The Martian Meteorite Compendium
Disclaimer
This compendium attempts to relate the salient facts about the mineralogy, petrology, geochronology and isotopic studies of each of the meteorites from Mars. It is organized rock by rock, like a catalog, and the data for each rock are organized in the same way, such that a researcher can readily find the section he needs. As such, it is sometimes repetitious. It is not meant to be read as a book!
Every effort was made to attribute the results to the original researcher and a prudent investigator will look up the original reference for the data, rather than use what is repeated here. Researchers should look up their own data and find out for themselves how reliable the reporting has been! Everyone will appreciate knowing where the author has made errors in compilation and the author would appreciate feedback as he prepares the next edition.
In this compendium, a conscious effort was made to not provide or discuss interpretation accept where absolutely necessary. The focus has been to collect all the data in one place. A brief introduction is offered in Chapter I and some concluding thoughts are expressed in Chapter XXX.
This document can be seen at the Mars Meteortie Compendium website which will be updated periodically.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the following people: Anita Dodson, Geri Gill, Lisa Prejean and Rachael Vegas for assembling the early versions of the manuscript; Jim Gooding for providing the opportunity to focus on the details; Marilyn Lindstrom, Don Bogard, Larry Nyquist for allowing access to their journals; Claire Dardano and Terrie Bevill for solving computer problems and Cecilia Satterwhite for reviewing the genealogy diagram of ALH84001.
Reviews by Duck Mittlefehldt, Dave McKay, Allan Treiman, Lars Borg, Marilyn Lindstrom, Don Bogard, Tim McCoy and Kevin Righter improved the content, but the author takes the credit for any remaining errors.
Thin sections were obtained from Jim Gooding (Nakhla), Adrian Brearley (Governador Valadares, Zagami), Gordon McKay (Shergotty), Tim McCoy (Lafayette, Chassigny), Duck Mittlefehldt and H. Kojima (Y793605) and the "library sections" of Antarctic meteorites in the JSC data center.
Photos were obtained with the help of Ahmed El Goresy and Gaber Naim (Nakhla), N. Bhandari (Shergotty), Nina Cummings (Lafayette), Claude Perron (Chassigny), Giuseppe Cavaretta (Governador Valadares), Vincent Yang (melt inc. in Nakhla), H. Kojima (Y793605), Gert Wappler (Zagami, Nakhla), Tim McCoy (Shergotty slab, Zagami), Larry Nyquist (Zagami slab), Gero Kurat (Shergotty, Nakhla and Chassigny), Robert Haag (Zagami), Bruno Fectay and Carine Bidaut (NWA), Jutta Zipfel (DaG), Jean-Alix Barrat (NWA), Nelson Oakes (NWA), Luigi Folco (DaG), Bob Verish (Los Angeles), Edwin Gnos (SaU), Larry Taylor (Dhofar019), Paul Buchanan (Y00593) and Adam and Greg Hupé (MWA). A sketch and information about Zagami were provided by Robert Haag.
My apologies to anyone whose data I have abused.