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Organisationseinheit der BAM
On April 23rd 2013 at 2:07 a.m., a 1.3 kg meteorite fell in the Braunschweig suburb Melverode (52° 13′ 32.19″ N. 10° 31′ 11.60″ E). Its estimated velocity was 250 km/h and it formed an impact pit in the concrete fall site with a diameter of 7 cm and a depth of 3 cm. Radial dust striae are present around the impact pit. As a result of the impact, the meteorite disintegrated into several hundred fragments with masses up to 214 g. The meteorite is a typical L6 chondrite, moderately shocked (S4) – but with a remarkably high porosity (up to 20 vol%). The meteorite was ejected from its parent body as an object with a radius of about 10–15 cm (15–50 kg). The U,Th-He gas retention age of ∼550 Ma overlaps with the main impact event on the L-chondrite parent body ∼470 Ma ago that is recorded by many shocked L chondrites. The preferred cosmic-ray exposure age derived from production of radionuclides and noble gas isotopes is (6.0 ± 1.3) Ma.
Terrestrial mud volcanoes are unique structures driven by tectonic pressure and fluids from the deep subsurface. These structures are mainly found in active tectonic zones, such as the area near the Los Bajos Fault in Trinidad. Here we report a chemical and microbiological characterization of three mud volcanoes, which included analyses of multiple liquid and solid samples from the mud volcanoes. Our study confirms previous suggestions that at least some of the mud volcano fluids are a mixture of deeper salt-rich water and surficial/precipitation water. No apparent water quality differences were found between sampling sites north and south of a major geological fault line. Microbiological analyses revealed diverse communities, both aerobic and anaerobic, including sulfate reducers, methanogens, carbon dioxide fixing and denitrifying bacteria. Several identified species were halophilic and likely derived from the deeper salt-rich subsurface water, while we also cultivated pathogenic species from the Vibrionaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Shewanellaceae, and Clostridiaceae. These microorganisms were likely introduced into the mud volcano fluids both from surface water or shallow ground-water, and perhaps to a more minor degree by rain water. The identified pathogens are a major health concern that needs to be addressed.