Meteorites and Meteor Crater

TED BUNCH and JIM WITTKE, Northern Arizona University

 

June 16-18, 2006 at Meteor Crater and Flagstaff, AZ                                     Apply: UWA

                       

Note:  This course has a participant fee of $50 (in addition to the registration fee) to cover costs of transportation and lunch on a field trip.

 

            Throughout Earth’s history bombardment by asteroids and comets has played a major role in modifying Earth’s geology and atmosphere, as well as affecting the evolution of life.  In the early Solar System extraterrestrial objects contributed to the mass growth of our planet, in addition to supplying vital materials for the origin of life.  Even today Earth is pelted with many smaller objects, which we occasionally witness falling and more often find worldwide - these are the many different types of meteorites, which are samples ejected from asteroids and planets (including the Moon and Mars).  Studies of these specimens provide much important information about the constitution and history of the Solar System as a complement to observations made by multi-national orbital and lander missions.

            This 3-day program combines a field expedition to Meteor Crater with classroom instruction and activities to give educators (1) a basic understanding of the effects and consequences of hypervelocity collisions on the Earth and elsewhere, and (2) an opportunity to examine a variety of meteorites (including lunar and Martian specimens) using microscope and other techniques.  Topics to be covered include impact dynamics, crater formation, global crater distribution and age, shock metamorphism, mineralogy and chemistry of meteorites, and methods of meteorite analysis.  At Meteor Crater, the best preserved impact crater on Earth, participants will have an opportunity to inspect highly shocked and melted rocks, some of which may contain melt droplets of the iron meteorite impactor that struck Arizona 49,000 years ago.

 

For college teachers of: all disciplines, but particularly natural sciences. Prerequisites:  none.  Limit: 17 participants

 

Dr. Bunch is an Adjunct Professor of Geology at Northern Arizona University and formerly a research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center.  He is one of the world’s leading experts on impact processes and impact craters, and has done extensive studies on Apollo lunar samples and on meteorites.  Dr. Wittke is a geochemist who manages the electron microprobe analytical laboratory at Northern Arizona University and in collaboration with Dr. Bunch has classified hundreds of new meteorites over the last 5 years.

 

Email: tbear1@cableone.net AND James.Wittke@nau.edu

 

 

Travel, Lodging and Weather Notes

 

Phoenix Airport is served by all major US airlines.  Transportation to and from Flagstaff is possible by rental car or commercial van shuttle (Open Road, $70 round trip, call 928-226-8060).  Meals and lodging in Flagstaff are the responsibility of each participant.  A welcome letter will be sent to registered participants in May inviting those who wish to arrange shared ground transportation, and providing a map of the NAU campus and nearby Flagstaff motels.  Temperatures in Flagstaff in mid-June are approximately 70 - 80 degrees F during the day and 45 to 55 degrees F at night, but prepare for daytime temperatures in the nineties at Meteor Crater and intense UV radiation.  Sturdy hiking boots or shoes, sunscreen, long sleeved clothing, hat, and a water bottle or two are recommended (drinks and lunch will be provided).

 

We suggest that you make your travel and lodging arrangements early.

 

Motels within walking distance (< one mile) from Frier Hall (Geology Building) on the NAU campus:

 

Marriott Fairfield Inn                 $65 – 125 per night (single)                              928-773-1300

 

Inn at NAU (on campus)          $84 – 89                                                          928-523-1616

 

Econo Lodge                            $49 – 99                                                          928-774-7326

 

Quality Inn                                $49 – 74                                                          928-774-8771

 

Budget Inn                                $49 – 99                                                          928-774-5038

 

Canyon Inn                               $39 – 125                                                        928-774-7301

 

 

Course Outline

 

Friday, June 16         

 

   8:00 am         Frier Hall, north campus – see map here.  Coffee, donuts, juice.  Introductory remarks.

 

   9:00              Characteristics and classification of meteorites (Ted Bunch)

 

   10:30            Short break

  

   10:45            What we have learned about the early solar system from meteorites (Jim Wittke)

 

   Noon            Lunch

 

   1:30 pm         Shock effects in meteorites and impact crater rocks: mechanical damage, melting, quench features and recrystallization (Ted Bunch)

 

   2:30              Planetary meteorites from Mars, Moon, Mercury(?) and Vesta (Tony Irving)

 

   3:30              Short break

 

   3:45              Dating meteorites using argon isotopes and other methods (Vera Fernandes)

 

   4:45              Logistics for Meteor Crater field trip; questions; comments

 

Saturday, June 17

 

   8:00 am         Meet in front of Frier Hall

 

   8:30 am         Depart in vans for Meteor Crater

 

   4:00 pm         Return to Frier Hall

 

Sunday, June 18

 

   8:30 am         Coffee and donuts in Frier Hall

 

   9::00              Study of meteorites and shocked rocks under the polarizing microscope (Bunch, Irving & Wittke)

 

   Noon            Lunch

 

   1:00 pm         Open discussions/questions.  Curriculum suggestions.  Course evaluations.

 

   2:30              Program ends