Meteorite classification

Meteorites are classified according to a variety of characteristics, especially mineralogical, petrological, chemical, and isotopic properties.

There is no single, standardized terminology used in meteorite classification; however, commonly used terms for categories include types, classes, clans, groups, and subgroups.

Similarly classified meteorites may share a common origin, and therefore may come from the same astronomical object (such as a planet, asteroid, or moon) known as a parent body.

These categories have been in use since at least the early 19th century but do not have much genetic significance; they are simply a traditional and convenient way of grouping specimens.

The iron meteorites were traditionally divided into objects with similar internal structures (octahedrites, hexahedrites, and ataxites), but these terms are now used for purely descriptive purposes and have given way to modern chemical groups.

[11] George Thurland Prior further improved the classification based on mineralogical and chemical data,[12][13] introducing the terms mesosiderite, lodranite and enstatite chondrite.