description Shalka Overview
Shalka is a diogenite meteorite that fell in Bihar, India, in 1850. Diogenites belong to the HED clan of differentiated achondrites and consist largely of magnesium-rich orthopyroxene, representing igneous material formed within the crust of a differentiated parent body. HED meteorites are commonly linked to asteroid 4 Vesta, making Shalka relevant to studies of deep crustal processes on that body.
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What type of meteorite is Shalka?
Shalka is classified as a diogenite, a type of differentiated achondrite consisting largely of magnesium-rich orthopyroxene. Diogenites belong to the HED clan of meteorites, which are linked to the asteroid Vesta.
When and where did the Shalka meteorite fall?
The Shalka meteorite fell in Bihar, India, in 1850. It is one of the older documented diogenite falls and has been studied since the 19th century.
Are diogenites like Shalka connected to the asteroid Vesta?
Yes, the HED meteorite clan—howardites, eucrites, and diogenites—is widely believed to originate from the asteroid Vesta. Shalka, as a diogenite, represents deep crustal igneous material from this differentiated parent body.
What does Shalka's mineral composition reveal?
Shalka consists predominantly of orthopyroxene, indicating it formed from slow crystallization of magma within the crust of a differentiated asteroid. This coarse-grained texture distinguishes diogenites from the finer-grained eucrites in the HED clan.
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