Stone meteorite
Fragment of the stone meteorite NWA 869
Stone meteorites make up 94% of the number of all meteorites . They consist mainly of pyroxene - olivine - and plagioclase - minerals . Subdivision:
- Most stone meteorites (86% of all meteorites) contain melt globules ( chondrules ) and are therefore called chondrites .
- Stone meteorites without chondrules are quite rare (three percent of all meteorites), they are called achondrites .
Although stone meteorites are more common than iron meteorites , they are usually more difficult to identify because they are much more similar to earthly stones and weather more quickly than iron meteorites. An objective determination of the frequency is therefore much easier in unusual environments such as the Antarctic or stone-poor steppe areas such as parts of the US state of Kansas .
See also
Individual evidence
Web links
- Stone meteorite - appearance and surface Sternwarte Singen eV
- Stone meteorites. Haberer Meteorite website