[meteorite-list] Re: CV metachondrite pairings

From: David Weir <dgweir_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat May 20 20:46:25 2006
Message-ID: <446FB85E.9020404_at_earthlink.net>

Adam Hupe wrote:
> First of all, thank you for finally contacting the scientists and reporting
> your findings.

Wrong, Ted called me. The issue of 3133 and 1839 being paired or not
actually didn't even come up in our conversation since there was so much
else of interest to discuss. I didn't sleep all night thinking of the
exciting things we discussed, but I guess I'm a bit obsessed with this
subject. It was in a separate e-mail in which I answered his query about
the wording error on his website, something you posted you had done some
time ago. Obviously this wording was a leftover from an earlier time
when a pairing was suspected.

> In a prior post I stated that I thought the probabilities would be
> vanishingly small (although not zero) to find two unpaired, CV
> metachondrites, with overlapping mineralogy and chemistry, at the same
> proximity and time.
>
> My response is:
>
> Nobody knows what proximity they were found and they were classified at
> different times. They came for two different sources, we do not purchase
> material from Aziz. Who says both are related to the CV parent body? COs
> plot slightly different.

The proximity I was referring to was the Moroccan/Algerian desert, and
the time is the same short period that you have been involved in
meteorites. I have seen the plot on the CV mixing line for both
meteorites and they are darn close. In fact, certain select isotope runs
virtually overlap. However, I would welcome the first CO metachondrite
to my collection!

> Now I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my gratitude and
> friendship to Aziz Habibi for gifting me almost a gram of NWA011/2400
> (that's 1000 x what I have!), which will now become the official
> representative specimen of this probably extinct asteroid on my website.
> Many thanks Aziz!
>
> My response is:
>
> How could it be official when it has not been studied and no nomenclature
> has been given to this piece? This is the same kind of proclamation that
> causes problems and lengthy debates.

The "official" part was obviously meant to refer to my website only,
that is clear in my statement, and does not infer any pedigree from
NomCom or anyone else. I have no idea where Aziz got this gift from;
perhaps he acquired it from Ron Farrell in care of his partner Terry
Boswell. Perhaps it is a piece of the original rock that he might have
acquired from the Russians or Japanese. Perhaps a new pairing yet to be
officially confirmed. I am not so rude as to question his generosity
like you seem to want me to do. If you don't like which photos I use on
my website to represent a particular meteorite, then may I invite you to
avoid any confusion in your mind and not visit meteoritestudies.com in
the future.

>
> Feeling a little vindicated after being called a liar,

You are special Adam, don't let anyone affect your self esteem by
calling you bad names. Just keep saying to yourself - sticks and stones
may break my bones but words will never hurt me.

Till later,
David
Received on Sat 20 May 2006 08:46:22 PM PDT