Shergottites

The shergottites are named for their type specimen, an achondrite that fell in Shergotty, India, in 1865. Comprising 17 distinct members, they represent the most abundant type of Martian meteorite. Shergottites are igneous rocks of volcanic or plutonic origin, and they resemble terrestrial rocks more closely than do any other achondrite group. They all show exceptionally young crystallization ages of about 150 to 200 million years, and they usually exhibit signs of severe shock-metamorphism. Typically, the plagioclase in shergottites has been converted to maskelynite, a glass that is produced when plagioclase is subjected to shock pressures of at least 30 GPa. It is likely that the maskelynite was formed by the impact forces that blasted the shergottites from the Martian surface and into space. Calculations show that it requires a major impact event to accelerate any material to a speed high enough to escape the planet's gravity - one of the reasons why the SNC meteorites are such a rare class. Based upon their mineral compositions, the shergottites are further subdivided into two distinct subgroups: the basaltic subgroup, and the lherzolitic subgroup.

Dhofar 378

Oman, Found 2000 June 17

Martian meteorite (basaltic shergottite)

A single stone of 15 g, covered with fresh black fusion crust, was recovered !

				Dhofar 378 00 1.714 gr Huge slice for this martian witch is only 15 gr TKW... SOLD
Dhofar 378 01 0.142 gr Very thin and nice slice ! $ 500
				Dhofar 378 02 0.116 gr Very nice slice ! SOLD
Dhofar 378 03 0.160 gr Slice with a patch of fusion crust $ 560