![]() Carlton Allen, JSC New Meteorites This newsletter contains classifications for 283 new meteorites from the 1999, 2000, and 2001 ANSMET collections. They include samples from the Queen Alexandra Range, Bates Nunataks, Meteorite Hills, and Tentacle Ridge sites. Descriptions are given for 13 meteorites; 2 ureilites, 7 carbonaceous chondrites, 1 enstatite and 3 unequilibrated chondrites. Lab Improvements The JSC Antarctic Meteorite Lab is a much cleaner place than it used to be. Following replacement of the air handler, cleaning of the ductwork, and installation of HEPA filters the lab consistently meets the requirements for a Class 1,000 cleanroom. The Lab will soon become a considerably more secure place in which to curate meteorites. In response to a recent theft from a Principal Investigator's lab, the physical security for all of JSC's astromaterials collections is being upgraded. Antarctic Meteorite Curator We have recently been given authorization by NASA to hire a permanent Curator for Antarctic Meteorites. We are looking forward, in the near future, to welcoming a new scientist to the JSC Curation team and continuing to improve our service to the meteorite research community UPDATE on the Upcoming 2002-2003 ANSMET Field Season Ralph Harvey, ANSMET
Systematic searching team: NSF funding will support a team of 8 who will fly by LC-130 to paradoxically-named Beardmore South Camp at the north end of the Walcott Névé. This abandoned camp will be the starting point for an all-day snowmobile traverse southward across the Névé to Goodwin Nunataks and MacAlpine Hills. Goodwin Nunataks is one of the several icefields that serve as home for QUE specimens, and was last systematically searched in the 1999-2000 season, recovering more than 400 specimens. Only half of the exposed blue ice in this area was systematically searched. MacAlpine Hills is the home of the MAC specimens, lies to the north and west of Goodwin Nunataks, and was visited in the 1987 and 1988 seasons, with 126 meteorites recovered. However, those visits were short and systematic searching of the MacAlpine Hills icefields was limited. The weather, logistics and the workload will all determine how much time is spent at the various sites. At the end of the season, the team will traverse back to Beardmore South Camp for the pull-out. The systematic search team will be deployed for about 6 weeks, with both put-in and pull-out planned for a few days earlier than the reconnaissance team.
If all goes as currently scheduled, the field team will depart the US and other points of origin in mid-November, reach McMurdo Station, Antarctica about 4 days later, and get into the field near the first of December. Everyone should be on their way back to civilization by the end of the third week of January, 2003. |