Achondrite


An achondrite is a stony meteorite that does not contain chondrules. It consists of material similar to terrestrial basalts or plutonic rocks and has been differentiated and reprocessed to a lesser or greater degree due to melting and recrystallization on or within meteorite parent bodies. As a result, achondrites have distinct textures and mineralogies indicative of igneous processes.
Achondrites account for about 8% of meteorites overall, and the majority of them belong to the HED clan, possibly originating from the crust of asteroid Vesta. Other types include Martian, Lunar, and several types thought to originate from as-yet unidentified asteroids. These groups have been determined on the basis of e.g. the Fe/Mn chemical ratio and the 17O/18O oxygen isotope ratios, thought to be characteristic "fingerprints" for each parent body.

Classification

Achondrites are classified into the following groups:
Primitive achondrites, also called PAC group, are so-called because their chemical composition is primitive in the sense that it is similar to the composition of chondrites, but their texture is igneous, indicative of melting processes. To this group belong:
  • Acapulcoites
  • Lodranites
  • Winonaites
  • Ureilites
  • Brachinites

    Asteroidal achondrites

Asteroidal achondrites, also called evolved achondrites, are so-called because they have been differentiated on a parent body. This means that their mineralogical and chemical composition was changed by melting and crystallization processes. They are divided into several groups:
  • HED meteorites. They may have originated on the asteroid 4 Vesta, because their reflection spectra are very similar. They are named after the initial letters of the three subgroups:
  • * Howardites
  • * Eucrites
  • * Diogenites
  • Angrites
  • Aubrites

    Lunar meteorites

are meteorites that originated from the Moon.

Martian meteorite

s are meteorites that originated from Mars. They are divided into three main groups, with two exceptions :