Hypatia (stone)

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Hypatia is a small stone found in Egypt in 1996. It has been claimed to be both a meteorite [1] and kimberlite debris. [2] [3] It has also been claimed to be the first known specimen of a comet nucleus on Earth, although defying physically-accepted models for hypervelocity processing of organic material. [4] As of November 2023, Hypatia has not been officially classified as a meteorite in the Meteoritical Bulletin , which is tasked with recording all scientifically proven meteorites.

Contents

Discovery and name

Hypatia was discovered in December 1996 by Aly A. Barakat at 25°20′N25°30′E / 25.333°N 25.500°E / 25.333; 25.500 , directly in proximity to a dark, slag-like glassy material that was interpreted to be a form of Libyan desert glass. [5]

Hypatia's status as an extraterrestrial rock is widely accepted[ who? ]. The original sample was cut apart and sent to multiple labs for study, reducing its original size of approximately 30 grams to about four grams. [6]

The rock was named after Hypatia of Alexandria (c. 350–370 AD – 415 AD) – the philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, and inventor. [7] Assuming the Hypatia stone is a meteorite, such naming is in violation of the long-standing convention and regulation of naming meteorites, which states that "a new meteorite shall be named after a geographical locality near to the location of its initial recovery". [8]

Research

Tests done in South Africa by researchers Jan Kramers and Georgy Belyanin of the University of Johannesburg show that Hypatia contains microscopic diamonds. Due to the presence of several anomalous isotopic distributions unknown in prior association, some[ who? ] claim the Hypatia material is necessarily of extraterrestrial origin, although significant terrestrial contamination is dismissed by proponents[ who? ] as being impact-authigenic from incorporation of terrestrial atmosphere, the physics of which are unresolved[ who? ]. Further speculation from comparative summary statistical associations support that Hypatia is a relict fragment of the hypothetical impacting body assumed to have produced the chemically-dissimilar Libyan desert glass. [5] If the claimed association holds, Hypatia may have impacted Earth approximately 28 million years ago. [7] Its unusual chemistry has prompted further speculation that Hypatia may predate the formation of the Solar System.[ who? ]

In 2018 Georgy Belyanin, Jan Kramers, and colleagues found compounds including polyaromatic hydrocarbons and silicon carbide associated with a previously-unknown nickel phosphide compound. [9] Other observations supporting non-terrestrial origin for the Hypatia samples include ratios of silicon to carbon anti-correlated to terrestrial averages, or those of major planets like Mars or Venus. Some samples of interstellar dust overlap Hypatia distributions, although Hypatia's elemental chemistry also overlaps some terrestrial distributions. [10]

In 2022, Kramers and Andreoli proposed the hypothesis that the Hypatia stone represents the first evidence on Earth of a type Ia supernova explosion. [11]

As of November 2023, Jan Kramers appears to have been a co-author in all the scientific publications made on the Hypatia stone. [5] [9] [11] [1] [12] [13] No independent scientific studies have been conducted, either proving or disproving the claims in the above papers, starting from the extraterrestrial origin.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meteorite</span> Solid debris from outer space that hits a planetary surface

A meteorite is a rock that originated in outer space and has fallen to the surface of a planet or moon. When the original object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate energy. It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star; astronomers call the brightest examples "bolides". Once it settles on the larger body's surface, the meteor becomes a meteorite. Meteorites vary greatly in size. For geologists, a bolide is a meteorite large enough to create an impact crater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presolar grains</span> Very old dust in space

Presolar grains are interstellar solid matter in the form of tiny solid grains that originated at a time before the Sun was formed. Presolar grains formed within outflowing and cooling gases from earlier presolar stars. The study of presolar grains is typically considered part of the field of cosmochemistry and meteoritics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tektite</span> Gravel-sized glass beads formed from meteorite impacts

Tektites are gravel-sized bodies composed of black, green, brown or grey natural glass formed from terrestrial debris ejected during meteorite impacts. The term was coined by Austrian geologist Franz Eduard Suess (1867–1941), son of Eduard Suess. They generally range in size from millimetres to centimetres. Millimetre-scale tektites are known as microtektites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cosmochemistry</span> Study of the chemical composition of matter in the universe

Cosmochemistry or chemical cosmology is the study of the chemical composition of matter in the universe and the processes that led to those compositions. This is done primarily through the study of the chemical composition of meteorites and other physical samples. Given that the asteroid parent bodies of meteorites were some of the first solid material to condense from the early solar nebula, cosmochemists are generally, but not exclusively, concerned with the objects contained within the Solar System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micrometeorite</span> Meteoroid that survives Earths atmosphere

