Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) Search this
Place:
Antarctica
Collection Date:
1988
Notes:
# NASA data for LEW 88033 Weathering: B Fracturing: A Pairing: LEW 85401 Fa: 1-32 mol % Fs: 19-2 mol %
Dull fusion crust covers ~90% of the exterior of LEW88033 and one surface has a frothy texture. Abundant small inclusions (1 mm) are obvious in the dark gray matrix. Oxidation is moderate.
The section shows numerous chondrules and chondrule fragments, up to 1.8 mm across, in a small amount of dark fine-grained matrix. A little metal and sulfide is present, concentrated as black rims to the chondrules. Most of the chondrules are porphyritic or granular olivine and olivine-pyroxene, but fine-grained to cryptocrystalline pyroxene chondrules are also present. Microprobe analyses show olivine and pyroxene of variable composition: olivine, Fa₁₋₃₂ (CV FeO is 77); pyroxene, Fs₂₋₁₉. The small amount of metal indicates L group, and the variability of olivine and pyroxene compositions type 3, hence the meteorite is classified as an L3 chondrite (estimated L3.3).
