A RECENT FIELD CAMPAIGN TO RECOVER METEORITES DETECTED BY THE METEORITE OBSERVATION AND RECOVERY PROGRAM

Abstract. In the fall of 1998 and spring of 1999 a team of researchers conducted systematic ground searches of predicted meteoritefall sites across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The locations of the fall sites were determined from analysis of fireball eventsrecorded by the Meteorite Observation and Recovery Project, which operated across central Canada from 1971 to 1985. The best 10 ofthe approximately 79 sites where meteorites are strongly suspected to have fallen were searched by ground-based teams. The two bestsites were revisited in the spring of 1999. The search teams walked approximately 800 linear kilometres in total and searched nearly4,000,000 square metres. Approximately 60 samples, which may be meteoritic, were recovered during these campaigns. Examinationsof these samples suggest that they are probably not meteorites, but more detailed analysis of two candidates is ongoing.Resume. Durant l’automne de 1998 et le pr intemps de 1999 un g roupe de chercheurs a entrepris une recherche systematique de terrainsau Manitoba, en Saskatchewan et en Alberta sur lesquels des chutes de meteorites avaient ete prevues. L’emplacement de ces sites dechutes a ete et abli selon l ’analyse des evenemen ts de bolides enr egistres par le Meteorite Obser vation and Recovery Project, en operationa travers le Canada central durant les annees 1971 a 1985. Les dix meilleurs sites des 79 reconnus comme etant des sites tres probablesde telles chutes de meteor ites ont ete examines a pied par des cher cheurs sur le ter rain. Les deux meilleurs sites ont ete visites de nouveauau printemps 1999. Les groupes de chercheurs ont marche quelque 800 kilometres lineaires en tout et ont examine de pres quelques 4000 000 metres carres. Environ 60 echantillons, qui pourraient etre des meteorites, ont ete recueillis durant ces recherches. L’analyse deces examplaires indique qu’ils ne sont tout probablement pas des meteorites, mais un examen plus detaille de deux des echantillons sepoursuit. SEM