This Earth Cache will give you an interesting insight in meteorite geology. 70km south-west of Mbeya in the Mbozi district in southern Tanzania. Entrance fee varies, approx. 1000TSH. Please bring enough drinking water on your journey!
Please bring a small magnet!
Introduction
A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from a source such as an asteroid or a comet, which originates in outer space and survives its impact with the Earth's surface. It is called a meteoroid before its impact. A meteorite's size can range from small to extremely large. When a meteoroid enters the atmosphere, friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate that energy, thus forming a fireball, also known as a meteor or shooting/falling star. This meteorite is named "Mbosi". It is the the sixth largest meteorite in the world (other ratings: between 4th to 8th largest). It is not known when it fell on earth, the legend says this was about 1000 years ago. Detected by a Zambian and local people for a long time, scientists became aware of it in the 1930s.
Types of Meteorites
Scientist have classified meteorite in three groups as follows: Aerolites (Stones), Siderolites (Stony-irons) and Siderites (Iron). The Mbozi meteorite "Mbosi" is Siderites or Iron. Iron meteorites are meteorites that consist overwhelmingly of an iron–nickel alloy known as meteoric iron that usually consists of two mineral phases: kamacite and taenite. Iron meteorites originate from planetary cores of planetesimals. The iron found in iron meteorites was one of the earliest sources of usable iron available to humans, before the development of smelting that signaled the beginning of the iron age.
Mbosi meteorite characteristics
Mbosi consists of: Iron 90.45%, Nickel 8.69%, Copper 0.66%, Phosphorus 0.15%, Sulphur 0.01%,
Size: It is 3 metres (9.8 ft) long, 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) high, and weighs an estimated 16 metric tons (16 long tons; 18 short tons)
Log requirements:
Send an email to opernball@yahoo.de answering all of the following questions:
1. Name the 3 different types of meteorites that we find on earth
2. Which is the biggest meteorite found on earth?
3. What does Mbosi meteorite mainly consist of? Check if it is magnetic and send me your answer
4. Can you find rust or do meteorites not rust at all? Explain your answer!
5. How many holes bigger than your hand can you find? Where do you think this/these hole(s) come(s) from?
6. Knock on the Mbosi meteorite with your finger. How does it sound like? Why is this?
If you like take a picture of you in front (or on) Mbosi and attach it to your log.
Sources and further reading:
Mbosi description from the University of Hawaii, Manoa: (pdf) http://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10524/35693/vol2-Mb-Mej%28LO%29.pdf#page=2
