Abstract

The strewn field can be defined interpreting the characteristics of the different fragments of the meteoroid belonging to the same fall event. We present the study of a multiple meteorite fall discovered in 1986 by private collectors in Pampa de Mejillones, in northern Chile. The meteorite, Pampa-A, was classified as an Ordinary Chondrite type L6 / S4 / W2, and is composed of 16 fragments, 14 of which correspond to the same fall event. They were paired according to their physical, petrographic and / or chemical characteristics. The shape of the ellipse covers an area of 1.5 x 0.5 km Based in the dispersion of the fragments on the surface we can infer an entry from the NW to the SE with a dip of 106◦ from the north. For estimating the pre-atmospheric size of the meteoroid we assumed spherical shape and a loss of material duo to the ablation between 90% and 99% of its initial weight. Therefore the diameter of the meteoroid was estimated at 16.7 cm and 36 cm, respectively. This should be consider the minimum estimated diameter as some fragments can remained not found or not reported in the fall area.