The Impact and Recovery of the Sutter's Mill Meteorite
[2012 April 22, 14:51 UT (7:51 PDT)]
2012 December 21 - Today in the journal Science, 70 authors published a report on the first two months of studies on the fall of the Sutter's Mill meteorite and its properties. Sutter's Mill was found to have arrived from the asteroid belt recently, on an orbit that still points to its source region. The meteorites are unusually diverse, composed of rocks within rocks, the first time a CM chondrtie is clearly a regolith breccia. The rapid recovery, thanks to the first detection of falling meteorites from a carbonaceous chondrite fall by Doppler weather radar, provided the most pristine look yet at the former surface of the CM chondrite parent body asteroid.
Announcements:
[SETI Institute]
[NASA Ames Research Center]
[Planetary Science Institute]
[UC Davis]
[AMNH]
[Field Museum]
[University of Western Ontario, Canada]
Report your find to receive a SM (Sutter's Mill meteorite) number by email to: Petrus.M.Jenniskens@nasa.gov
Samples SM2, 12, and 67 were found in NASA Ames Research Center led volunteer searches, and part of SM30 was donated to NASA Ames, for analysis by SM Meteorite Consortium members. Please consider donating a small part of your find for research so we can sample as many parts of the asteroid as possible.
Recovered finds
The confirmed finds listed below are given in order of SM number assigned. This will be regularly updated. If you find errors, please let us know.
SM# Mass(g) Lat(N) Longitude(W) Date of find Finder
1 5.6 38.8033 120.9075 4/24/2012 Robert Ward
2* 4.0 38.8029 120.9085 4/24/2012 Peter Jenniskens
3 5.0 38.8103 120.9269 4/24/2012 Brien Cook
4 17.0 38.8040 120.9086 4/26/2012 Brenda Salveson
6 2.4 38.8037 120.9049 4/26/2012 Patrick Murphy
7 6.0 38.8065 120.8879 4/27/2012 Jerry Moorman
8 19.0 38.8069 120.9358 4/27/2012 Susan Monroe
9 6.3 38.8029 120.8928 4/27/2012 Eric Bowker
10 6.2 38.8053 120.9184 4/28/2012 Loraine Logan
11 14.5 38.8071 120.8925 4/28/2012 Tania Mcalliser
12* 17.5 38.7857 120.9091 4/29/2012 Moni Waiblinger (land owner: Merv de Haas)
13 18.9 38.7938 120.9217 4/29/2012 Marcos&Jennifer
14 11.5 38.8027 120.8945 5/1/2012 Suzanne Matin
15 11.3 38.8069 120.9358 4/27/2012 Mike and Julie Steward
16 15.0 38.8016 120.9078 4/30/2012 Jim and Bailey Plimpton
17 7.2 38.8003 120.8910 4/26/2012 Greg and Abriela Jorgensen
18 5.4 38.8125 120.9056 5/2/2012 Greg Jorgensen
19 10.0 38.8161 120.9375 5/3/2012 Alice Butler
20 1.1 38.8054 120.8955 4/27/2012 Richard Garcia
21 1.0 38.8014 120.8852 5/4/2012 Bob Pedersen
22 0.6 38.8024 120.8897 4/27/2012 Paul Gessler
23 1.6 38.8065 120.9102 4/27/2012 Vickie Ly
24 2.1 38.8145 120.9156 4/27/2012 Barbara Broide and Ryan Turner
25 7.3 38.8129 120.9246 4/27/2012 Jason Utas
26 3.5 38.8086 120.9041 4/30/2012 Jason Utas and Michelle Myers
27 35.1 38.8058 120.9624 5/5/2012 Mitch Carey
28 4.7 38.8059 120.8952 5/5/2012 Madeleine Hogue and Dinesh Krishnamurthy
29 11.8 --.---- ---.---- 5/1/2012 Joan Johnson
30* 3.5 38.7989 120.8810 5/1/2012 Joyce Matin and Mark Dayton
31 5.9 38.8132 120.9238 5/4/2012 Mark Dayton
32 9.6 38.8096 120.9263 5/1/2012 Doug Klotz
33 8.5 38.8071 120.8964 4/27/2012 Connie Nelson
34 1.6 38.7942 120.9814 5/3/2012 Adam Hamlin
35 0.1 38.7910 120.9781 5/1/2012 Robert Ward
36 22.6 38.800? 120.917? 4/28/2012 Michael Shaw
37 2.8 38.8142 120.9106 5/6/2012 Mike Miller
38 7.0 38.8142 120.9110 5/6/2012 Stanley Wall
39 2.5 38.8044 120.8941 4/27/2012 Mike Miller
40 17.7 38.8224 120.9598 5/5/2012 Keith Mueller, Mike Hankey, and Larry Atkins
41 9.3 38.8127 120.9077 5/4/2012 David Johnson
42 1.6 38.8146 120.9162 4/28/2012 Mendy Ouzillou
43 4.3 38.8097 120.9283 4/29/2012 Sandy VanderPol and Emily
44 5.5 38.7966 120.9196 5/9/2012 Dennis and Karen Kelleher
45 2.9 38.8047 120.9077 5/10/2012 Alex Wolfgram
46 2.4 38.8167 120.8638 5/4/2012 Rebecca Stuart-G.
