meteoriteassociated

Meteorite-associated is an adjectival term used in planetary science and meteoritics to describe materials, features, or datasets that have a direct connection to meteorites. It is not a standalone scientific field, but a descriptive designation applied when meteorites are the source of material or the context of a measurement or observation.

It appears in discussions of meteorite-associated clasts in terrestrial rocks, meteorite-associated alteration minerals that formed from meteoritic material, or isotopic signatures that link a sample to a meteorite parent body. Researchers may report meteorite-associated contamination or mixing in impact ejecta, or meteorite-associated sites in museums or archives where meteorite specimens are curated.

Methodologically, standard meteoritics techniques—petrography, electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and isotopic analysis—are used to characterize meteorite-associated samples, establish provenance, and distinguish meteoritic material from indigenous terrestrial components. The term emphasizes provenance and context rather than implying a separate discipline. Its usage varies across journals and subfields, but it serves as a concise way to indicate a direct link to meteorites in research results, collections documentation, and comparative analyses.