[meteorite-list] "How Do You Know It's A Meteorite"?

[Mr EMan]

I agree Chris.  It is when it leaves the common chondrite class that
gets more tricky to do a field examination to identify what should have
lab work.

I follow the philosophy that a field examination should not try to
identify a specimen as a meteorite, so much as try to exclude it.  If I
can't exclude it, only then do I suggest submission to a lab.

So far I have a near perfect 99% exclusion rate...(sigh)  But some of
those came very close!

Elton

--- Chris Peterson <clp at alumni.caltech.edu> wrote:


> >   My answer is very simple - "we don't know until a reputable lab

> says so".

> 

> I think that's a little extreme. There are certainly questionable 

> meteorites that need expert analysis, but most meteorites can be 

> identified as such with essentially 100% certainty by nearly anybody 

> with some experience in meteoritics, by simple physical examination 

> alone.

> 

> Chris