Tamdakht meteorite

31°09.8′N 7°00.9′W / 31.1633°N 7.0150°W / 31.1633; -7.0150Observed fallYesFall date2008-12-20Found date2009-01-03 ffTKW~100 kilograms (220 lb)Strewn fieldYes

The Tamdakht meteorite fell near Ouarzazate, Morocco on 20 December 2008 producing a strewn field of approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) by 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and two small impact craters, one of about 1.1 metres (3 ft 7 in) diameter and 70 centimetres (28 in) depth at 31°09.8′N 7°00.9′W / 31.1633°N 7.0150°W / 31.1633; -7.0150 and the other of about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) diameter and 10 centimetres (3.9 in) depth at 31°09.9′N 07°02.3′W / 31.1650°N 7.0383°W / 31.1650; -7.0383.^[1]

The meteorite is named after a village close to the fall.^[2]

On April 22, 2017, small bits of the meteorite were handed out to children at the Boston March for Science.

Mineralogy

Petrology: (by Albert Jambon, Omar Boudouma, D. Badia UPVI and M. Denise, MNHNP^[1]): Abundant chondrules with visible but not well-delimited outlines. Chondrule size is 0.1 to 1.5 mm. Dominant olivine and orthopyroxene. Abundant chromite, rare clinopyroxene and ilmenite. Numerous pockets with chromite, plagioclase and phosphate (merrilite and Cl-apatite). Kamacite, with deformed Neumann bands, and taenite, twinned troilite. Copper. Mode: metal+troilite 10%.

Mineral compositions and geochemistry:^[1] log χ = 5.3. Olivine Fa18 ± 0.5 Opx = En83 Fs16 Wo2 Minor calcic pyroxene. Plagioclase is Ab83–86 An5–15 Or7–2. Ca-phosphate (merrillite and Cl-apatite). Chromite: Cr# (100× molar Cr/[Cr + Al]) = 82. Metal: kamacite with 5% Ni and taenite with 36–47% Ni. Oxygen isotopes (C. Suavet, J. Gattacecca CEREGE): δ17O = 3.26‰, δ18O = 5.01‰, and Δ17O = 0.65‰. Magnetic susceptibility is log χ = 5.3 × 10–9 m3/kg.

Classification

Ordinary chondrite (H5), S3, W0.^[1]

Other

• In 2016, the Cook Islands issued a collector coin in which a piece of the meteorite is embedded.^[3]

See also

• Glossary of meteoritics

References