NWA 13943(CK5型)碳质球粒陨石的矿物岩石学和稳定同位素组成研究

CK型陨石是一类高度氧化的碳质球粒陨石, 金属/磁铁矿的比值接近零. 与其它类型的碳质球粒陨石(岩石类型: 1-3)不同, 大多数CK型陨石在母体上经历了强烈的热变质过程(550--1270K), 以4-6型为主. 多项证据表明, CK和CV3型陨石具有成因联系. 但是, 两者在岩相结构和化学组成方面仍存在微小差异. 因此, 精细地区分和比较两者的地球化学特征对于验证CK-CV单一母体假说非常重要. Northwest Africa (NWA) 13943是一块新发现的陨石, 经历过较强烈的热变质作用. 利用扫描电子显微镜和电子探针, 确定了NWA 13943的岩石类型. 并运用质谱分析技术, 重点测定了NWA 13943陨石的全岩氧同位素和铬同位素组成. 综合岩石结构、矿物化学成分、氧同位素异常(△¹⁷O,△代表同位素分馏值)和铬同位素异常(ε⁵⁴Cr, ε表示样品中的同位素比值与标样中的同位素比值的相对偏差的10⁴倍),CK和CV型陨石的母体可能形成于原行星盘中两个相似但不同的化学源区.     

云南西双版纳(曼桂)目击陨石的热变质和冲击变质研究

曼桂陨石是新近(2018年6月1日)陨落在云南西双版纳地区的目击球粒陨石,其中的主要矿物为橄榄石(Fa_(24.3±0.6))、斜方辉石(Fs_(20.6±0.5)Wo_(0.4±0.2))、长石(An_(11-12)Or_(2-4))、铁镍金属和陨硫铁,次要矿物为铬铁矿、白磷钙矿等.橄榄石和辉石的化学成分表明曼桂陨石属于L型普通球粒陨石.陨石中球粒很少且轮廓不清晰,基质矿物普遍经历过重结晶,重结晶矿物颗粒粒径较大,高钙辉石粒径25–30μm,长石颗粒大多超过50μm,说明该陨石属于6型岩石类型.橄榄石和辉石颗粒中发育有波状消光、嵌晶块状消光现象、平面裂隙和面状变形构造,长石熔长石化并不完全,陨石中观察到宽度不等且纵横交错的冲击熔融脉,表明曼桂普通球粒陨石受到的冲击变质作用可以达到S5级以上.通过熔融脉中的矿物组合推断出熔融脉中矿物经历的压力在15–16 GPa左右.     

球粒陨石难熔包体中贵金属的矿物岩石学分析:对太阳星云演化的启示

球粒陨石中的富钙富铝难熔包体(Ca,Al-rich Inclusion,CAI)是太阳系最早形成的物体,保留了太阳星云早期的原始信息,但深入研究发现许多难熔包体具有复杂的演化历史,包括部分熔融和后期变质作用等.针对难熔包体中更为难熔、化学性质更为稳定的贵金属颗粒进行天体化学研究,选取CV群碳质球粒陨石NWA 2140,对其CAI中的贵金属颗粒进行岩石学观察及化学成分测定.根据得到的成分分析结果,能大致推出包体经历过的热力学历程,辨识出两类贵金属合金颗粒,这两类贵金属分别为早期冷凝产物和原生金属的后期蚀变产物.     

X-Wind模式下对宁强碳质球粒陨石光学特征的重新认识

宁强碳质球粒陨石非偏振光、偏正光、反射光下的矿物、组构的光学特征中蕴藏着丰富的有关太阳星云演化初期不挥发组分吸积时的动力、温度、压力、介质信息．在宁强陨石双面抛光片中,矿物组构混杂堆积的构造反映了太阳星云吸积盘上极弱的机械动力环境和近物源吸积作用;外形不规则,边缘参差的矿物集合体和矿物碎片应该是抛落时碰撞破碎的球粒,这些球粒形成于X-Wind模式中的X-区,并被双极喷流抛落到太阳星云的不同部位;在透射光下,从宁强陨石中首次发现存在有玻璃、结晶、及气相包裹体,它们可以反映出太阳星云演化过程中的物质成分、热力学、动力学信息,应该引起重视．实验观察中还发现同一个球粒中锯齿状缝合线连接的橄榄石栅条和橄榄石颗粒．诸多现象需要理论物理、天体物理观察和天体化学实验的科学家共同努力去探讨.X-Wind模式中许多细节有待天体化学实验去检验、补充和完善．     

