- Industry: Astronomy
- Number of terms: 6727
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Planetary Science Research Discoveries (PSRD) is an educational site sharing the latest research by NASA-sponsored scientists on meteorites, asteroids, planets, moons, and other materials in our Solar System. The website is supported by the Cosmochemistry Program of NASA's Science Mission ...
The scientific study of rocks. This is the field within geology that focuses on the origin, occurrence, formation, structure, and composition of mineral assemblages, and classification of rocks.
Industry:Astronomy
An element with atomic number 26; symbol: Fe. Iron is one of the most abundant elements in the rocky planets. It is the most abundant element in the metallic cores of the inner planets.
Industry:Astronomy
Study of layered rock to understand the sequence of geological events. Normally, older layers are on the bottom unless the sequence has been overturned or disrupted.
Industry:Astronomy
A natural solid object (metallic or stony/silicate) larger than 10 µm (microns) that has traveled through space, by natural means from the celestial body on which it formed, and has landed on Earth or other planetary body or artificial body/satellite (larger than itself). Most meteorites come from asteroids, but a small number found on Earth come from the Moon (see Lunar meteorites) or Mars (see Martian meteorites). Meteorite types include: iron, stony iron, chondrite, carbonaceous chondrite, and achondrite. A primitive meteorite is defined as a chondrite that experienced minimal heating and aqueous alteration on its parent asteroid. Primitive meteorites have the highest concentrations of presolar grains. (See "Meteors, Meteorites, and Impacts" from The Eight Planets website. ) Meteorites between 10 µm (microns) and 2 mm in size are called "micrometeorites. " Meteorites collected on Earth are named for the location where they are found.
Industry:Astronomy
General term to describe the process of mass movement (or avalanche) of material downslope by falling, sliding, or flowing, under the force of gravity. It also describes the landform (pile of debris) produced.
Industry:Astronomy
An element with atomic number 2; symbol: He. It is the second most common element in the Sun and outer planets, but rare on the rocky planets.
Industry:Astronomy
A course-grained igneous rock consisting largely of the mineral olivine.
Industry:Astronomy
The immense cloud of gas and particles of floating cosmic dust from which our Solar System (Sun and planets) condensed 4. 6 billion years ago.
Industry:Astronomy
A thin slice or rock, usually only 30 micrometers thick. Thin sections are used to study rocks with a microscope.
Industry:Astronomy
