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Recent studies published in Nature explore the origins of most meteorites, linking them to specific asteroid breakup events and enhancing our understanding of Earth and solar system history.
What is a Meteorite?
A meteorite is a piece of space rock that survives its passage through Earth's atmosphere and lands on the surface.
There are three main types:
Stony Meteorites: Most common, including chondrites (85% of all meteorites) and achondrites.
Iron Meteorites: Made mostly of metal.
Stony-Iron Meteorites: A mix of both materials
Meteoroids are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids.
But when meteoroids enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they are called meteors.
The Asteroid Belt
A region between Mars and Jupiter containing millions of asteroids.
Jupiter’s gravity influences asteroid movement, causing collisions and creating debris that can become meteorites.
They vary greatly in size, from tiny rocks less than a mile across to the largest known asteroid, Ceres, which is about one-quarter the size of our moon and is classified as a dwarf planet.
What are the Research Findings?
Recent studies trace ordinary chondrites (common meteorites) back to specific asteroid families and individual asteroids.
The studies link meteorites to collisions in the asteroid belt, notably the Koronis and Massalia families, occurring less than 30 million years ago.
Understanding meteorite origins can guide future missions to these asteroids, providing insights into the solar system’s formation and evolution.
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