昭平、惜福和哈密铁陨石的矿物岩石学研究和化学群分类

详细分析了中国新近发现的3块铁陨石即：昭平、惜福和哈密的矿物组成和化学成分，并根据它们的化学元素（Ga、Ge、Ni和Ir等）含量进行了分群；昭平和惜福铁陨石分别属于IAB的低Ni低Au亚群和ⅢCD铁陨石群，哈密铁陨石因为其本身的Ga和Ge的含量很低以及实验仪器的精度限制，只能得知该陨石的Ga含量小于2ppm、Ge含量小于10ppm，根据其化学元素含量、结构特征和矿物组成，初步判断哈密铁陨石应属于未分群铁陨石．     

寺巷口普通球粒陨石的热变质和冲击变质历史研究

寺巷口陨石是一块经历强冲击变质的普通球粒陨石.系统研究陨石主体和冲击熔融脉的岩相学和矿物学.该陨石中球粒较少且轮廓和内部结构均模糊不清,基质重结晶程度高,橄榄石和辉石的成分非常均一.单斜辉石-斜方辉石矿物对计算得到的平衡温度峰值为891 4-36°C.说明寺巷口陨石的热变质程度与6型一致.陨石主体中的橄榄石具有明显的波状消光和面状变形裂隙,熔长石广泛存在,在冲击熔融脉中含有粗粒的林伍德石和镁铁榴石以及细粒的高压矿物组合,这些特征预示了寺巷口陨石经历了S6级的冲击变质作用且形成冲击脉的峰期压力可能在20 GPa-24 GPa左右,而温度可能高于2000°C.冲击熔融脉中自磷钙矿和铬铁矿的存在可能是因为经历了较长的退火时间,导致其高压矿物的回退.     

Mineralogical and Geochemical Study of Zhaoping,Xifu and Hami Iron Meteorites

The mineralogy and bulk chemical compositions of three iron meteorites (Zhaoping, Xifu and Hami) recently found in China are reported here and are classified on the basis of their bulk chemical compositions. Zhaoping contains 93.4 mg/g Ni, 85.9 μg/g Ga, 418 μg/g Ge, 5.24 mg/g Co, 1.94 μg/g Ir, 0.774 μg/g W, and 1.62 μg/g Au and belongs to the low-Ni, low-Au subgroup of IAB. It is a coarse octahedrite and consists of kamacite, taenite, troilite, schreibersite and cohenite. The cohenite has entirely decomposed to graphite and low-Ni kamacite in our samples. Zhaoping contains some inclusions of Mn-free sarcopside which were rarely reported in IAB iron meteorites. Xifu has 74.1 mg/g Ni, 58.8gμg/g Ga, 150 μg/g Ge, and 0.913 μg/g W. Xifu is a member of group IIICD iron meteorite. Like most of IIICD irons, Xifu is a coarsest octahedrite with kamacite bandwidth larger than 3mm, and contains kamacite, taenite and schreibersite. Carbides and graphite are not found in the sample because of its being heterogeneous. Hami has 106 mg/g Ni, 5.36 mg/g Co and 0.922 μg/g Ir. We did not obtain the Ga and Ge contents in Hami because of their low concentrations and the limited precision of the INAA technique. Hami is an unclassified iron meteorite on the basis of the contents of other trace elements, structure and mineralogy. On mineralogy and structure, Hami resembles Rafruti, another unclassified iron meteorite.     

