seem
logical.  I have written a lot on this topic and have
decided to post an old Meteorite-list message which I
jotted down right before Neuschwanstein was declared
to the list to be a rare E-chondrite (if I remember
right).     

Enjoy!    

Long, bright, Taurid fireballs!
Mark Fox
Newaygo, MI USA


**************************************************
September 20, 2002

Greetings Meteorite Enthusiasts!

I am probably not far off to speculate that many list
members are in suspense over the classification of the
new meteorite fall... Neuschwanstein.  The reasons 
are quite obvious, this meteoritic stone has the
possibility of being connected with an actual
"meteorite" shower, is a new fall, and was the fruit
of arduous searching. 

Nevertheless, before we express our excited or more
restrained reactions to its classification when it
becomes available, I would like to emphasize a point
that I had made months ago.  We should not simply
discard any relation to Pribram if Neuschwanstein is
shown not to be an H5 chondrite.  

"What are you trying to get at?" you might say.  Allow
me to illustrate.  If Neuschwanstein's parent body is
the same as Pribram's which is commonly regarded as
being from an asteroid, then at the very least, it
would have to be of ample size and a good portion of
it would have to be in pieces for a meteoroid stream 
of this nature to be possible.  This would also
naturally mean that the shattered pieces (preferably
from a collision event) could consist of different
levels of the asteroid.  If we hold our current 
beliefs of asteroidal composition true, then we must
take into consideration that these "levels" would be
composed of increasing metamorphic stages as one
approaches the core, which as a result, would dictate
different chondritic compositions.  Thus, if
Neuschwanstein is not of the H5 realm, yet us not
dismantle the April asteroid stream theory without
further scrutiny of the evidence.   

As for the possibility that a meteoritic projectile
could excavate a deep enough crater in a large 
asteroid in order to free not just meteoroids, but
meteoroids of different petrologic types... is 
entirely likely.  It is thought that such an event
happened to Vesta 4, (at least as far as I am 
currently informed.) and is why many meteoriticists
group Howardites, Eucrites, and Diogenites together
into that familiar family we all know only too well:
the HED group.      
            
Please feel free to correct me if you deem any of the
above statements incorrect.

Long strewn fields!

Mark Fox
Newaygo, MI USA

   

--- Ed Majden <epmajden@shawdot ca> wrote:
>     Dr. Jeremy Tatum just sent me an article on the
> photographic
> triangulation recovery of the Neuschwanstein
> meteorite.  See: EOS,
> Transactions, American Geophysical Union, Volume 84
> Number 39 30 September
> 2003, p. 393-394.  This is the fourth recovery of a
> meteorite resulting from
> a photographic network triangulation.  The first was
> Pribram (H5 ordinary
> chondrite) which fell on 7 April 1959.  The second
> was Lost City, Oklahoma
> (H5 chondrite) January 1970.  The third was the
> Canadian MORP meteorite,
> Innisfree in Alberta recovered in 1977.  Innisfree
> was a rarer LL5
> amphoterite.  Analysis of the 1st sample of
> Neushchwanstein indicates that
> it is a EL6 enstatite chondrite.  A 2nd sample is
> still under study.  Of
> special interest, the orbit appears to be
> practically identical to the
> earlier Pribram meteorite.
>     It is sad that the European Network is the only
> photographic network
> still in operation.  MORP and the Prairie Networks
> were shut down.  Video
> networks are being set-up but so far none has
> resulted in a meteorite
> recovery.  One day, we hope to get lucky!
> 
> Ed Majden
> EMO Sandia Bolide Detection Station
> Courtenay, B.C. Canada
> 
> The archive and Web site for our list is at
> http://www.meteorobs.org
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