A micrometeorite is a micrometeoroid that has survived entry through the Earth's atmosphere. Usually found on Earth's surface, micrometeorites differ from meteorites in that they are smaller in size, more abundant, and different in composition. The IAU officially defines meteoroids as 30 micrometers to 1 meter; micrometeorites are the small end of the range (~submillimeter). They are a subset of cosmic dust, which also includes the smaller interplanetary dust particles (IDPs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orgueil (meteorite)</span> Meteorite found in France

Orgueil is a scientifically important carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell in southwestern France in 1864.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbonaceous chondrite</span> Class of chondritic meteorites

Carbonaceous chondrites or C chondrites are a class of chondritic meteorites comprising at least 8 known groups and many ungrouped meteorites. They include some of the most primitive known meteorites. The C chondrites represent only a small proportion (4.6%) of meteorite falls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murchison meteorite</span> Meteorite found in Victoria, Australia

The Murchison meteorite is a meteorite that fell in Australia in 1969 near Murchison, Victoria. It belongs to the carbonaceous chondrite class, a group of meteorites rich in organic compounds. Due to its mass and the fact that it was an observed fall, the Murchison meteorite is one of the most studied of all meteorites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan desert glass</span> Desert glass found in Libya and Egypt

Libyan desert glass or Great Sand Sea glass is an impactite, made mostly of lechatelierite, found in areas in the eastern Sahara, in the deserts of eastern Libya and western Egypt. Fragments of desert glass can be found over areas of tens of square kilometers. Like obsidian, it was knapped and used to make tools during the Pleistocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tagish Lake (meteorite)</span> Stony meteorite

The Tagish Lake meteorite fell at 16:43 UTC on 18 January 2000 in the Tagish Lake area in northwestern British Columbia, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kebira Crater</span> Circular feature in the Sahara

Kebira Crater is the name given to a circular topographic feature that was identified in 2007 by Farouk El-Baz and Eman Ghoneim using satellite imagery, Radarsat-1, and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data in the Sahara desert. This feature straddles the border between Egypt and Libya. The name of this feature is derived from the Arabic word for "large", and also from its location near the Gilf Kebir region in southwest Egypt. Based solely on their interpretations of the remote sensing data, they argue that this feature is an exceptionally large, double-ringed, extraterrestrial impact crater. They suggest that the crater's original appearance has been obscured by wind and water erosion over time. Finally, they speculated that this feature might be the source of the yellow-green silica glass fragments, known as "Libyan desert glass", that can be found across part of Egypt's Libyan Desert. They neither conducted any fieldwork at this feature nor studied any samples collected from it. However, the Kebira Crater is currently not listed in the Earth Impact Database. Field trips to investigate the feature have found no supporting evidence. The "central uplift" clearly retains the horizontal bedding of the surrounding sandstone tableland, providing clear evidence against a possible impact origin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australasian strewnfield</span> Strewnfield containing most of Australasia

The Australasian strewnfield is the youngest and largest of the tektite strewnfields, with recent estimates suggesting it might cover 10%–30% of the Earth's surface. Research indicates that the impact forming the tektites occurred around 788,000 years ago, most likely in Southeast Asia. The probable location of the crater is unknown and has been the subject of multiple competing hypotheses.

The presence of water on the terrestrial planets of the Solar System varies with each planetary body, with the exact origins remaining unclear. Additionally, the terrestrial dwarf planet Ceres is known to have water ice on its surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allende meteorite</span> CV3 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite

The Allende meteorite is the largest carbonaceous chondrite ever found on Earth. The fireball was witnessed at 01:05 on February 8, 1969, falling over the Mexican state of Chihuahua. After it broke up in the atmosphere, an extensive search for pieces was conducted and over 2 tonnes were recovered. The availability of large quantities of samples of the scientifically important chondrite class has enabled numerous investigations by many scientists; it is often described as "the best-studied meteorite in history." The Allende meteorite has abundant, large calcium–aluminium-rich inclusions (CAI), which are among the oldest objects formed in the Solar System.

CI chondrites, also called C1 chondrites or Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrites, are a group of rare carbonaceous chondrite, a type of stony meteorite. They are named after the Ivuna meteorite, the type specimen. CI chondrites have been recovered in France, Canada, India, and Tanzania. Their overall chemical composition closely resembles the elemental composition of the Sun, more so than any other type of meteorite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australite</span>

Australites are tektites found in Australia. They are mostly dark or black, and have shapes including discs and bowls that are not seen in other tektites. NASA used the shape of "flanged button" australites in designing re-entry modules for the Apollo program in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tissint meteorite</span>

The Tissint meteorite is a Martian meteorite that fell in Tata Province in the Guelmim-Es Semara region of Morocco on July 18, 2011. Tissint is the fifth Martian meteorite that people have witnessed falling to Earth, and the first since 1962. Pieces of the meteorite are on display at several museums, including the Museum of Natural History of Vienna and the Natural History Museum in London.