Magmatic cristobalite and quartz in the NWA 856 Martian meteorite

Abstract— Silica‐rich late‐stage crystallization pockets in the Martian meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 856 were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The pockets occur as wedges between maskelynite laths or between maskelynite and pyroxene. They consist of elongated grains of cristobalite and quartz embedded in a silica‐rich glass. Interstitial to the amorphous phase and silica minerals, a number of small accessory minerals have been identified, typical for late‐stage crystallization products. They are ilmenite, tranquillityite, fayalite, troilite, baddeleyite, apatite, and chloroapatite. Cristobalite and quartz are shocked, as revealed by the occurrence of numerous amorphous lamellae. This assemblage suggests metastable dendritic crystallization under hydrous conditions. Cristobalite crystallization was probably facilitated by the presence of impurities such as Na or H₂O. Our observations show that silica minerals can be formed under magmatic conditions on Mars.     

The Bur-Gheluai Meteorite (Mineralogy,Structure and Metamorphism)

Abstract The principal data about the fall and the distribution of the fragments of the Bur-Gheluai, Bur Acaba, Somalia (CN = EO436,024) meteorite are collected. A complete individual, weighing 744.2 g, preserved in the Geological Institute, Agricultural Dept., University of Perugia, Italy, is described in some detail. Crust morphology, mineralogical composition and structure are studied. Optical data are established by microscopical analysis of eight thin sections and two polished surfaces. Compared with electron-probe analysis, they are found in good agreement. Bur-Gheluai is an holocrystalline, olivine-bronzite chondrite, with evident features of recrystal-lization and metamorphism.     

The noble gas concentrations of the Martian meteorites GRV 99027 and paired NWA 7906/NWA 7907

Here we present the isotopic concentrations of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe for the three Martian meteorites, namely Grove Mountains 99027 (GRV 99027), Northwest Africa 7906 (NWA 7906), and Northwest Africa 7907 (NWA 7907). The cosmic ray exposure (CRE) age for GRV 99027 of 5.7 ± 0.4 Ma (1σ) is consistent with CRE ages for other poikilitic basaltic shergottites and suggests that all were ejected in a single event ~5.6 Ma ago. After correcting for an estimated variable sodium concentration, the CRE ages for NWA 7906 and NWA 7907 of 5.4 ± 0.4 and 4.9 ± 0.4 Ma (1σ), respectively, are in good agreement with the CRE age of ~5 Ma favored by Cartwright et al. ( 2014 ) for NWA 7034. The data, therefore, support the conclusion that all three basaltic regolith breccias are paired. The ⁴⁰Ar gas retention age for NWA 7907 of ~1.3 Ga is in accord with Cartwright et al. ( 2014 ). For NWA 7906, we were unable to determine a ⁴⁰Ar gas retention age. The ⁴He gas retention ages for NWA 7906 and 7907 are in the range of 200 Ma and are much shorter than the ⁴⁰Ar gas retention age of NWA 7907, indicating that about 86–88% of the radiogenic ⁴He has been lost. The Kr and Xe isotopic concentrations in GRV 99027 are composed almost exclusively of Martian interior (MI) gases, while for NWA 7906 and NWA 7907, they indicate gases from the MI, elementally fractionated air, and possibly Martian atmosphere.     

Petrology and oxygen isotopes of NWA 5492, a new metal‐rich chondrite

Abstract– Northwest Africa 5492 is a new metal‐rich chondrite breccia that may represent a new oxygen reservoir and new chondrite parent body. It has some textural similarities to CB and CH chondrites, but silicates are more reduced, sulfides are more common and not associated with metal, and metal compositions differ from CB and CH chondrites. Oxygen isotope ratios indicate that Northwest Africa (NWA) 5492 components (chondrules and lithic fragments) formed in at least two different oxygen reservoirs. The more common, and presumably host, component plots in a region above the terrestrial fractionation line, below ordinary chondrite compositions, and just above enstatite chondrites in 3‐oxygen space. The only other chondritic materials that plot in this region are chondrules from the Grosvenor Mountains (GRO) 95551 ungrouped metal‐rich chondrite. The other rare component plots near the CR, CB, and CH chondrites. Based on petrologic characteristics and oxygen isotopic compositions, NWA 5492 appears to be related to the ungrouped metal‐rich GRO 95551 chondrite.     

