The Asuka-87 and Asuka-88 collections of Antarctic meteorites: Preliminary examination with brief descriptions of some typical and unique-unusual specimens

• Main Author: Keizo Yanai
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research 1993
• Subjects: Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=4608; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00004608/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=4608&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

Preliminary examinations were carried out of over 2400 pieces of the new Asuka meteorites after the initial processing at the NIPR. According to the initial processing, the Asuka-87 meteorite collection consists of one iron, one stony-iron, 9 achondrites, 3 carbonaceous meteorites and over 300 chondritic specimens. The Asuka-88 meteorites collection comprises 7 irons, 5 stony-irons, over 50 achondrites, 31 carbonaceous meteorites and over 2000 chondritic specimens. Through preliminary examinations with a polarizing microscope and electron microprobe, one mesosiderite, 2 ureilites, 2 diogenites (possibly paired) and 2 eucrites were identified in the Asuka-87 collection. In the Asuka-88 collection, one unbrecciated gabbro and one olivine-fassaite basalt were examined. These uniqueunusual specimens were determined to be a lunar mare gabbro and an angritetype achondrite. Diogenites, ureilites, and one fine-grained, one coarse-grained and one porphyritic eucrite were also newly identified in the Asuka-88 collection, together with a pallasite, a mesosiderite and CM, CV, CO chondrites. Some of the typical and unique-unusual specimens of the Asuka-87 and Asuka-88 collections are briefly described here.