Yamato 000593

Yamato 000593
Yamato 000593 meteorite—13.7 kg (30 lb). The cube is 1 cm (0.39 in) (NASA; 2012).
TypeAchondrite
Structural classificationIgneous[1]
ClassMartian meteorite[2]
GroupNakhlite[2]
Compositionpyroxene 85% [1]
olivine 10%
Shock stageS3[1]
Weathering gradeB[3]
CountryAntarctica[2]
RegionYamato Glacier[2]
Coordinates71°30′S 35°40′E / 71.500°S 35.667°E / -71.500; 35.667 [3][4]
Observed fallNo
Fall date50,000 years ago[2]
Found date2000[2]
TKW13.7 kg (30 lb)[2]
Related media on Wikimedia Commons

Yamato 000593 (or Y000593) is the second largest meteorite from Mars found on Earth.[2][5][6] Studies suggest the Martian meteorite was formed about 1.3 billion years ago from a lava flow on Mars.[7] An impact occurred on Mars about 11 million years ago[7] and ejected the meteorite from the Martian surface into space. The meteorite landed on Earth in Antarctica about 50,000 years ago. The mass of the meteorite is 13.7 kg (30 lb) and has been found to contain evidence of past water alteration.[2][5][6][8]

At a microscopic level, spheres are found in the meteorite rich in carbon compared to surrounding areas lacking such spheres. The carbon-rich spheres and the observed micro-tunnels may have been formed by biotic activity, according to NASA scientists.[2][5][6]

  1. ^ a b c Yamato meteorite (PDF) The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office, NASA.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Webster, Guy (February 27, 2014). "NASA Scientists Find Evidence of Water in Meteorite, Reviving Debate Over Life on Mars". NASA. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Meteoritical Bulletin Database - Yamato 000593". The Meteoritical Society. Lunar and Planetary Institute. February 26, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  4. ^ Yamato 000593 Natural History Museum, UK. The Catalogue of Meteorites.
  5. ^ a b c White, Lauren M.; Gibson, Everett K.; Thomnas-Keprta, Kathie L.; Clemett, Simon J.; McKay, David (February 19, 2014). "Putative Indigenous Carbon-Bearing Alteration Features in Martian Meteorite Yamato 000593". Astrobiology. 14 (2): 170–181. Bibcode:2014AsBio..14..170W. doi:10.1089/ast.2011.0733. PMC 3929347. PMID 24552234.
  6. ^ a b c Gannon, Megan (February 28, 2014). "Mars Meteorite with Odd 'Tunnels' & 'Spheres' Revives Debate Over Ancient Martian Life". Space.com. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  7. ^ a b Cohen, Benjamin E.; Mark, Darren F.; Cassata, William S.; Lee, Martin R.; Tomkinson, Tim; Smith, Caroline L. (2017-10-03). "Taking the pulse of Mars via dating of a plume-fed volcano". Nature Communications. 8 (1): 640. Bibcode:2017NatCo...8..640C. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00513-8. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 5626741. PMID 28974682.
  8. ^ Mikouchi, T.; E. Koizumi; A. Monkawa; Y. Ueda (March 2003). "Mineralogy and petrology of Yamato 000593: Comparison with other Martian nakhlite meteorites". Antarctic Meteorite Research. 16: 34–57. Bibcode:2003AMR....16...34M.