Pultusk (meteorite)

Meteorite
Name= Pultusk


Image_caption=
Image_width=
Type= Chondrite
Class= Ordinary chondrite
Group= H5
Structural_classification=
Composition= SiO2 36.44 wt%, TiO2 0.18 wt%, Al2O3 1.88 wt%, Cr2O3 0.37 wt%, FeO 9.48 wt%, MnO 0.25 wt%, MgO 23.75 wt%, CaO 1.82 wt%, Na2O 0.83 wt%, K2O 0.09 wt%, P2O5 0.22 wt%, Fe 16.02 wt%, Ni 1.61 wt%, FeS 5.97 wt%, Fe (metallic) 17.62 wt%, Ni (metallic) 9.13 wt%, Fe as iron sulphide 3.80 wt%, S as iron sulphide 2.17 wt%, total content of iron 27.19 wt% [Diakonov and Kharitonova (1961)] .
Shock=
Weathering=
Country= Poland
Region= Ostrołęka
Lat_Long= coord|52|46|N|21|16|E|display=inline,title [ [http://tin.er.usgs.gov/meteor/metbull.php?sea=Pultusk&sfor=names&ants=&falls=&stype=contains&lrec=50&
] ]
Observed_fall= Yes
Fall_date= January 30, 1868
Found_date=
TKW= about 9000 kg

---

Image2_caption= Distribution ellipse of the Pultusk fall

Pultusk is a H5 ordinary chondrite meteorite fallen on January 30, 1868 in Poland.

History

The fall occurred on the January 30, 1868 at the 7 pm near the town of Pułtusk, about 60 km north-est from Warsaw. Thousands of people witnessed a large fireball followed by detonations and a very large shower of small fragments fell over over ice, land and houses within an area of about 127 km². The estimated number of fragments was 68780 [J. Samsonowicz (1953)] . The fragments ranged from half a gram to 9.095 kg (the largest specimen). The overall estimated mass of the meteorites was 8863 kg. The vast majority of the stones were pretty small (few grams) and are known as "Pultusk Peas". It was one of the largest stony meteorite shower recorded in history.

Composition and classification

Pultusk is brecciated and contains two varieties of xenoliths embedded in a dark brecciated matrix.

The meteorite Pultusk is a veined and brecciated chondrite with abundant xenoliths with various degrees of recrysdtallisation. Petrologic type 5 xenoliths prevail [A. Manecki (1972)] , so it has been classified as H5: it means an ordinary chondrite significantly thermally metamorphosed and with the contours of the chondrules frequently difficult to distinguish.

The main minerals are olivine and bronzite. Kamacite, troilite and chromite are also present.

Notes

See also

* Meteorite

External links

* [http://www.geo.uw.edu.pl/MUZEUM/METEORITE/pultusk_a.htm Museum of the Faculty of Geology of the Warsaw University: Pultusk]