Abstract:

China has successfully recovered 12 665 meteorites in the previous seven expeditions to the Grove Mountain region of Antarctica, unarguably demonstrating that the Grove Mountains are a meteorite concentration area. However, meteorites recovered from the Grove Mountains display larger numbers, lower average weights and smaller proportions of specific types of meteorites compared with other meteorite concentration areas in Antarctica. A total of 9 802 meteorites (106.5 kg) were collected in the third and fourth Grove Mountains expeditions, accounting for 77.4% and 82.5% of the total amount and weight, respectively. Then, the number and weight of meteorites recovered in the Grove Mountain region continually decreased from 1 618(17.1 kg) to ~600 (~2.0 kg)in the following three missions. Compared with mature meteorite concentration areas in Antarctica, the ice flow rate of the Grove Mountains is fast, the flow direction is complex, the crevasses of glacier are well developed, and the prevailing easterly wind in summer is strong, which may be the reasons for the relative enrichment of meteorite fragments in the Grove Mountains. However, the data of ablation rates of blue ice, glacier velocity, and annual meteorological conditions are insufficient. Therefore, it is of great significance to collect glacier change and meteorological data as soon as possible and to establish a model of the meteorite concentration mechanism in the Grove Mountains for reasonable planning of meteorite scientific expeditions to the Grove Mountains and the exploration of new meteorite concentration areas.

Key words:

"> Antarctica, Grove Mountains, meteorite recovery, research progress, concentration mechanism

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