This is a glossary of terms used in meteoritics, the science of meteorites.

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References

  1. 1 2 Avice, G.; Marty, B.; Meier, M. M. M.; Wieler, R; Zimmermann, L.; Andreoli, M. A. G.; Kramers, J. D. (March 2015). "Nitrogen and Noble Gases in a Diamond-Bearing Pebble from SW Egypt" (PDF). 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (1832). Lunar and Planetary Institute: 1312. Bibcode:2015LPI....46.1312A.
  2. ↑ Brügge, Norbert (6 February 2021). "A not credible message about the discovery of extra-terrestrial material in the Egyptian desert (Libyan Desert Glass area)". Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Brügge, Norbert (26 May 2020). "What tell us the finds of carbon and diamonds in the LDG, other glassy melts and breccias in the Silica-strewnfield in the Egyptian Great Sand Sea". Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "Libyan desert glass: Diamond-Bearing Pebble Provides Evidence of Comet Striking Earth". sci-news.com, 8 October 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Kramers, Jan D; Andreoli, Marco A.G; Atanasova, Maria; Belyanin, Georgy A; Block, David L; Franklyn, Chris; Harris, Chris; Lekgoathi, Mpho; Montross, Charles S; Ntsoane, Tshepo; Pischedda, Vittoria; Segonyane, Patience; Viljoen, K.S. (Fanus); Westraadt, Johan E (2013). "Unique chemistry of a diamond-bearing pebble from the Libyan Desert Glass strewnfield, SW Egypt: Evidence for a shocked comet fragment". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 382: 21–31. Bibcode:2013E&PSL.382...21K. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2013.09.003.
  6. ↑ See Barakat: "The specimen is of a shiny grey-black colour and irregular shape. It measures roughly 3.5 x 3.2 x 2.1 cm and weights about 30 grams"; Pappas, Stephanie (January 18, 2018). "Out-of-This-World Diamond-Studded Rock Just Got Even Weirder". Live Science. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Collins, Tim (2018-01-12). "Incredible diamond-studded 'alien' rock has minerals not found anywhere in our star system". NZ Herald. ISSN   1170-0777 . Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  8. ↑ Committee on Meteorite Nomenclature (March 2019). "Guidelines for Meteorite Nomenclature" (PDF). The Meteoritical Society. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  9. 1 2 Belyanin, Georgy A.; Kramers, Jan D.; Andreoli, Marco A. G.; Greco, Francesco; Gucsik, Arnold; Makhubela, Tebogo V.; Przybylowicz, Wojciech J.; Wiedenbeck, Michael (2018-02-15). "Petrography of the carbonaceous, diamond-bearing stone "Hypatia" from southwest Egypt: A contribution to the debate on its origin". Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 223: 462–492. Bibcode:2018GeCoA.223..462B. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2017.12.020. ISSN   0016-7037.
  10. ↑ 2018 Journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 223 462. (Quotation from CERN Courier March 2018)
  11. 1 2 Kramers et al. (2022). "The chemistry of the extraterrestrial carbonaceous stone "Hypatia": A perspective on dust heterogeneity in interstellar space". Icarus. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  12. ↑ Andreoli, M. A. G.; Przybylowicz, W. J.; Kramers, J.; Belyanin, G.; Westraadt, J.; Bamford, M.; Mesjasz-Przybylowicz, J.; Venter, A. (2015-11-15). "PIXE micro-mapping of minor elements in Hypatia, a diamond bearing carbonaceous stone from the Libyan Desert Glass area, Egypt: Inheritance from a cold molecular cloud?". Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. 14th International Conference on Particle Induced X-ray Emission. 363: 79–85. Bibcode:2015NIMPB.363...79A. doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2015.09.008. ISSN   0168-583X.
  13. ↑ Avice, Guillaume; Meier, Matthias M. M.; Marty, Bernard; Wieler, Rainer; Kramers, Jan D.; Langenhorst, Falko; Cartigny, Pierre; Maden, Colin; Zimmermann, Laurent; Andreoli, Marco A. G. (2015-12-15). "A comprehensive study of noble gases and nitrogen in "Hypatia", a diamond-rich pebble from SW Egypt". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 432: 243–253. arXiv: 1510.06594 . Bibcode:2015E&PSL.432..243A. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2015.10.013. ISSN   0012-821X.
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