Astronomy:Itqiy meteorite

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Short description: Meteorite found in Western Sahara
Itqiy meteorite
TypeChondrite (ongoing scientific debate)
ClassEnstatite chondrite (ongoing scientific debate)
GroupEH7-an (ongoing scientific debate)
Parent bodyNWA2526-Itqiy[1]
CompositionEnstatite (78 %), meteoric iron (22 %), sulfides.[2]
CountryWestern Sahara[3]
Coordinates [ ⚑ ] : 26°35′27″N 12°57′8″W / 26.59083°N 12.95222°W / 26.59083; -12.95222[3]
Observed fallYes[3]
Fall date1990[3]
Found date1990 + 2000-07[3]
TKW0.410 kilograms (0.90 lb)[3] + 4.310 kilograms (9.50 lb)[3]

The Itqiy meteorite is an enstatite-rich stony-iron meteorite. It is classified as an enstatite chondrite of the EH group that was nearly melted and is therefore very unusual for that group.[2][4] Other classifications have been proposed and are an ongoing scientific debate.

History

Itqiy was initially attributed to a 1990 fireball in Western Sahara. One stone was recovered by a nomad, and a second stone was recovered in July 2000 by Marc, Luc, and Jim Labenne who were searching for meteorites in the same location.[3] The meteorite was analyzed in 2001.[5] Later work showed that the meteorite had fallen nearly 6,000 years ago and was not associated with any recent fireball. [6]

Mineralogy and petrology

Itqiy is a stony meteorite consisting of 78% enstatite and 22% meteoric iron. The meteoric iron is kamacite with 5.77% nickel. Small amounts of other minerals include troilite, Mg-Mn-Fe sulfides and Fe-Cr sulfides.[2][7]

Classification

The meteorite was described as an "ungrouped stony meteorite" in 2000, and reclassified as an "ungrouped enstatite meteorite" in 2001.[2][7] In 2006, Itqiy was classified as a member of the EH enstatite chondrites, with a petrologic type of 7, emphasizing that it was a strongly metamorphosed EH chondrite.[2]

Itqiy represents a rock that formed through partial melting of an EH chondrite. This process removed the more volatile minerals like plagioclase.[8] In 2010-1 it was proposed that Itqiy, QUE 94204, QUE 97289, QUE 97348, NWA 2526 and possibly Yamato 793225 form a new group from the same parent body that should be called "primitive enstatite achondrites".[8] [9]

See also

References

  1. Keil, Klaus (31 December 2009). "Enstatite achondrite meteorites (aubrites) and the histories of their asteroidal parent bodies". Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry 70 (4): 295–317. doi:10.1016/j.chemer.2010.02.002. Bibcode2010ChEG...70..295K. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Itqiy". Meteoritical Society. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?sea=Itqiy&sfor=names&ants=&falls=&valids=&stype=contains&lrec=50&map=ge&browse=&country=All&srt=name&categ=All&mblist=All&rect=&phot=&snew=0&pnt=Normal%20table&code=12058. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "Itqiy". Meteoritical Society. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=12058. 
  4. "EH7-an". Meteoritical Society. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbullclass.php?sea=EH7-an. 
  5. Grossman, Jeffrey N.; Jutta Zipfel (2001). "The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 85, 2001 September". Meteoritics & Planetary Science 36 (S9): A293–A322. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2001.tb01542.x. Bibcode2001M&PS...36..293G. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/docs/mb85.pdf. Retrieved 21 December 2012. 
  6. Patzer, Andrea; Dolores Hill; William Boynton; Luitgard Franke; Ludolf Schultz; Timothy Jull; Lanny McHargue; Ian Franchi (2010). "Itqiy: A study of noble gases and oxygen isotopes including its terrestrial age and a comparison with Zakłodzie". Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37 (6): 823–833. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2002.tb00858.x. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Patzer, Andrea; Hill, Dolores H.; Boynton, William V. (1 November 2001). "Itqiy: A metal-rich enstatite meteorite with achondritic texture". Meteoritics & Planetary Science 36 (11): 1495–1505. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2001.tb01841.x. Bibcode2001M&PS...36.1495P. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 Keil, Klaus (2010). "Enstatite achondrite meteorites (aubrites) and the histories of their asteroidal parent bodies". Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry 70 (4): 295–317. doi:10.1016/j.chemer.2010.02.002. Bibcode2010ChEG...70..295K. 
  9. IZAWA, Matthew R. M.; FLEMMING, Roberta L.; BANERJEE, Neil R.; MATVEEV, Sergei (1 November 2011). "QUE 94204: A primitive enstatite achondrite produced by the partial melting of an E chondrite-like protolith". Meteoritics & Planetary Science 46 (11): 1742–1753. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2011.01263.x. Bibcode2011M&PS...46.1742I.