Meteoritic

Meteoritic refers to meteoritics, the scientific study of meteorites—rocks that reach Earth's surface from space—and to related material such as interplanetary dust particles and cosmic ray products. The term also serves as an adjective describing phenomena, compositions, or processes associated with meteorites. The field seeks to understand the origin and history of the solar system through chemical, isotopic, and mineralogical analysis of extraterrestrial rocks.

Meteorites are broadly classified into stony meteorites (which include chondrites, which retain primitive components, and achondrites, which have undergone melting), iron meteorites (mainly iron-nickel alloys), and stony-iron meteorites (a mix). Meteorite falls are witnessed events; finds are specimens discovered later. Weathering on Earth can alter meteorites, complicating interpretation; dedicated curatorial facilities maintain collections.

Methods include petrography, mineralogical studies, and isotopic dating (Ar-Ar, U-Pb) to determine age; oxygen isotope ratios to establish solar system reservoirs; cosmogenic nuclide measurements to infer exposure ages; and trace element chemistry. Microstructure analysis reveals cooling histories, differentiation, and impact processing.

Significance: Meteoritic research provides direct samples of early solar system material, constrains the timing of planetary accretion and core formation, and informs models of solar nebula processes and planetary bodies. It also documents presolar grains and organic compounds.

Institutions: The Meteoritical Society coordinates nomenclature; The Meteoritical Bulletin publishes official meteorite names and classifications. Major collections reside in natural history museums worldwide, with ongoing discoveries and research published in journals such as Meteoritics & Planetary Science.