Meteoritical Society
Encyclopedia
The Meteoritical Society is a non-profit scholarly organization founded in 1933 to promote research and education in planetary science
with emphasis on studies of meteorites and other extraterrestrial materials that further our understanding of the origin and history of the solar system
.
The membership of the society comprises over 900 scientists and amateur enthusiasts from over 33 countries who are interested in a wide range of planetary science
topics. Members interests include meteorites, cosmic dust
, asteroid
s and comet
s, natural satellites, planets, impact event
s, and the origins of the Solar System
.
The Meteoritical Society is the organization that records all known meteorite
s in its Meteoritical Bulletin. The Society also publishes one of the world's leading planetary science journals, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, and is a cosponsor with the Geochemical Society
of the renowned journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
.
The Society presents or cosponsors six awards each year:
The Meteoritical Society hosts an annual meeting during the summer, which generally alternates between North America
and Europe
. It has also held meetings in South Africa
, Australia
, Brazil
, and Japan
.
Planetary science
Planetary science is the scientific study of planets , moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation,...
with emphasis on studies of meteorites and other extraterrestrial materials that further our understanding of the origin and history of the solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
.
The membership of the society comprises over 900 scientists and amateur enthusiasts from over 33 countries who are interested in a wide range of planetary science
Planetary science
Planetary science is the scientific study of planets , moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation,...
topics. Members interests include meteorites, cosmic dust
Cosmic dust
Cosmic dust is a type of dust composed of particles in space which are a few molecules to 0.1 µm in size. Cosmic dust can be further distinguished by its astronomical location; for example: intergalactic dust, interstellar dust, interplanetary dust and circumplanetary dust .In our own Solar...
, asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s and comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
s, natural satellites, planets, impact event
Impact event
An impact event is the collision of a large meteorite, asteroid, comet, or other celestial object with the Earth or another planet. Throughout recorded history, hundreds of minor impact events have been reported, with some occurrences causing deaths, injuries, property damage or other significant...
s, and the origins of the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
.
The Meteoritical Society is the organization that records all known meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
s in its Meteoritical Bulletin. The Society also publishes one of the world's leading planetary science journals, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, and is a cosponsor with the Geochemical Society
Geochemical Society
The Geochemical Society is a nonprofit and international scientific society for the purpose of encouraging the application of chemistry to solve problems involving geology and cosmology...
of the renowned journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta or GCA, established in 1950, is a semi-monthly, peer reviewed, scientific journal published by Elsevier. It is sponsored by the Geochemical Society and the Meteoritical Society. The current Executive editor, since the year 2000, is Frank Podosek...
.
The Society presents or cosponsors six awards each year:
- The Leonard MedalLeonard MedalThe Leonard Medal honors outstanding contributions to the science of meteoritics and closely allied fields. It is awarded by the Meteoritical Society. It was established in 1962 to honor the first President of the Society, Frederick C. Leonard....
, awarded since 1966 in honor of the first President of the Society, Frederick C. LeonardFrederick C. LeonardFrederick Charles Leonard was an astrophysicist at the UCLA who organised the UCLA's Department of Astronomy. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago in 1918 and his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of California at Berkeley in 1921....
, is given for outstanding contributions to the science of meteoritics and closely allied fields.
- The Barringer MedalBarringer MedalThe Barringer Medal recognizes outstanding work in the field of impact cratering and/or work that has led to a better understanding of impact phenomena. The Barringer Medal and Award were established to honor the memory of D. Moreau Barringer Sr. and his son D. Moreau Barringer Jr. and are...
, awarded since 1984 and cosponsored by the Barringer Crater Company, recognizes outstanding work in the field of impact cratering and/or work that has led to a better understanding of impact phenomena. The Prize is given in memory of D. Moreau Barringer Sr.Daniel Barringer (geologist)Daniel Moreau Barringer was a geologist best known as the first person to prove the existence of a meteorite crater on the Earth, the Meteor Crater in Arizona...
and his son D. Moreau Barringer Jr.
- The Nier PrizeNier PrizeThe Nier Prize is named after Alfred O. C. Nier and is awarded annually by the Meteoritical Society and recognizes outstanding research in meteoritics and closely allied fields by young scientists....
recognizes outstanding research in meteoritics and allied fields by young (under age 35) scientists. It has been awarded since 1996 in honor of the late physicist and geochemist, Alfred O. C. NierAlfred O. C. NierAlfred Otto Carl Nier was an American physicist who pioneered the development of mass spectrometry and used it in innovative ways to establish some major scientific results.-Early career:...
.
- The Paul Pellas-Graham Ryder AwardPaul Pellas-Graham Ryder AwardThe Paul Pellas-Graham Ryder Award is jointly sponsored by the Meteoritical Society and the Planetary Geology Division of the Geological Society of America. It recognizes the best planetary science paper, published during the previous year in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and written by an...
, cosponsored by the Planetary Geology Division of the Geological Society of AmericaGeological Society of AmericaThe Geological Society of America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. The society was founded in New York in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchcock, John R. Proctor and Edward Orton and has been headquartered at 3300 Penrose...
, is given for undergraduate and graduate students who are first author of a planetary science paper published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. It has been given since 2000, and honors the memories of the incomparable meteoriticist Paul Pellas and lunar scientist Graham RyderGraham RyderGraham Ryder was an English geologist and lunar scientist.He was educated at the University of Wales, Swansea, receiving his B.Sc. in 1970. He then earned a Ph.D. in geology from Michigan State University in 1974. His post-doctoral work was performed at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.Dr...
.
- The Meteoritical Society's Service AwardMeteoritical Society's Service AwardThis award honors members of the Meteoritical Society who have advanced the goals of the Society to promote research and education in meteoritics and planetary science in ways other than by conducting scientific research...
is for members who have advanced the goals of the Society to promote research and education in meteoritics and planetary science in ways other than by conducting scientific research. The first award was for 2006.
- The Gordon A. McKay AwardGordon A. McKay AwardThe Gordon A. McKay Award is an annual prize given by the Meteoritical Society to the student who gives the best oral presentation at its annual meeting. This award honors the memory of Gordon A. McKay , a NASA planetary scientist specializing in lunar and Martian geochemistry. The award was...
is for the best oral presentation by a student at the annual meeting of the society. It honors the memory of planetary scientist Gordon A. McKay. The first award will be presented in 2009.
The Meteoritical Society hosts an annual meeting during the summer, which generally alternates between North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It has also held meetings in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
External links
- Meteoritical Society website
- Meteoritics & Planetary Science website
- Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
- Meteoritical Bulletin
- Meteoritical Bulletin Database
- Award Winners of the Meteoritical Society
- History of the Meteoritical Society: 1933 to 1993, by Ursula B. Marvin
- The British and Irish Meteorite Society