Oriented Meteorites are specimens that preserve clear aerodynamic features formed during their passage through Earth’s atmosphere. As a meteoroid entered at high velocity, intense heating caused the outer surface to partially melt, whether composed of metal, silicate material, or a combination of both. This molten layer flowed across the surface under aerodynamic forces before rapidly solidifying, recording the direction of flight.
In iron-rich meteorites, this process often involves flowing molten metal, while in stony meteorites—such as chondrites or achondrites—the same phenomenon affects the fusion crust formed from melted silicates. In both cases, stable atmospheric flight can generate coherent surface features, including flow lines (flight lines), asymmetrical reliefs, and clearly differentiated leading and trailing faces.
Well-oriented specimens allow the direction of atmospheric passage to be visually reconstructed, making them particularly valuable as direct physical records of aerodynamic interaction during entry.
