| Abstract: | The meteoritic community has been tantalized by reports of extensive meteorite finds in Antarctica by members of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. The National Institute of Polar Research has published this introduction and review of the Yamato meteorites collected in Antarctica in 1969. This welcome review reveals that nine meteorite fragments of meteoritic material were found in the region of the Yamato Mountains. Four pieces greater than 60 g in weight have been identified as an enstatite chondrite, a hypersthene achondrite, a type III carbonaceous chondrite and a bronzite chondrite. In 1973 eleven additional suspected meteorites were recovered. Preliminary results show that three bronzite chondrites and one achondrite are among the new finds. In 1974 over 600 pieces of meteorite-like rock have been collected. The volume contains five articles on the original 1969 material. These include a general discussion on their discovery including photographs of the individuals, and notes on the chemical, mineralogical and petrological characteristics of the four large samples. Two articles deal with detailed mineralogic and magnetic properties of these specimens. Information on these interesting finds is welcome. Information on the 1969 and 1974 material is anxiously awaited. |
