METEORITE INVESTIGATORS This is Dr Claudia Alexander – NASA Planetary Scientist

INTRODUCTION In this activity you are going to: Learn about the different types of meteorites, how they form and where they come from Investigate different objects from the loan box and estimate their volumes to enable you to calculate their densities Use your understanding of meteorites to identify the objects and find the meteorites Branding

This includes other planets, moons and meteorites! PLANETARY SCIENTISTS Planetary scientists apply the science of geology and space to other worlds. This includes other planets, moons and meteorites! Jane MacArthur, Planetary Scientist – University of Leicester

WHAT IS A METEORITE? Simply: A rock from space that hits the Earth Scientifically: A bit more complicated! The Chelyabinsk meteorite hit the Earth’s atmosphere in 2013 and was dramatically observed over Russia. It airburst (fragmented) before hitting the ground, but the shockwaves from its high speed did blow out a lot of windows in the area.

MANY DIFFERENT NAMES Asteroid Meteoroid Meteor Meteorite A large rocky body found between Mars and Jupiter Atmosphere Meteoroid A smaller fragment of an asteroid outside of the Earth’s atmosphere Space rocks have many different names, and they all depend on where the rock is in space. Meteor A meteoroid that is burning up in the atmosphere Meteorite The fragments that make it to the surface of the Earth

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? Mars Asteroid Belt Jupiter

NOTE! All asteroid belt meteorites contain some iron THREE MAIN TYPES STONY NOTE! All asteroid belt meteorites contain some iron IRON STONY - IRON

Larger asteroids have enough gravity to pull them into a spherical shape

They start to heat up from being pulled inwards

Dense iron falls to the centre, forming an iron core

Iron core Mantle Crust The surface cools to form a crust… …leaving a semi solid mantle below the surface

And if a large asteroid is hit by another one, it will break up into smaller pieces

STONY-IRON PALLASITES STONY (ACHONDRITE) METEORITES Iron core Core/mantle boundary IRON METEORITES STONY-IRON PALLASITES Crust STONY (ACHONDRITE) METEORITES

METEORITE SUMMARY Chondrites Achondrites Pallasites Meteorites Stony Iron Stony - iron Chondrites Achondrites Pallasites From: Small asteroids Features: Small spherical shapes called chondrules From: Crust of larger asteroids Features: Small spherical shapes called chondrules Meteorite type: Meteorite subtype: Made of: Features: From: Core of a large asteroid Features: Extremely dense From: Core – mantle boundary of larger asteroids Features: Iron surrounding olivine (glass like) crystals Chondrules Branding

METEORITES ALSO HAVE… Fusion crust What happens to a meteorite as it tears through the Earth’s atmosphere? Fusion crust Dark brown/black surface with ripples, waves or bubbles in from the melted rock and escaping gases The outside of the meteorite heats up as it squashes the air in front of it

IMPACTITES Tektite Glass Impactite Melted material from below a meteorite impact. Gets solid as it cools. Looks like bubbly glass. Can be different colours. Tektite Glass Impactite