M.Sc. / This dissertation deals with meteorites, but from a few different perspectives. As of 2000, there are 49 known meteorites that have been recovered from South Africa, including the new Merweville chondrite, which is first described and classified here. This represents only about 1.5% of worldwide falls and finds. Perhaps because of the relatively small number of specimens, and a possible resulting drop in interest amongst the scientific community, research on extant South African meteorites has declined in recent years. In this study, new results are presented for two South African meteorites, the Malvern howardite, and the newly recovered Merweville chondrite. In addition, South African public knowledge and awareness of meteorites and planetary sciences is discussed, and remedial recommendations are made. The Malvern howardite is a rare type of polymictbreccia. New petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical studies of clasts reveal an abundance of impact-melt clasts, with lesser amounts of cataclastic, granoblastic and metal and sulphide-rich clasts. The matrix of Malvern is dominated by comminuted pyroxene, very likely derived from mechanical degradation of pre-existing, pyroxene-richimpact-meltclasts. Chondritic clasts, including carbonaceous chondrites, have been reported in similar howardites (e.g. Washougal, Jodzie and Kapoeta); such clasts were searched for, but not found in our specimens of Malvern. To investigate the social impact of meteorite studies, a survey of Grade 11 and 12 pupils and first year university students in South Africa was undertaken to determine their level of literacy, interest and awareness of meteorites and planetary sciences. Students in Johannesburg and Cape Town were chosen to represent different societal sectors, including school students from disadvantaged and advantaged communities. The results indicate that learners with poor results in awareness and literacy are still very keen on the subject. The advantaged learners outperformed their disadvantaged colleagues in most categories, proving that the discrepancy between them is still a factor and should be dealt with, but only 20% of all students asked have visited a museum before. Based on these results, it is recommended that much more emphasis be put on science and technology in South African schools. Taking learners to science and natural history museums or associated institutions are also very important in generating interest.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:3280 |
| Date | 28 August 2012 |
| Creators | Laubscher, Stephan Adriaan Ballot |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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