SAASST hosts seminar on meteorite science

The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah has hosted a research seminar titled “In Search of Meteorites: From Antarctic Ice to Desert Sands,” bringing together a distinguished group of experts and researchers in planetary and meteorite sciences from the UAE and abroad.

Opening the event, Maryam Sharif, head of the SAASST’s meteorite laboratory, welcomed participants and underscored the importance of the seminar as part of the academy’s mission to foster scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange in meteorite studies.

Sharif noted that these studies are pivotal for understanding the origins and evolution of the solar system.

The laboratory, she added, houses a remarkable collection of around 8,000 meteorite fragments and impact rocks, one of the largest in the region.

This collection serves as a resource for both researchers and students, allowing for in-depth scientific analysis while also promoting public awareness of meteorites and space debris.

Dr Ludovic Ferrière, Curator of Geology and Meteorites at the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi, delivered a presentation titled “What Are Meteorites and What Can We Learn from Them?”

He explored the nature, classification, and scientific value of meteorites in the study of the formation of the different planets and other celestial bodies. He also addressed the challenges of preserving meteorites in hot and humid climates and highlighted the importance of establishing national programs dedicated to their collection, preservation, and documentation in research institutions.

Dr Ioannis Baziotis, Associate Professor at the Agricultural University of Athens, shared his experience in a talk titled “Searching for the Building Blocks of Our Solar System in Antarctica with the ANSMET Expedition.”

He spoke about his work with NASA’s long-running Antarctic Search for Meteorites program, which has been collecting specimens from the icy continent for over four decades. Harsh cold and stable ice conditions, he explained, keep meteorites in near-pristine condition, making them ideal for scientific examination. He also outlined the diverse types and classifications of meteorites recovered during these expeditions.

WAM