ANSMET

ANSMET, which stands for Antarctic Search for Meteorites, is a collaborative program between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Smithsonian Institution. The program's primary objective is to collect meteorites from Antarctica, an area known for its high concentration of meteorites due to the lack of weathering and the presence of blue ice fields that preserve meteorites for millions of years.

The ANSMET program began in 1976 and has since recovered over 22,000 meteorite specimens from Antarctica. These meteorites are primarily from Mars and the asteroid belt, providing valuable insights into the early solar system and the geological history of other planets. The program operates during the Antarctic summer, typically from November to February, when the weather is most favorable for fieldwork.

The ANSMET team consists of scientists, mountaineers, and support staff who travel to remote locations in Antarctica to collect meteorites. They use a variety of techniques, including ground searches and helicopter-assisted searches, to locate and recover these extraterrestrial rocks. Once collected, the meteorites are cataloged, classified, and stored at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

The ANSMET program has made significant contributions to our understanding of the solar system, including the discovery of new meteorite types and the identification of potential Martian meteorites. The program's success is due in part to the unique environmental conditions of Antarctica, which make it an ideal location for meteorite recovery.