Meteorites, Asteroids and the Age and Origin of the Solar System

Abstract

In the previous chapter, we discussed sporadic meteors and meteor showers and indicated that some of the former and most of the latter likely originate from comets. Here we discuss the source of the other meteors, especially those that survive their fiery passage through the atmosphere and impact the Earth. These meteorites have become a primary source of knowledge about the age and origin of the solar system. Another important source is the increasing number of small bodies being detected in both the inner and the outer solar system, so we will also describe what has been learned about these objects in recent years. Finally we consider the birth of the solar system in the context of what we know about proto-stellar disks.