Crossword clues for achondrite
achondrite
The Collaborative International Dictionary
achondrite \achondrite\ n. 1. a stony meteor lacking chondrules.
Wiktionary
n. Any stony meteorite that contains no chondrules
WordNet
n. a stony meteor lacking chondrules
Wikipedia
An achondrite is a stony meteorite that does not contain chondrules. It consists of material similar to terrestrial basalts or plutonic rocks and has been differentiated and reprocessed to a lesser or greater degree due to melting and recrystallization on or within meteorite parent bodies. As a result, achondrites have distinct textures and mineralogies indicative of igneous processes.
Achondrites account for about 8% of meteorites overall, and the majority (about two thirds) of them are HED meteorites, possibly originating from the crust of asteroid 4 Vesta. Other types include Martian, Lunar, and several types thought to originate from as-yet unidentified asteroids. These groups have been determined on the basis of e.g. the Fe/ Mn chemical ratio and the O/O oxygen isotope ratios, thought to be characteristic "fingerprints" for each parent body.
Usage examples of "achondrite".
Vesta resembles a kind of meteorite called a basaltic achondrite, while 16 Psyche and 22 Kalliope appear to be largely iron.
Divert all scanners to the asteroids and analyze anything that isn’t chondrites, achondrites, silicates, or metallic iron.