| Northwest Africa 10645 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Basic information |
Name: Northwest Africa 10645 This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name. Abbreviation: NWA 10645 Observed fall: No Year found: 2016 Country: (Northwest Africa) Mass:  12 g |
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| Classification history: |
This is 1 of 18 approved meteorites classified as Martian (nakhlite). [show all] Search for other: Martian meteorites |
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| Comments: | Approved 15 May 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Writeup |
Writeup from MB 105:
Northwest Africa 10645 (NWA 10645) (Northwest Africa) Purchased: 2016 Classification: Martian meteorite (Nakhlite)
History: Purchased by Dustin Dickens, February 2016, from a Moroccan dealer.
Physical characteristics: The exterior is partially covered by black fusion crust. Freshly broken surfaces reveal a mixture of mm-sized dark-green pyroxene grains and interstitial cream-colored feldspar.
Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) This meteorite has an ophitic texture consisting of 75% augite, 15% feldspar, and 5% olivine. Some augite crystals are prismatic and up to 2 mm in length. There are two feldspars present, oligoclase and alkali feldspar, no maskelynite was observed; feldspar commonly occupies interstices between augite grains. Augites show igneous zoning with Fs-rich rims, olivines are fayalitic and fairly uniform in composition. Apatite, ilmenite, and titanomagnetite were observed.
Geochemistry: (C. Agee and M. Spilde, UNM) Olivine Fa88.1±0.8, Fe/Mn=41±1, n=5; augite Fs31.9±10.2Wo38.9±2.1, range Fs24.1-48.9Wo33.3-40.5, Fe/Mn=35±2, n=10; plagioclase An22.9±2.7Ab73.0±3.0Or4.1±0.6, n=4; alkali feldspar An3.3Ab40.4Or56.2, n=1.
Classification: Martian (nakhlite). This is a martian meteorite based Fe/Mn of augite and olivine, and on the composition of the plagioclase. It is a nakhlite based on the high percentage of augite present. Paired with NWA 10153.
Specimens: 2.5 g including a probe mount on deposit at UNM; Dustin Dickens holds the main mass. |
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| Data from: MB105 Table 0 Line 0: |
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