Elephant Moraine 79001

Elephant Moraine 79001, also known as EETA 79001, is a Martian meteorite. It was found in Elephant Moraine, in the Antarctic during the 1979–1980 collecting season.

EETA79001 NASA photo # S80-37633
An image showing EETA79001 as found in Antarctica, NASA photo # S80-28838
Impact and ejection sequence of a Martian meteorite. At time A, the impact of meteorite in imminent. At time B, the meteorite has impacted, melting and introducing a large amount of energy into the surface. This surface energy propagates as a shock wave. At time C, the shock wave continues to propagate, a rarefraction wave pushes back towards the crater in response, and material is ejected from the crater. If any of this material is moving at a rate faster than the escape velocity (5.0 km/s) of Mars, it may leave the influence of Martian gravity. Mars has a minimum distance from Earth of 54.6 million km that the ejecta would then have to travel with the perfect trajectory (dashed line) to impact on Earth. This is, in part, why Martian meteorites are rare on Earth.[1]

The meteorite is classified as a shergottite and is primarily basaltic in composition. EETA 79001 is the second largest Martian meteorite found on Earth, at approximately 7900 grams; only the Zagami meteorite is larger. It is a very young rock, by geologic standards, dating to only about 180 million years ago,[2] and was ejected from the Martian surface about 600 thousand years ago.

Elephant Moraine 79001 is located in Antarctica
Elephant Moraine 79001
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Location of discovery of EETA 79001, in Elephant Moraine, near Reckling Peak, Victoria Land, Antarctica
View of a slice of the Meteorite EETA 79001, showing dark glass inclusions containing distinct isotopic compositions. These were used to positively identify EETA 79001 as Martian in origin.[3]
  1. ^ Melosh, H. Jay (1989). Impact cratering: A geologic process. Oxford University Press. Bibcode:1989icgp.book.....M. ISBN 0-19-510463-3. LCCN 88-5353. OCLC 17649090. OL 7387860M. Wikidata Q105670571.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference lips was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pepin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).