Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
What a beautiful meteorite! My first take on it is that it must have crystallized directly from a melt. The pyramidal forms looks like dendrites complete with a preferred orientation. Dendrites do not form in solids like Widmannstatten patterns do they form by solidification from a liquid. If that¹s what we¹re looking at here and not just some sort of corrosion-etching effect, then it appears that this solidified directly from an iron/nickel melt without significant recrystallization afterwards. It will be fun to see what comes of this. I think we all know that photographs never tell the whole story. Cheers, Marc Fries On 2/22/10 11:31 PM, Sterling K. Webb sterling_k_w...@sbcglobal.net wrote: I think what we all assume, just from looking at the remarkable photograph, is that these pyramids are the taenite portion of the meteorite and that sea water, oxygen, UV light, and all the agents of weathering has eaten the kamacite away entirely to miraculously reveal it. Both iron phases, taemite and kamacite, are isometric-hexoctahedral crystals, which is a fancy geometry term for a unit crystal shaped like two four-sided pyramids fitted base-to-base. More commonly this is called a cubic crystal. The pyramids in Lovina are step pyramids. I'm guessing that the height of those steps corresponds to what would be the width of the Widmanstätten bands if the original structure were in place and we could slice and etch it. It is a remarkable chance to look inside the crystal structure of an iron meteorite in three dimensions and with x-ray vision. What it shows is something I don't think any imaging technique could ever produce. I'm not a petrologist, you understand, just an old physicist and anything bigger than an atom (like crystals) is above my pay grade. These are just my guesses. It certainly is pretty, though. Sterling K. Webb --- - Original Message - From: Jeff Kuyken i...@meteorites.com.au To: Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com; meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:45 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron While I don't actually know (so don't assume it's anywhere near correct) I would presume the pyramidal feature is a result of weathering in the tropical climate exposing the crystalline structure of the meteorite and it's different minerals. (i.e. kamacite, taenite, etc, etc.) I would also assume the extremely high nickel content helped the whole thing from pulling a Nantan and allowing this to occur. Does anyone actually know how this occured? Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:30 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron I second that question... This is perhaps the oddest looking meteorite I've seen. It appears to have some sort of mineral growth attached to it. Perhaps a mineralization which formed the crystalline pyramidal structures. The structures show no sign of ablation at all and appear to be too fragile to have survived atmospheric entry in such pristine shape. What are we looking at in those structures? Regards, Eric On 2/22/2010 6:51 AM, Jeff Kuyken wrote: Agreed! Great news and easily the most interesting looking meteorite I've ever seen! Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Matthias Bärmann majbaerm...@web.de To: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net; Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:47 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Thanks, Jim, Darryll - as I already mentioned: simply incredible. Should have been found in the treasure of an old Aztec pyramide. (But Indonesian beach is okay too ;-) Best regards, Matthias - Original Message - From: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net To: Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit
[meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
That thing is truly an enigma wrapped in a riddle inside a mystery! The most freakishly weird iron ever! A dendritic isometric-hexoctahedral melt crystallization. How often do you see those? Phil Whitmer __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
That thing is truly an enigma wrapped in a riddle inside a mystery! The most freakishly weird iron ever! A dendritic isometric-hexoctahedral melt crystallization. How often do you see those? Phil Whitmer __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
Thanks, Jim, Darryll - as I already mentioned: simply incredible. Should have been found in the treasure of an old Aztec pyramide. (But Indonesian beach is okay too ;-) Best regards, Matthias - Original Message - From: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net To: Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
Agreed! Great news and easily the most interesting looking meteorite I've ever seen! Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Matthias Bärmann majbaerm...@web.de To: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net; Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:47 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Thanks, Jim, Darryll - as I already mentioned: simply incredible. Should have been found in the treasure of an old Aztec pyramide. (But Indonesian beach is okay too ;-) Best regards, Matthias - Original Message - From: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net To: Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
I second that question... This is perhaps the oddest looking meteorite I've seen. It appears to have some sort of mineral growth attached to it. Perhaps a mineralization which formed the crystalline pyramidal structures. The structures show no sign of ablation at all and appear to be too fragile to have survived atmospheric entry in such pristine shape. What are we looking at in those structures? Regards, Eric On 2/22/2010 6:51 AM, Jeff Kuyken wrote: Agreed! Great news and easily the most interesting looking meteorite I've ever seen! Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Matthias Bärmann majbaerm...@web.de To: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net; Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:47 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Thanks, Jim, Darryll - as I already mentioned: simply incredible. Should have been found in the treasure of an old Aztec pyramide. (But Indonesian beach is okay too ;-) Best regards, Matthias - Original Message - From: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net To: Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
