Acfer 366

This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
There is no official abbreviation for this meteorite.
Information from the NHM Catalogue: This meteorite is not listed in the Catalogue
Information from MetBase: This meteorite is not listed in MetBase
Information from the Nomenclature Committee: This meteorite was not observed to fall.
Classification: CH3
Year of find: 2002
Country of origin: Algeria
Latitude: 26.6093; Longitude: 3.93567

References: Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 90, MAPS 41, in preparation (2006)
Find references in NASA ADS
Comments: New 3 Feb 2006
Mass: 1456 g
Writeup,
from MB 90: [Provisional text]

Acfer 366 26� 36.56' N 03� 56.14' E

Acfer region, Africa

Find: November 2002

Carbonacous Chondrite (CH3)

History: A single stone weighing 1456 g was found in the Acfer region of Africa by Filiberto Ercolani (deceased 2004). Petrography: (V. Moggi-Cecchi and A. Salvadori, MSP; G. Pratesi, Firenze) The outer surface displays a small portion of fusion crust. A fresh, cut surface reveals a chondritic texture with several visible metal grains and dark colored matrix. Chondrules range from 30-300 μm with a mean apparent diameter of 91 μm. Cryptocrystalline chondrules predominate (58%) although GO, GOP (22%) and PO (17%) chondrules are also observed. BO chondrules are rare (3%). Most of the larger chondrules are GO/GOP type. Fragments (both deriving from chondrules and not) comprise the majority of the sample (~70% of the total volume), with minor chondrules (15-20% vol.) and non-silicate phases (20-25% vol.). Non-silicate phases are mainly Fe-Ni metal (predominantly kamacite) with some sulfides also occurring. The metal and sulfides grains range from 10-100 μm, are homogenously distributed and can be rounded or irregular in shape. Metal also occurs as droplets within chondrules. Geochemistry: EMP analyses of chondrule olivine indicate a fairly homogeneous composition (Fa0-3, mean Fa1) although olivine in chondrule fragments has a more variable composition (Fa1-20, mean Fa5). Low-Ca pyroxene in chondrules and in fragments is relatively homogenous, Fs0-7Wo1-5. High-Ca pyroxene is rare, occurring only in PO chondrules, Fs23.8Wo31.9. Plagioclase is found in chondrules and as angular fragments within matrix and ranges from An80 to An100. Kamacite has a high Ni content (5-9 wt%). Sulfides are typically troilite (Ni =1-2 wt%) although some pyrrhotite grains with Ni up to 11 wt% have been observed using SEM-EDS. Oxygen Isotopes (I. Franchi and R. Greenwood, OU) are δ17O = 1.781 �, δ18O = 4.610 �, Δ17O = 0.616 �. Classification: Carbonaceous Chondrite (CH3) W2, S1. Specimens: A total of 30 g and one thin section are on deposit at Museum of Planetary Sciences (MSP). The main mass weighing 1410 g is also held at MSP (inventory number MSP2273).

Institutions
and collections MSP: Museo di Scienze Planetarie, Via Galcianese, 20/h, 59100 Prato, Italy.
OU: Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.

Acfer 374 meteorite
about the name Name: Acfer 374 This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name. There is no official abbreviation for this meteorite. Information from the NHM Catalogue: This meteorite is not listed in the Catalogue Information from MetBase: This meteorite is not listed in MetBase Information from the Nomenclature Committee: This meteorite was not observed to fall. Classification: CO3 Year of find: 2002 Country of origin: Algeria Latitude: 26.6087; Longitude: 4.053 References: Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 90, MAPS 41, in preparation (2006) Find references in NASA ADS Comments: New 3 Feb 2006 Mass: 118 g Writeup, from MB 90: [Provisional text] Acfer 374 26�36.52' N 04�03.18' E Acfer region, Africa Find: November 2002 Carbonaceous Chondrite (CO3) History: Many small fragments totaling 118 g were found in the Acfer area of Africa by an Italian dealer. The main mass weighs 100 g. Physical Characteristics: (V. Moggi-Cecchi, A. Salvadori, G. Pratesi, Museum of Planetary Sciences, MSP) The hand-size specimen displays a very frail appearance since it looks to be composed by a very dark material, with a low density. The outer surface of the sample is brown-red while the inner part is darker. Petrography: The thin section displays a chondritic texture, with chondrules� dimensions ranging from 30 to 450 �m (mean value 110 �m). Chondrule types are variable, with GO type (36 out of 60), PO (10), GOP (7), RP (2), C (2), POP (1), BO (1). Matrix:chondrule ratio is ~ 0.5. Chondrules are set in a very fine-grained matrix composed of olivine, phyllosilicates and pyroxene. GO chondrules display a poikilitic texture, with olivine crystals embedded in clinoenstatite crystals. CAIs and AOIs account for about 10 % vol. Opaque phases, mainly represented by Fe-Ni alloys, troilite, pentlandite and pyrrhotite are rims outside chondrules and account for 6-8 % of the total volume. Rare awaruite (Ni2-3Fe) and tetrataenite (Fe, Ni) grains, as well as schreibersite and nickelphosphide observed. Geochemistry: (SEM and EMPA) Olivine composition (Fo55-99 mean Fo94, with a PMD = 177) (calculated on 26 analyses). Olivine in Type I chondrules (GO) displays an extremely narrow compositional range, (Fo95-100 mean value Fo97.1). Olivine in type II chondrules Fo55-100. Olivine in AOIs is Fo-rich, Fo96-100. Low-Ca pyroxene is predominantly enstatite En85-100 with different mean values for crystals in chondrules. POP chondrules have high-Ca pyroxenes, En62.4Wo36.6Fs0.9. No plagioclase has been observed but a mesostasis of plagioclase composition is common. Kamacite Ni = 4-5, mean value 4.61 wt%; Co = 0.1 to 1.0, mean value 0.16 wt%. Oxygen Isotopes (I. Franchi, R. Greenwood, Open University) δ17O = - 6.042�, δ18 O = -2.306�, Δ17O = -4.843�. Classification: Carbonaceous Chondrite (CO) W1, S2. Specimens: An 18 g mass, two polished thin sections, and the main mass of 100 g are on deposit at MSP. Institutions and collections MSP: Museo di Scienze Planetarie, Via Galcianese, 20/h, 59100 Prato, Italy.





