Rare Martian Meteorite Arrives in Belgium
Belgian researchers are preparing to study Asuka 12325, a rare Martian meteorite discovered in Antarctica during the 2012-2013 Japanese-Belgian Antarctic campaign. This remarkable find, made possible by BELSPO funding and logistical support from the International Polar Foundation, offers an unprecedented opportunity to investigate Mars’s volcanic history and geological evolution.
Belgian researchers are preparing to study Asuka 12325, a rare Martian meteorite discovered in Antarctica during the 2012-2013 Japanese-Belgian Antarctic campaign. This remarkable find, made possible by BELSPO funding and logistical support from the International Polar Foundation, offers an unprecedented opportunity to investigate Mars’s volcanic history and geological evolution.
Asuka 12325 is a shergottite-type meteorite, formed from Martian volcanic rock, and is one of only 209 Martian meteorites known on Earth. Belgian scientists from ULB and VUB, including Vinciane Debaille, Steven Goderis, and Philippe Claeys, will analyze the meteorite to determine its age and study its deeper rock fragments. These insights could shed light on Mars’s volcanic activity and geological history over the past 150 million years. The meteorite’s discovery and transport were made possible through logistical support from the International Polar Foundation, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in planetary science.
The full story and detailed research insights are available here at knack.be!
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