47 10.1 38.8078 120.8997 5/1/2012 Teal Triolo
48 5.1 38.8147 120.8997 5/12/2012 Kelly Heavin
49 5.9 38.8116 120.9126 5/11/2012 Mike Miller
50 42.4 38.8063 120.9628 5/9/2012 Robert Ward
51 12.3 38.8117 120.8957 5/2/2012 Rick Patrinellis
52 12.8 38.8150 120.9176 5/22/2012 Peter Utas
53 205.2 38.8136 120.9716 5/11/2012 Jeffrey Grant A.
54 20.2 38.8054 120.9689 5/2/2012 Shane Skogberg
55 20.6 38.8086 120.9523 5/25/2012 Keith Jenkerson
56 7.6 38.8143 120.9217 5/11/2012 Bob Willis
57 2.8 38.8212 120.8504 5/24/2012 Rick Nelson
58 1.3 38.8172 120.8550 5/26/2012 Sandy Cox
59 1.5 38.8328 120.8761 5/26/2012 Sandy Cox
60 4.5 38.8187 120.8795 5/26/2012 Rick Nelson
61 3.4 38.8271 120.8691 5/26/2012 Rick Nelson
62 1.8 38.8151 120.8817 5/27/2012 Sandy Cox
63 8.3 38.806? 120.948? 5/26/2012 Dana Jenkerson
64 22.5 38.806? 120.948? 5/27/2012 Keith Jenkerson
65 11.6 38.8102 120.9163 5/30/2012 Philipe de Riemer
66 25.2 38.806? 120.950? 5/29/2012 Keith Jenkerson
67* 0.3 38.8082 120.9593 6/17/2012 Beverly Girten (land owner: Larry Spies)
68 1.0 38.8187 120.8744 6/8/2012 Connie Nelson
69 26.6 38.8034 120.9494 6/23/2012 Dan & Katrina Siders
70 27.0 38.8010 120.9619 6/30/2012 Glenn Arsenault
71 6.2 38.8123 120.9153 6/24/2012 Roy Karen
72 24.3 38.806? 120.946? 5/30/2012 Keith Jenkerson
73 8.1 38.8079 120.9149 6/24/2012 Noel and Aidan Robinson
74 21.6 38.8078 120.9535 6/7/2012 Joel Kaderka
75 6.85 38.8092 120.9067 5/2/2012 Miquel Leon Contreras
76 8.10 38.8058 120.8945 4/27/2012 Sonny Clary
77 13.5 38.8061 120.9690 5/24/2012 several, incl. Jason Utas
78 14.5 38.8060 120.9689 5/26/2012 several, incl. Jason Utas
SM5 was not a meteorite. Locations with question marks are uncertain.
Sutter's Mill Meteorite Consortium
The following research teams (team lead given) are participating in a consortium established to coordinate the analysis of Sutter's Mill meteorite samples. Please contact if you like to join this effort with unique ability (POC) :