Thats awesome news Darryl, my sincere congrats. As Matthias already pointed out, if this iron was not from space, where else could a mass so enigmatic and so utterly different in appearance come from? I appreciate the fact that its extraterrestrial origin has been confirmed now. Given the difficulties of determining the meteoritic origin, one is tempted to expect further surprises along with the proceeding chemical and metallurgical analysis. As to the meteorite's particular morphology: I personally like the idea that in the warm shallow waters of the Indopacific the erosive forces of nature are working in unison with the local principles of artistry and style. Svend www.meteorite-recon.com - Original Message - From: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net To: Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
While I don't actually know (so don't assume it's anywhere near correct) I would presume the pyramidal feature is a result of weathering in the tropical climate exposing the crystalline structure of the meteorite and it's different minerals. (i.e. kamacite, taenite, etc, etc.) I would also assume the extremely high nickel content helped the whole thing from pulling a Nantan and allowing this to occur. Does anyone actually know how this occured? Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:30 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron I second that question... This is perhaps the oddest looking meteorite I've seen. It appears to have some sort of mineral growth attached to it. Perhaps a mineralization which formed the crystalline pyramidal structures. The structures show no sign of ablation at all and appear to be too fragile to have survived atmospheric entry in such pristine shape. What are we looking at in those structures? Regards, Eric On 2/22/2010 6:51 AM, Jeff Kuyken wrote: Agreed! Great news and easily the most interesting looking meteorite I've ever seen! Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Matthias Bärmann majbaerm...@web.de To: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net; Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:47 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Thanks, Jim, Darryll - as I already mentioned: simply incredible. Should have been found in the treasure of an old Aztec pyramide. (But Indonesian beach is okay too ;-) Best regards, Matthias - Original Message - From: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net To: Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron
I think what we all assume, just from looking at the remarkable photograph, is that these pyramids are the taenite portion of the meteorite and that sea water, oxygen, UV light, and all the agents of weathering has eaten the kamacite away entirely to miraculously reveal it. Both iron phases, taemite and kamacite, are isometric-hexoctahedral crystals, which is a fancy geometry term for a unit crystal shaped like two four-sided pyramids fitted base-to-base. More commonly this is called a cubic crystal. The pyramids in Lovina are step pyramids. I'm guessing that the height of those steps corresponds to what would be the width of the Widmanstätten bands if the original structure were in place and we could slice and etch it. It is a remarkable chance to look inside the crystal structure of an iron meteorite in three dimensions and with x-ray vision. What it shows is something I don't think any imaging technique could ever produce. I'm not a petrologist, you understand, just an old physicist and anything bigger than an atom (like crystals) is above my pay grade. These are just my guesses. It certainly is pretty, though. Sterling K. Webb --- - Original Message - From: Jeff Kuyken i...@meteorites.com.au To: Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com; meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:45 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron While I don't actually know (so don't assume it's anywhere near correct) I would presume the pyramidal feature is a result of weathering in the tropical climate exposing the crystalline structure of the meteorite and it's different minerals. (i.e. kamacite, taenite, etc, etc.) I would also assume the extremely high nickel content helped the whole thing from pulling a Nantan and allowing this to occur. Does anyone actually know how this occured? Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:30 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron I second that question... This is perhaps the oddest looking meteorite I've seen. It appears to have some sort of mineral growth attached to it. Perhaps a mineralization which formed the crystalline pyramidal structures. The structures show no sign of ablation at all and appear to be too fragile to have survived atmospheric entry in such pristine shape. What are we looking at in those structures? Regards, Eric On 2/22/2010 6:51 AM, Jeff Kuyken wrote: Agreed! Great news and easily the most interesting looking meteorite I've ever seen! Cheers, Jeff - Original Message - From: Matthias Bärmann majbaerm...@web.de To: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net; Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:47 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Thanks, Jim, Darryll - as I already mentioned: simply incredible. Should have been found in the treasure of an old Aztec pyramide. (But Indonesian beach is okay too ;-) Best regards, Matthias - Original Message - From: Jim Strope nwa...@comcast.net To: Meteorite Central meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 3:21 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Lovina Iron Listees.. There was a lot of discussion at the Tucson show about the Lovina Iron Meteorite found in Indonesia in 1981. It was first determined to be a meteorite, a very unusual meteorite in appearance. Then news came out that it was possibly not a meteorite. Anyway, the partslices looked so cool that I got one off of Darryl Pitt in Tucson. I knew full well that the jury was still out. Well, just received news this morning from Darryl that it is now back to being a meteorite. Check out the photo of Lovina before cutting: http://www.macovich.com/imagesOct2909/Lovina_large.jpg I bet everybody that got a piece of this will be really stoked. Congrats Darryl. Jim Strope 421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 http://www.catchafallingstar.com/ __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list
