Heredia meteorite, San Pablo Canton, Heredia Province, Costa Ricai

Regional Level Types
Heredia meteorite	Meteorite Fall Location
San Pablo Canton	Canton
Heredia Province	Province
Costa Rica	Country

Ordinary chondrite, brecciated (H5,br)
Fall, 1 April 1857; 1 kg

An unusually bright nighttime bolide, flashing at times, and accompanied by detonations and clouds of smoke was seen. Many stones were found, but apparently, only the largest stone was preserved (~1 kg). The interior of the meteorite is mostly a motley of variously colored gray and brownish regions interrupted by moderately large silicate-rich clasts, occasional relic chondrules, and tiny flecks of Fe-Ni metal. Brecciation is evident and the meteorite is also gas-rich. Olivine (Fa18)and Ca-rich pyroxene ('bronzite') are characteristic of the H-chondrite geochemical group. Mineralogically, the meteorite consists primarily of olivine and pyroxene accompanied by smaller amounts of plagioclase, troilite, and Fe-Ni metal. While accessory chromite, copper, schreibersite, and minor sulfides are also reported the meteorite does not seem to have received extensive petrographic attention (at least in English). Veining and extensive brecciation were accompanied, presumably, by at least moderate levels of shock. Chronological studies have, however, been made and a cosmic ray exposure age (CRE) of 11.1 Ma is reported.

The H-group chondrites represent over 35% of all well-classified, witnessed falls. Heredia itself was the 25th witnessed fall classified exactly as an 'H5' — a subgroup that now contains 174 members (as of early 2017). Heredia is also the only confirmed meteorite fall from Costa Rica. Approximately half of the large stone was obtained by the University of Göttingen with 410 g remaining in 2004.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References