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Re: Ibitira update
>IBITIRA-
> The unique Ibitira meteorite (2.5KG - Fell June 30, 1957,
>5:15PM, Brazil) was purchased for a small fortune and specimens
>have been distributed to multiple research facilities
>in the U.S. Initial reactions of researchers prior to exhaustive
>testing have included the following:
Which research facilities are looking at it? I've just talked
to one researcher at JPL who has done analysis on it before, and he
says it is defintely not a Mars meteorite. Johnson Space Center,
the Mars meteorite experts in the world (they have ALH84001), have
been mysteriously excluded from this recent distribution of the
meteorite for research.
> NOT a Eucrite - rather, a Vesiculated Basaltic Achondrite
There is a contradiction here. The meteorite has already been classified
as a vesiculated eurcrite. By defintion, a eucrite is a basaltic
achondrite. Saying it is not a eucrite and then calling it a
vesiculated basaltic achondrite is a contradition. While the presense
of vesicules is very unusual in a meteorite, that alone is not enough
to drop it from the eucrite classification.
> Unlikely lunar in origin
> Suspected Martian origin
Who suspects it has a Martian origin?
> Possible ancient Earth, having been blasted into the solar
>system & returned to Earth as a meteorite.
Though that is a very interesting prospect, it is extremely unlikely.
The age of the meteorite is 4.5 billion years, the age of a
typical meteorite. An impact would have to occur early in the Earth's
formation, and the meteorite would have to have been in space all
this time and just recently land in Earth in 1957.
> Prior to definitive identification, some of this material is being
>made available to private collectors.
There's been extensive research already done on this meteorite, it is
not a recent fall. What new scientific data is there that links
it to a possible Martian origin? I see lots of speculation in your message,
but nothing to really back it up.
There's not doubt that this is a very interesting meteorite. I just
want to deal with facts, not speculation.
Ron Baalke
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