[meteorite-list] Term Main Mass

From: Adam Hupe <raremeteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Jan 20 01:11:09 2006
Message-ID: <000b01c61d88$40be2a00$6401a8c0_at_c1720188a>

Hi John an List,

I could not disagree with you more. Dr. Irving and Dr. Bunch both make
pairing statements and are concerned about them. Stop putting words in my
mouth as I have the utmost respect for the both of them. The only reason
main mass is put at the end of the classifications is that it was carried
over from an old Nom Com format before NWA nomenclature even existed. Have
you even looked at their submission format?

I do not think a scientist in the world would agree that the example you
gave earlier represents a true "Main Mass". The coordinates are well known
for NWA 1068/1110 and your pairings to them. Pictures were taken in the
field and published in Meteorite Magazine if you do not believe me. My
brother Greg and I have both been to the so-called strewn-field. It is a 40'
X 40' area filled with hundreds of fragments. We believe that the true Main
Mass (NWA 1068) must have hit a hard surface and shattered on impact because
of the close proximity of the fragments to one another.

There will be a meeting in Tucson with a well-known committee person before
the Peoples Auction to discuss subjects just like this so I am gathering a
consensus. So far I have not hear what collectors think. I would hate to
think I purchased a true "Main Mass" just to find out it was a new dealer
definition and not the old published definition.

Take Care,

Adam



----- Original Message -----
From: "Arizona Skies Meteorites" <johnbirdsell_at_yahoo.com>
To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 9:46 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Term Main Mass


> Adam please feel free to tell the members of the Nom.
> Com., Ted Bunch, Tony Irving and all of the other
> scientists that have written and published their NWA
> classifications using the term "main mass" that you
> don't agree with the way they are doing things, and
> that you feel that they are being "misleading" and
> "dishonest" as you put it in your previous post. For
> our part, we think they are making the best of a
> complicated situation, and as long as people
> understand the NWA numbering system there really is no
> problem with the way it is currently used.
>
>
> As most of us are aware, NWA numbered meteorites are
> not in any way analogous to meteorites coming out of a
> well characterized strewn field-that's precisely why
> they are given NWA numbers. Those that understand the
> NWA numbering system also understand that the main
> mass of one NWA numbered group may or may not be the
> 'biggest piece' of the presumed "fall". In fact, the
> use of the term 'main mass' in respect to NWA
> meteorites has nothing to do with the 'fall' per se,
> but rather is the term used to refer to the largest
> piece in a group of meteorites assigned a particular
> NWA number. Even the "pairing" of meteorites does not,
> and can not guarantee that they are part of the same
> fall. This is especially true in the case of northwest
> Africa where meteorites are collected over a vast area
> with little or no record of their coordinates. Since
> it will never be known whether "paired" NWAs are
> actually part of the same fall or not, it seems that
> the term main mass is appropriate unless one can
> unambiguously state with complete certainty that two
> NWA numbers are from the same fall. This can not be
> done without a precise record of coordinates. In our
> opinion this discussion over the use of "main mass" is
> just a matter semantics, and has nothing to do with
> science what-so-ever. That said we can probably bring
> this thread to an end.
>
>
> Cheers
>
>
> -John
>
>
>
> --- Adam Hupe <raremeteorites_at_comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > Hi John and List,
> >
> > I do not agree that there can be more than a single
> > Main Mass per fall. That
> > is liking saying two Main Masses came out of the
> > Brenham strewnfield. I
> > don't think Steve Arnold would like that.
> >
> > Take Care,
> >
> > Adam
> >
> >
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> >
>
> Arizona Skies Meteorites
>
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Received on Fri 20 Jan 2006 01:10:04 AM PST