Collecting Antarctic meteoritesCollecting Antarctic meteorites Japan’s Antarctic research...

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Observing Planet Earth and the Space from Antarctica

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Recent developments in the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition

National Institute of Polar ResearchResearch Organization of Information and Systems, Inter-University Research Institute Corporation10-3, Midori-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-8518 Tel: +81-42-512-0655 Fax: +81-42-528-3105http://www.nipr.ac.jp/english/ Email: kofositu@nipr.ac.jp © National Institute of Polar Research, 2014

Figure caption: Mechanism of Antarctic meteorite accumulation Thin-section petrograph of a Martian meteorite (Yamato000593)

Meteorite exploration A meteorite discovered

• After classifi cation, about 200 meteorite samples (normally weighing no more than 1g) and thin sections are loaned out every year for research by the world’s meteorite researchers.

• We loan lunar meteorites, Martian meteorites, chondrites, iron meteorites and other principal types to science museums, junior high schools, senior high schools and universities all over Japan for display or educational purposes.

Collecting Antarctic meteoritesJapan’s Antarctic research expeditions have collected more than 17,000 meteorites so far. In 1998, the 39th expedition succeeded in

collecting around 4,100 of them; in 2000, the 41st expedition collected 3,500 more. Since the 51st expedition, exploration for meteorites has been conducted every summer. The three explorations starting with the 51st expedition have been joint projects with the Belgian Antarctic Expedition. These meteorites are highly diverse and varied, including lunar and Martian meteorites, and our research on them contributes to the advancement of planetary science.

Collecting Antarctic meteorites

Space

Meteorite

Depletion

Meteorite Meteorite

Snow

Antarctic Ocean Antarctic

Ocean

Meteorite accumulationDepletion

Mountain range Bedrock

Ice

Movement of continental ice Meteorite