P. Jenniskens SETI/NASA ARC Meteorite recovery #2,12
S. Sandford NASA ARC IR spectroscopy #2,30
T. Hiroi Brown U. Reflection spectroscopy #30,12
A. Steele Carnegie Inst. Raman spectroscopy #2
M. Fries P.S.I. Raman Spectroscopy #2
G. Cooper NASA ARC Organic volatiles #2,12
S. Pizzarello ASU Isotope organics #2,12,41
D. Glavin NASA/Goddard Amino acids #2,12,51
P. Schmitt-K. H.-Z., Germany mass spectroscopy #2,12
D. Sears NASA ARC Thermoluminescence #2,12
M. Zolensky NASA JSC Petrography #2
M. Grady NHM Petrography/UVVIS spectroscopy #2,12,30
A. Rubin UCLA Petrography #2,12
Q. Yin UC Davis isotope and trace element geochemistry #43,51
P. Heck FMN Chicago Presolar grains #1,47
D. Ebel AMNH, New York 3-D CT scanning #3,9,18 (non-destructive)
K. Ziegler U of NewMexico O isotopes #2,12
J. Friedrich Fordham Univ. Elemental composition #2
K. Welten UC Berkeley Radio isotopes -.-
M. Laubenstein SanG, Italy Gamma Ray Spectroscopy #36 (non-destructive)
S.V.S. Murty PRL, India N/Ar isotopes #2,12
P. Rochette Aix-M.,France Paleomagnetism #12
J. Wasson UCLA INAA -.- (sept.)
M. Anand Open Univ, UK nanoSIMS -.-
S. Krot HIGP, Hawaii Mn-Cr isotopes #51
R. Beauford ACSPS, Arkansas TL #48
R. Ogliore Un. Hawaii Ion microprobe #51
M. Komatsu Waseda U., Japan CAI, AOA #2
K. Mikouchi U of Tokyo, Japan Synchotron/XRD #2
K. Nagashima HIGP, Hawaii Mn-Cr/O #51
D. Klotz Space Sci. f. Schools density #32
K. Ohsumi Japan Synchroton Rad. Res Inst. Synchotron #2
Y. Kebukawa Carnegie Inst. XANES #2
K. Hagiya U. of Hyogo, Japan petrography #2
N. Kita U. of Wisc. O-isotopes #2
I. Franchi Open U., UK O-isotopes #47
D. Frank NASA/JSC minor element abundances #2
A. Davis U. Chicago imaging and x-ray mapping #1,47
S. Simon U. Chicago imaging and x-ray mapping #1,47
A. Hildebrand U. Calgary, Canada elastic velocity -.-
G. Flynn SUNY Plattsburgh XANES #12
H. Yabuta Osaka U., Japan IOM isotopes #12
A. Bischoff U. Muenster, Germnay Petrography -.-
M. Yesiltas U. Central Flordia synchotron-based infrared microspectr. #2,12
The following research teams are participating in the coordinated analysis
of observations of the Sutter's Mill asteroid impact and recovery:
M. Fries Planetary Science Inst. Radar maps, strewn field
R. Matson SAIC Radar maps, strewn field
P. Brown UWO, Canada Infrasound
E. Silber UWO, Canada Infrasound, seismic
K. Smith Nevada Seismol. Lab. Impact: seismic detections
M. Hankey American Meteor Society Visual observations
D. Klotz Space Sci. f. Schools Trajectory reconstruction
P. Jenniskens SETI/NASA ARC Trajectory reconstruction
B. Girten NASA/ARC Recovery
P. Worden NASA/ARC Recovery
How to preserve your meteorite finds
The Sutters Mill meteorite is of a kind that is easily contaminated, hampering certain types of scientific studies. To keep your meteorite in the best possible shape, here are some general guidelines:
- Keep magnets away from them (in order not to destroy any natural magnetism in the rock)
- Do not touch the meteorites (in case your hands contain moisture, oils, and bacteria).
- Use aluminum foil to collect the meteorite and to store and handle it.
- When you show the meteorites to others, minimize exposure to moisture (such as from people talking over it).
- Keep plastics away from the meteorite. No storing in plastic bags, plastic containers, no touching with gloves.
- Store the meteorites wrapped in aluminum foil in a clean (no smell) glas jar, covered by a sheet of aluminum foil. Put that jar in a bigger jar with closed lid with some desiccant on the bottom (if no other desiccant is available, one-minute rice will do). Allow the meteorite to dry out in this way to remove all adsorbed water vapor.
- Once the meteorite is dry, after a day or so, put the whole contraption in the freezer in order to stop bacteria growth in the meteorite.
Please check also other sources of information to make sure you are doing your utmost best preserving the meteorite against weathering.
Background
The fall: In the morning of 2012 April 22, at 7:51 PDT, a 2-4 meter sized near-earth asteroid collided with Earth over California's Sierra Nevada mountains. The rock was big enough to be considered a small world, of a size just a little smaller than the near-Earth asteroid that will one day be visited by humans. The impact created a bright fireball that was seen all over California and Nevada. When it penetrated deep enough in the atmosphere, the asteroid broke into many pieces. Big pieces were hard to slow down and kept going a while down range, landing first on the ground. The smaller pieces were quickly stopped by friction with the atmosphere and rained down to Earth after some time. A loud boom and rumble was heard in the mountains over a wide region centered south of Placerville, so loud that several kilotons of kinetic energy had to be released. NOAA-NWS-NEXRAD Doppler-radar sweeps over the area at different altitudes and times recorded meteorites of different size rain to the ground. Near Colama, El Dorado County, eye witnesses reported hearing the meteorites fly through the air shortly after. They landed in a wide area that includes Sutter's Mill, where the first gold was discovered by James Marshall in January of 1848. That discovery led to the worlds largest migration in history, known as the California Gold Rush.
The find: Two days after the meteorites landed on the ground, meteorite hunter Robert Ward found the first 5.5 gram meteorite along the entrance way to Henningsen-Lotus Park. Later that day, meteor astronomer Dr. Peter Jenniskens of the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center found a crushed 4 gram meteorite in the parking lot of that same park. A third meteorite was found by meteorite hunter Brien Cook. Rains in the following two days slowed the search, but after the rains a steady stream of meteorite recoveries were made.
Report your find: This website, maintained by Dr. Jenniskens, keeps an official tally of the recovered meteorites. Each recovered meteorite is given a number. By knowing the location of the meteorite in the strewn field, it is possible to relate the properties of the meteorites back to a position in the original asteroid. By using the numbers in publications and trade, thus keeping track of the find location, over time we will get a glimpse of the fascinating little world that collided with Earth.
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