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Recommended classifications

Recommended classes in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database are assigned by the database editor. In most cases, this is based on the most recent classification that appears in either the Catalogue of Meteorites, MetBase, the US Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, the Japanese Meteorite Newsletter, or the Meteoritical Bulletin. However, in a few cases it reflects differences of opinion about the proper way to classify the meteorite. The nomenclature used may also be modified by the editor to conform to an internally consistent classification scheme

The recommended classification CM2 means:

"A carbonaceous chondrite of the CM group that is petrologic type 2."

The highlighted words are defined as follows:

carbonaceous chondrite: A major class of chondrites that mostly have Mg/Si ratios near the solar value and oxygen isotope compositions that plot below the terrestrial fractionation line.

CM group: The Mighei (CM) chemical group of carbonaceous chondrites, distinguished by small chondrules and refractory inclusions (0.3 mm), abundant fine-grained matrix (~70 vol%), and abundant hydrated minerals. .

type 2: Designates chondrites which are characterized by abundant hydrated minerals and abundant fine-grained matrix; chondrules are present; sulfides are Ni-bearing.


Find all meteorites of type: CM2