List of Contents

Foreword

1 Cosmic dust - interplanetary dust particles
The smallest meteoroids - interplanetary dust particles (IDP's)
Meteors
Harvesting interplanetary dust particles in the space environment
To touch a star
A final word
References

2 The fall of meteorites
Orbits of meteoroids
Characteristics of a meteoroid's atmospheric passage
Meteoroids to meteorites: a lesson in survival
References

3 External morphology of meteorites
Some general characteristics
Weathering of meteorites
Terrestrial lifetimes of meteorites
"Fossil' meteorites
References

4 Classification of meteorites: a historical viewpoint
The early years
The Rose-Tschermak-Brezina classification
The Prior classification
References

5 Primitive meteorites: the chondrites
Petrologic-chemical classification of the chondrites
Chemical classification of the chondrites
The Van Schmus-Wood criteria for the petrologic-chemical classification of chondrites
Shock metamorphism and shock stage classification
Brecciated chondrites
References

6 Chondrites: a closer look
Chondrites density and porosity
Chondrules
The other chondrites
Summary
References

7 Primitive meteorites: the carbonaceous chondrites
Ordinary vs carbonaceous chondrites
Carbonaceous chondrite groups
Organic carbon
Summary
References

8 Differentiated meteorites: the achondrites
Major characteristics of differentiated meteorites
Differentiation
Fractional crystallization and the igneous process
Asteroidal achondrites
Primitive achondrites
Matrian meteorites - the SNC group
Lunar meteorites - lunaites
References

9 Differentiated meteorites: irons and stony-irons
Mineralogy of meteoritic iron-nickel
Classification of iron meteorites
Chemical vs structural classification
Silicate inclusions in iron meteorites
Cooling the core
Stony-irons: the pallasites
Metallic inclusions in iron meteorites
References

10 Meteorites and the early solar system
Radioisotopes - some basics
Decay constant and half-life In the beginning
The age of the Solar System
References

11 Asteroid parent bodies
The asteroid belt
Asteroids as parent bodies
Matching meteorites with parent asteroids
Physical characteristics of asteroids
Finale: NEAR encounter with 433 Eros
References

12 Terrestrial impact craters
An impact crater misjudged
Impact cratering in the Solar System
Mechanism of impact craters
Morphology of impact craters
Criteria of the definitive recognition of terrestrial impact structures
Catastrophic impacts on Earth
References

Appendices
Glossary
General index
Meteorite index