THE LEEDEY, OKLAHOMA, CHONDRITE - FALL, PETROLOGY, CHEMISTRY AND AN UNUSUAL FE,NI-FES INCLUSION

The Leedey, Oklahoma, meteorite shower fell on 1943 November 25, follo wing a fireball which was visible across much of southwestern Oklahoma and northcentral Texas. The shower produced 24 stones with a total ma ss of similar to 51.5 kg. The stones formed a strewnfield similar to 1 8 km in length in the same direction as the observed path of the meteo r (N50 degrees W). Leedey is classified as an L6(S3) ordinary chondrit e. We report bulk major element chemical analyses from four separate l aboratories. Leedey contains an unusual 6 by 8 mm composite Fe,Ni-FeS grain, which is composed of a 3 mm kamacite grain adjacent to a 5 mm t roilite grain. A 50-100 mu m rim of high-Ni (45-55 wt%) taenite (tetra taenite) occurs at the boundary between kamacite and troilite. A singl e, zoned pyrophanite grain is observed at the boundary between the inc lusion troilite and host silicates. An origin as a foreign particle in corporated after metamorphism or during impact melting appears unlikel y. This particle likely formed by a complex set of processes, includin g melting in the nebula, parent body metamorphism and reheating by lat er shock, mirroring the history of the host chondrite.