driven into the surrounding trees, embedding themselves. Composition and classification The Sikhote-Alin meteorite is classified as an iron meteorite belonging to the meteorite group IIAB and with a coarse octahedrite structure. It is composed of approximately 93% iron, 5.9% nickel, 0.42% cobalt, 0.46% phosphorus, and 0.28% sulfur, with trace amounts of germanium and iridium. Minerals present include taenite, plessite, troilite, chromite, kamacite, and schreibersite. Specimens Specimens of the Sikhote-Alin Meteorite are basically of two types: individual, thumbprinted or regmaglypted specimens, showing fusion crust and signs of atmospheric ablation shrapnel or fragmented specimens, sharp-edged pieces of torn metal showing evidence of violent fragmentation The first type probably broke off the main object early in the descent. These pieces are characterized by regmaglypts (cavities resembling thumb prints) in the surface of each specimen. The second type are fragments which were either torn apart during the atmospheric explosions or blasted apart upon impact on the frozen ground. Most were probably the result of the explosion at altitude. A large specimen is on display in Moscow. Many other specimens are held by Russian Academy of Science and many smaller specimens exist in the collectors' market. See also Glossary of meteoritics Meteorite Meteorite fall Chelyabinsk Meteor List of meteor air bursts References External links Meteorites found in Russia Primorsky Krai Modern Earth impact events Holocene impact craters Geography of Russia 1947 in science 1947 in the Soviet Union meteorite