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Achondritic stony meteorite From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eucrites are achondritic stony meteorites, many of which originate from the surface of the asteroid 4 Vesta and are part of the HED meteorite clan. They are the most common achondrite group with over 100 meteorites found.
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| Eucrite | |
|---|---|
| — Group — | |
 Stannern eucrite, found in the Czech Republic. | |
| Compositional type | Stony |
| Type | Achondrite |
| Class | Asteroidal achondrite |
| Clan | HED meteorite |
| Subgroups |
|
| Parent body | 4 Vesta and others |
| Composition | Basaltic rock, mostly Calcium-poor pyroxene, pigeonite, and Calcium-rich plagioclase (anorthite) |
| Total known specimens | >100 |
 GRA98033 a brecciated eucrite about 5 cm across, found in the Graves Nunataks region of Antarctica. | |
Eucrites consist of basaltic rock from the crust of 4 Vesta or a similar parent body. They are mostly composed of calcium-poor pyroxene, pigeonite, and calcium-rich plagioclase (anorthite).[1]
Based on differences of chemical composition and features of the component crystals, they are subdivided into several groups:[2]
Eucrites get their name from the Greek word eukritos meaning "easily distinguished". This refers to the silicate minerals in them, which can be easily distinguished because of their relatively large grain size.
Eucrite is also a now obsolete term for bytownite-gabbro, an igneous rock formed in the Earth's crust. The term was used as a rock type name for some of the Paleogene igneous rocks of Scotland.[3]
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