Successful Joint Field Campaigns for Collecting Meteorites in Antarctica: An efficient Collaboration between Japan and Belgium

Vinciane Debaille, Naoya Imae, Akira Yamaguchi, Steven Goderis, Takashi Mikouchi, Lidia Pittarello, Genevieve Hublet, Nadia Van Roosbroek, Harry Zekollari, Hideyasu Kojima, Philippe Claeys

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingMeeting abstract (Book)

Abstract

Since 2009, Belgium and Japan have joined forces, logistics and knowledge to organize three successful meteorite expeditions in Antarctica. The first joint JARE 51 mission, in 2009-2010 sampled the Balchen Ice Field, in the eastern Sor Rondane Mountains region, and recovered more than 600 meteorites. Five scientists, including one Belgian, and one field guide, participated to this mission. The second joint BELARE-SAMBA 2010-2011 to the North-West part of the Nansen Ice Field, located to the South of Sor Rondane Mountains, and composed of 2 Belgian and one Japanese scientists, and two field guides (one Belgian, one Japanese), recovered 220 meteorites. Finally, a third JARE 54 BELARE SAMBA 2012-2013 expedition to the Nansen Ice Field was organized during the austral summer 2012-2013. This was the largest recovery party organized, with a total of 10 members (5 Belgian and 3 Japanese scientist, and two field guides) searching for meteorites. During this last expedition, 427 samples were collected on the Nansen Ice field. On the Belgian side, this program is funded by the Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO) and benefits from the logistic support of the International Polar Foundation (IPF). On the Japanese side, the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) provides funding and logistic. In total, more than 1000 meteorites were recovered during those 3 joint expeditions. Notably, the largest sample of those 3 campaigns weighs 18.1 kg, and a dozen of meteorites are over 1 kg. A few achondrites have been collected, such as ureilites, one iron meteorite, and a few HED meteorites as well as a few carbonaceous chondrites. First, the recovered meteorites are sent to NIPR for careful defreezing. The large samples are cut in two, and shared evenly between Japan and Belgium. After detailed classification made by both NIPR and ULBVUB teams, including the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences (RBINS), one half comes back to Belgium. All these samples are available for research by the international scientific community. In addition, the most beautiful pieces will be displayed for the public. As such, the unique specimen of 18 kg, an LL-type brecciated ordinary chondrite (A 12389), is already exposed in the permanent exhibit of the RBINS, as a token of the fruitful collaborations between the two countries. Scientific research is currently performed on those samples, in close collaborations between NIPR and ULBVUB teams. As a corollary, Belgium has recently developed a meteorite curation center at the RBINS where the Belgian share of the Antarctic meteorites are stored and curated based on sample requests made by researchers. In this context, a reflection is initiated to promote the fantastic research opportunities offered by these pristine meteorites from Antarctica for understanding the formation of our Solar System and the evolution of planets.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationXII International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences. Abstracts Volume.
Pages531-531
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - 2015
EventXII International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Science - Goa, India
Duration: 13 Jul 201517 Jul 2015

Conference

ConferenceXII International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Science
Country/TerritoryIndia
CityGoa
Period13/07/1517/07/15

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