Gupeiite Body in the Siberian Taiga (the Zone of Passage of the Tunguska Meteorite and the Vitim Bollid)

Abstract

Many years have passed since the two cosmic bodies of the Tunguska meteorite and the Vitim bollid fell to Earth, but so far the substance of these bodies has not been found on Earth. Therefore, each metal body found on the territory of their passage is of particular interest. The body of iron silicide weighing 12 kg was studied, which was accidentally discovered by a hunter of the village of Kyker in the Siberian taiga on the right bank of the Nercha River, Tungokochensky district, Trans-Baikal Territory. Coordinates of the place of discovery are: 53º19'N lat, 116º19'E long. The territory is located in the zone of the passage of the Tunguska meteorite and the Vitim bollid, 25 km from the hunting village of Green Lake. The body is named “Ilekta” after the nearest stream flowing into the Nercha River. The composition and magnetic properties of the exotic find have been determined. It is established that its main mass is composed of iron silicide, gupesiite Fe3Si (zussite?) and contains inclusions of needle-like rhabdite. On the surface, the body is covered with a melting crust, with signs of boiling, a bubbly structure and a film of clay minerals of terrestrial origin. In the molten porous crust, eutectic-schreibersite-gupeiite is observed, and rare titanium carbide crystals are also noted. The magnetic susceptibility of the samples is not uniform (286.6 - 461.8 10-6E-06 m3/kg). It is assumed that a drop of melt separated from the flying space body, and experienced overheating and boiling of the surface layer in the dense layers of the atmosphere.