Meteorites minerals

Constraining Pressure-temperature Histories of Shocked Meteorites from the Formation and Destruction of High-pressure Minerals

Nanomineralogy of Meteorites by Advanced Electron Microscopy: Discovering New Minerals and New Materials from the Early Solar System

Nanomineralogy is the study of Earth and planetary materials at nanoscales, focused on characterizing nanofeatures (like inclusions, exsolution, zonation, coatings, pores) in minerals and rocks, and revealing nanominerals and nanoparticles [1,2]. With advanced high-resolution analytical scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM with EDS and EBSD) and electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA), we are now c...

Ion microprobe measurements of O/O ratios of phosphate minerals in the Martian meteorites ALH84001 and Los Angeles

Oxygen isotope ratios of merrillite and chlorapatite in the Martian meteorites ALH84001 and Los Angeles have been measured by ion microprobe in multicollector mode. O values of phosphate minerals measured in situ range from 3 to 6‰, and are similar to Martian meteorite whole-rock values, as well as the O of igneous phosphate on Earth. These results suggest that the primary, abiotic, igneous pho...

Adiabatic Shock Waves in Icy Regions of the Solar Nebula: Implications for Origins of Phyllosilicate Minerals in Primitive Meteorites

Introduction: Phyllosilicate minerals are present in many primitive meteorite classes including CI, CM, and CV carbonaceouschondrites and type-3 ordinary chondrites [1-4]. Their origin has been a scientific puzzle for many years. Thermochemical equilibrium calculations show that serpentine, a phyllosilicate mineral that is abundant in the CM chondrites, is stable below 225 K in the canonical so...

Magnetic Meteorites

4.36 a&g • August 2015 • Vol. 56 • www.astrongeo.com Today, the Earth generates a magnetic field through convection of the electrically conducting molten iron in its outer core. Core convection is governed by the thermal and chemical processes that operate deep within our planet; thus measurements of the intensity and direction of the magnetic field can provide insights into the thermochemical ...