Hunt for Antarctica's 'missing meteorites'

The go-ahead has been given for the first British expedition to collect meteorites in Antarctica.

Most of the space rocks now in collections worldwide have been picked up on the continent.

The region's great expanse of ice makes searching for the blackened remains of objects that have fallen from the sky a particularly productive exercise.

But the UK venture will target a strangely underrepresented class of meteorites – those made of iron.

These are the smashed up innards of bodies that almost became planets at the start of the Solar System.

Finding more of them could give us important clues to events that occurred some 4.6 billion years ago, said Dr Katherine Joy from Manchester University.

Hunt for Antarctica's 'missing meteorites'



I find this absolutely astounding. I look forward to hearing what informating they can glean from these would be planitary cores.

The Antarctic is certainly heating up, so to speak right now between John Kerry's visit in November and of course Buzz Aldrin's visit in December. One has to wonder...

Seriously though I would love to go Meteorite hunting, although the article says they're easy to spot i doubt they're just lying around willy nilly...

a reply to: djz3ro

They do that in norther latitudes, too. The contrast between ice fields and charcoal bits laid out is evident.

All we need is a skidoo and a ticket to frozen parts.

images

a reply to: djz3ro
I found one on the roof of my 1970 VW Bus after a snowfall on the roof, believe I've found a couple of others in the yard as well. At least I think they are.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: djz3ro

They do that in norther latitudes, too. The contrast between ice fields and charcoal bits laid out is evident.

All we need is a skidoo and a ticket to frozen parts.

images

Wow, that's pretty spectacular. The Northern Ice Fields would be closer for me

originally posted by: ugmold
a reply to: djz3ro
I found one on the roof of my 1970 VW Bus after a snowfall on the roof, believe I've found a couple of others in the yard as well. At least I think they are.

I am jealous of both your VW Bus ownership and your space rock ownership. Are they not worth money?

originally posted by: djz3ro

originally posted by: ugmold
a reply to: djz3ro
I found one on the roof of my 1970 VW Bus after a snowfall on the roof, believe I've found a couple of others in the yard as well. At least I think they are.

I am jealous of both your VW Bus ownership and your space rock ownership. Are they not worth money?

Really don't know if the meteorites are worth anything, I found some info about how to test them to see if they are the real thing. I remember doing some tests and they checked out, I should round them up again.

originally posted by: djz3ro

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: djz3ro

They do that in norther latitudes, too. The contrast between ice fields and charcoal bits laid out is evident.

All we need is a skidoo and a ticket to frozen parts.

images

Wow, that's pretty spectacular. The Northern Ice Fields would be closer for me

Same here. But its sooo cold...

Stuff rains down all the time, fresh falls can occur overnight. The black meteorite bits soak up heat from the sun and 'melt out' from their surroundings so you can see them. Theres more of them the more remote the area.

Ever see that meteorite guy? He does it in the desert...

originally posted by: djz3ro
Wow, that's pretty spectacular. The Northern Ice Fields would be closer for me

The roof of my house is covered with them, moreso in the dry season than in the rainy season when the rain washed them off. Everyone's roof is covered with them if it hasn't rained for a while and the iron ones are particularly easy to find since they are attracted to magnets, but they are small. This man shows how you can collect them:

Antartica is unique for meteorite hunting, Its the driest continent on the planet with the dry valley not seeing rain for the last 2 million years. So when the meteorites fall there is no fresh snow to cover them and as the ice is sheet white and the meteorites black they are very easy to spot.

a reply to: djz3ro

Sounds very cool. ...Is there anything like globalXplorer to use for this hunt?

Be a Space Archaeologist-explore sites with GlobalXplorer

The value of a meteorite depends on composition and origin and can fetch a hefty prize as far as cash value.


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