Meteorite Glossary - Letter A

Ablation:

The process during the passage of a meteoroid through the atmosphere where melting and vaporization removes material from its surface.

Acapulcoite:

One of the primitive achondrite type meteorites, characterized by partial chnodrite textures and partial melting but chondrite composition.

Achondrite:

Meteorites formed from an igneous source rock and lacking condrules, group includes lunar and planetary meteorites.

Aerolite:

This is an older word used for stony meteorites. It is not often seen in use today but can be seen often in articles and books up to around 1950.

Amphoterite:

This is the obsolete term used for the LL class of ordinary chondrites.

Angrite:

An achondrite meteorite type characterized by calcium-titanium-aluminum rich pyroxene abundance.

Armored Chondrule:

A chondrule with is covered on its surface by a layer of nickel iron. It will show when cut as a chondrule encircled by a thin ring of shiny metal.

Asteroid:

A body in our solar system composted of either metal or rock which is smaller than a planet yet larger than a meteoroid. Though the size ranges are not clearly defined and usage of the two terms overlap.

Astrobleme:

The scar on the surface of the Earth or other body in space caused by the impact of a meteoroid or asteroid. Synonymous with Impact Crater.

Astronomical Unit:

This is the distance from the Sun to the Earth; approximately 93 million miles.

Ataxite:

An iron meteorite class that is high in nickel content, and exhibits no Widmanstatten Pattern when etched.

Australite:

Tektites found in Australia are referred to by this term. They are by current evidence related to and from the same origin event as those from Indochina and the Philippines. Among the various forms that australite occur in are the very prized flanged buttons. These are round or oval and have been ablated on one side. They have a ring of melted glass around the edge.