Recently, research scientist Maria Valdes had to remind people that size doesn’t matter, but she understands why the public is fascinated by her team’s new space discoveries.
On an Antarctic expedition in late December, she and three other scientists stumbled upon a 17-pound meteor, heavier than most bowling balls or Halloween pumpkins. Only about one of the roughly 450 meteorites found on the frigid continent is this size or larger, according to the Field Museum in Chicago, where Valdes works.
According to NASA, meteorites are typically pebble to fist-sized.
“Even small micrometeorites are incredibly scientifically valuable,” Valdes said in a statement.(opens in new window)“But of course, it’s rare to find such a large meteorite, and it’s really exciting.
A meteorite pierced the kennel. It is now a collector’s item.
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Scientists estimate about 48.5 tons of billion-year-old meteor material(opens in new window) Rain falls on the earth every day, much of it evaporating in the earth’s atmosphere or falling into the oceans, which cover more than 70% of the earth.
“It’s rare to find such a large meteorite and it’s really exciting.”
More than 60,000 meteorites have been found on Earth. Most come from asteroids, but very little, about 0.2%.(opens in new window), according to NASA, come from Mars or the Moon.At least 175 people identified(opens in new window) as originating from Mars.
The vast majority of space rocks are found in Antarctica because they are relatively easy to find on vast frozen plains. The dark masses stand out against the snow-white landscape, and even when meteorites sink into the ice, the glaciers churning beneath help resurface the boulders of the blue icefield.
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An international team of scientists searches for meteorites in the ice fields of Antarctica.
Credit: Maria Valdes / Field Museum
But explorer conditions can be harsh(opens in new window)For days, the team rode snowmobiles around the ice, then returned to their tents for the night.But at least the trip wasn’t directionless: this Antarctic meteorite search team used satellite imagery for the first time(opens in new window) As a treasure map to help identify potential new space rock sites.
Meteorites are categorized into three(opens in new window): “Iron”, “Stoney”, “Stone Iron”. Most meteorites that fall to Earth are rocks, but the space debris that scientists find long after they land is generally iron. They are heavier and easier to distinguish from everyday earth rocks.
One of the researchers, Ryoga Maeda, said the rocks likely came from a major asteroid belt that impacted Antarctica tens of thousands of years ago. He called it an “ordinary chondrite,” according to a statement from the Free University of Brussels.(opens in new window)that is, considered one of the most common forms of stony meteorites.
The meteorite will be studied at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.
Credit: Maria Valdes / Field Museum
Scientists need to analyze the large rock in the lab and four other rocks found on the trip before they can say anything definitive about its type or origin. The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences conducts the research.
Individual researchers also take sediment samples back to their home institutions to see if they contain small meteorite fragments.
“Studying meteorites helps us better understand our position in the universe,” Valdes said in a statement. “The larger the sample size of meteorites, the better we understand our solar system.” , you will be able to understand yourself better.”
