L chondrite
| L chondrite | |
|---|---|
| — Group — | |
NWA 869, an L4-6 chondrite | |
| Type | Chondrite |
| Structural classification | ? |
| Class | Ordinary chondrite |
| Subgroups |
|
| Parent body | Possibly 433 Eros, 8 Flora or the Flora family as a whole |
| Composition | Olivine (characteristic fayalite (Fa) of 21 to 25 mol%), hypersthene (an orthopyroxene), iron–nickel 4–10%, troilite, chromite, Na-rich feldspar, Ca-phosphates |
| Petrologic type | 6 (>60%) |
| Alternative names | L chondrite meteorites, Hypersthene chondrites, Olivine hypersthene chondrites |
Walters, an L6 chondrite | |
The L type ordinary chondrites are the second most common group of meteorites, accounting for approximately 35% of all those catalogued, and 40% of the ordinary chondrites. The ordinary chondrites are thought to have originated from three parent asteroids, with the fragments making up the H chondrite, L chondrite and LL chondrite groups respectively.