[meteorite-list] Re: Willcox Playa 003 and 005 Meteorites, Family Reunion

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun Mar 27 02:34:50 2005
Message-ID: <20050327073449.74936.qmail_at_web51710.mail.yahoo.com>

Good evening Mark and M-Listees,

Thank you for your kind words, but I hasten to reply
that, in my opinion, if any credit is due for
recognizing a potential H5-6 strewn field on Willcox
Playa, it should go to both Mr Gutowski (for finding
WP 003) and to Mark Bostick for sharing this discovery
with the meteorite community. Their initiative led
the way for me being able to collaborate with them.
Admittedly, an unintended collaboration, yet a mutual
interest that has brought about a "Family Reunion" of
daughter fragments from a mother meteoroid that
originated from a H5 asteroidal parent body.

Also would like to take this opportunity to reiterate
something that I wrote in my latest "Bob's Findings"
Meteoritetimes.com article. Although I was aware that
ASU had conducted the lab work on the previous
H-chondrites from Willcox Playa, I still sent my finds
to UCLA. In regards to this "breach of protocol", I
defended myself by saying that I had a window of
opportunity with UCLA in getting my specimens
classified that same week, and anyway, neither ASU,
nor any other institution could take my OC specimens.

Now you may be thinking, "what's the big deal?", but
this IS an important issue. It is more than proper
etiquette, it is "good science" to recognize on-going
field studies and to defer to the labs of those
researchers. This is an issue that is important to
all types of field-collectors and any kind of
collecting that occurs in a "study area". This has
been an issue with meteorite collecting long before
Gold Basin was a UofA study area.

I just wanted to reiterate that I am sensitive to this
issue and that I defer to any principal investigator,
should I independently make a find in their "study
area". I point to my past record, and as far back as
1998, where my web pages deferred to "the on-going
study of Gold Basin by UofA", and more recently, you
may remember that I directed finders of Franconia
meteorites to ASU. I lay no claim to Willcox Playa.
And again, I recommend that all finders of Willcox
Playa meteorites to forward their recovery data to
ASU.

By the same token, should any institution be in the
need of experienced field workers, our team of
specialists, and myself, stand by our exemplary record
of meteorite-recovery, and are available on a
volunteer basis.

With best regards,
Bob Verish
P.S. -
I hope Mark forgives me, but I corrected the typos in
his post so that future Google searches (using keyword
"Willcox") can more readily find his post.

-------------------------------
From: "MARK BOSTICK" <thebigcollector_at_msn.com>
To: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com,
bolidechaser_at_yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 15:01:36 -0600

Subject: Willcox Playa 003 and 005 Meteorites, Family
Reunion
    
Hello list and Bob,

First, I would like to start off by giving a salute to
Bob Verish for his work at Willcox Playa, and for his
willingness to share information.
Most people are reluctant sharing find or possible
find information. As Verish has shown, he is not.
Several of Verish's Meteorite Times column have
featured information on the Willcox Playa meteorites
and the area. I think its safe to say, that in the
process, Verish has discovered, at least one more
Arizona strewn field. I will note, Willcox has been
hunted unsuccessfully many times and by many people.

So, how big is the strewn field or strewn fields? My
obvious concern is more on the H5-6 meteorites.
I am betting it won't be that much, but I am also
betting there are other pieces out there. How much?
Perhaps Bob will be able to answer these questions in
a couple of years.

Paired meteorites Willcox Playa 003 and Willcox Playa
005, have been re-united. "Wilcox 05" will appear in
the next Meteoritical Bulletin [as Willcox Playa 005]
and because of the pairing, I feel I have a little
move to follow Bob's lead, and share more information
on Willcox Playa 003.

Willcox Playa 003, is the second of three meteorites,
that I am aware of, that was offered on ebay, by the
finder. Not counting any of us meteorite people of
course, or those shown the Gold Basin or/and Franconia
strewn fields. I will note that all three auctions,
have been in the last year.
This is a great example, of because of the internet,
finders are now more price savvy.

More information on how I got the meteorite, and a
letter from the finder can now be found in the first
link below. For information on Willcox Playa 005, you
would do a little better, going to:
http://www.meteoritetimes.com, and
reading Bob's column there.

Wilcox Playa 003
http://www.meteoritearticles.com/colwilcox.html

Wilcox Playa 005
http://www.meteoritearticles.com/colwilcox05.html

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
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Received on Sun 27 Mar 2005 02:34:49 AM PST