Dhofar 1285 meteorite name.
about the name Name: Dhofar 1285 This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name. Official abbreviation: Dho 1285 Information from the NHM Catalogue: This meteorite is not listed in the Catalogue Information from MetBase: This meteorite is not listed in MetBase Information from the Nomenclature Committee: This meteorite was not observed to fall. Classification: Ureilite Year of find: 2002 Country of origin: Oman Latitude: 19.3025; Longitude: 54.555 References: Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 90, MAPS 41, in preparation (2006) Find references in NASA ADS Comments: New 3 Feb 2006 Mass: 406 g Writeup, from MB 90: Dhofar 1285 19�18.15'N 54�33.3'E Oman Find: 11 December 2002 Achondrite (ureilite) History: Three dark brown stones, broken into fragments of total weight 406 g, were found December 11, 2002 in the desert of Oman separated by ~2.5 km. Petrography: (Lorenz, Vernad and Brandst�tter, NHMW) A coarse-grained rock that consists mainly of olivine with minor amounts pyroxene. The veins of troilite and FeNi metal crosscut the whole rock. Accessory phases, graphite and daubreelite are present. Geochemistry: The cores of olivine grains Fo76.6 Fe/Mn=59 are surrounded by reduction rims (~50 �m in width), which contain small Fe-rich metal grains. The composition of olivine within the reduction rims gradually changes from Fo78 Fe/Mn=51 on the inside towards Fo96 Fe/Mn=8.6 at the outer edge. The outer parts of the olivine grain rims are completely replaced by a fine-grained aggregate of forsterite Fo97-99, troilite and metal. Reduction zones are developed along cracks and veins that crosscut olivine grains. Pyroxene En78.7Wo9.8, Fe/Mn=20 contains numerous, tiny, co-oriented inclusions of Ca-rich pyroxene En56.2Wo37.3; Fe/Mn=13; SiO2-rich feldspathic glass Ab50An48.5; low-Ni FeNi metal grains and extremely fine, poorly resolvable exsolution lamellae of Ca-pyroxene. In places, pyroxene grains also have reduction rims with composition En83Wo6.7. Cr2O3 contents of olivine and pyroxene (0.7 and 1.1 wt% respectively) and CaO content of olivine = 0.4 wt% are in the ranges of those established for ureilites. Classification: Achondrite (ureilite) with moderate shock and highly weathered. Specimens: A 92.48 g sample and one thin section are on deposit at Vernad. An anonymous finder holds the main mass. Institutions and collections Vernad: Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygin Str. 19, Moscow 117975, Russia.





Dhofar 1286 meteorite
about the name Name: Dhofar 1286 This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name. Official abbreviation: Dho 1286 Information from the NHM Catalogue: This meteorite is not listed in the Catalogue Information from MetBase: This meteorite is not listed in MetBase Information from the Nomenclature Committee: This meteorite was not observed to fall. Classification: Eucrite Year of find: 2005 Country of origin: Oman Latitude: 18.4263; Longitude: 54.4286 References: Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 90, MAPS 41, in preparation (2006) Find references in NASA ADS Comments: New 3 Feb 2006 Mass: 898 g Writeup, from MB 90: Dhofar 1286 18�25.579'N 54�25.719'E Oman Find: December 2005 Achondrite (polymict eucrite) History: Two pieces of meteorite, weighing 898 g in total, were found on a sandy surface in the desert of Oman. The distance between the fragments was about 30 m. Joined together, the fragments form an almost complete individual sample with ~ 10% missing. Petrography: (Lorenz, Vernad and Brandst�tter, NHMW) On the unbroken surfaces, black fusion crust is partly preserved. The meteorite is a polymict breccia, consists of fragments of medium- to coarse-grained metamorphosed gabbroic rocks and fine- to medium-grained sub-ophitic basaltic rocks. Minor equigranular metamorphic pyroxene-feldspar rocks, melts and melt matrix breccias are present. The rock fragments are situated in a fine-grained clastic matrix and comprise 60 vol% of the whole meteorite. Accessory minerals are troilite, chromite, ilmenite, silica, Ca-phosphate, and metal FeNi. Geochemistry: Pyroxene is En35.1-62.8Wo1.8-5.7; (Fe/Mn=30) with exsolved augite En21.1-54.2Wo21.1-38.9. Classification: Achondrite (polymict eurcrite). Specimens: A 206 g specimen and one polished section are on deposit at Vernad. An anonymous finder holds the main mass.