A bolide was observed approaching from 40° above the horizon at an altitude of 48 km during the night over Alberta, Canada. After 40 km of luminous flight, the bolide showered a 3-km area with over 400 kg of fragments. The stones fell in soft snow, which protected the black fusion crust and provided great contrast to enable the locals to easily recover the fragments. The dispersion ellipse was able to be accurately mapped (see diagram below).
Bruderheim is a fragmental breccia of shock stage S4 and contains partly melted metal grains and opaque veins. Based on rare gas studies, it is thought that the parent body of the L chondrites underwent a catastrophic collision 340 (±50) m.y. ago. The Bruderheim specimen shown above is a 7.0 g cut fragment with black fusion crust. A nice crusted section can be seen on display at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