The Ningqiang Meteorite: Classification and Petrology of an Anomalous CV Chondrite

Abstract— Ningqiang is an anomalous CV chondrite (oxidized subgroup) containing a high abundance of aggregational inclusions (13.7 vol.%) and low abundances of refractory inclusions (1.0^+1.0_–0.5 vol.%) and bulk refractory lithophiles (～0.82 × CV). Ningqiang may have agglomerated after most refractory inclusions at the nebular midplane had already been incorporated into other objects. Coarse-grained rims surround only ～5% of Ningqiang chondrules, compared to ～50% in normal CV chondrites. Aggregational inclusions appear to have formed by incipient melting of fine-grained aggregates at relatively low temperatures in the solar nebula, possibly by the mechanism responsible for chondrule formation. Granoblastic porphyritic chondrules, which contain olivines forming 120° triple junctures and no mesostasis, probably formed in the solar nebula by incomplete melting of precursor materials that were olivine normative and had relatively low concentrations of Si, Ca, Al, Fe and Na.     

A New Martian Meteorite: the Dhofar 019 Shergottite with an Exposure Age of 20 Million Years

The isotopic composition of the noble gases of the new Martian meteorite, the Dhofar 019 shergottite, found in the desert in the territory of the Sultanate of Oman on January 24, 2001, was investigated. Stepwise thermal annealing with isotopic analysis of each of the noble-gas temperature fractions was employed to determine the component composition. The concentration of the trapped noble gases in the new Martian meteorite Dhofar 019 is relatively high, although it lies within the range of concentrations in known SNC meteorites. A characteristic feature of all the trapped noble gases is the presence of two main components: a low-temperature, probably terrestrial atmospheric, component, trapped during the weathering of the meteorite on Earth, and a high-temperature trapped Martian component. Owing to the different ratios of the quantities of the two components, the trapped neon, argon, krypton, and xenon differ markedly in the kinetics of their release. The isotopic composition of the noble gases varies accordingly. The trapped xenon was found to contain two Martian components. One of them, with typical ratios of ¹²⁹Xe/¹³²Xe and ¹³²Xe/⁸⁴Kr, is representative of xenon and krypton of the Martian atmosphere; the other, of gases of the Martian mantle. Variations of the isotopic compositions of helium, neon, and argon (and also, to a lesser extent, of krypton and xenon) during the thermal annealing of the Dhofar 019 meteorite clearly point to a large proportion of cosmogenic as well as trapped components. The concentration of cosmogenic neon and argon in the meteorite is unusually high. This corresponds to a maximum exposure age among other SNC meteorites: 20 million years. Estimates of the potassium–argon age (gas-retention age) yielded the figure of 560 million years, which is within the range of values obtained for SNC meteorites by other authors, who used the rubidium–strontium and the potassium–argon technique.     

A Study on the Recovery and Classification of Meteorites from the Mt. Grove Region of Antarctica

The Antarctic Continent has become the largest natural preservatory of meteorites in the world because of its unique geographical position and climatic conditions. Mt. Grove is located in the inland area of the Antarctic Continent where the conditions are favorable for the preservation of meteorites. During China's 15th, 16th and 19th Antarctic Scientific Explorations a large number of meteorites were recovered in the Mt. Grove region. Especially during the 19th Exploration in 2002/03 a total of 4448 meteorites were recovered, which at one stroke put China among countries that have recovered most numbers of meteorites. Here, we report mainly the results of microscope and electron microprobe studies of 28 meteorites recovered during the 16th Exploration. The meteorites are chemically classified based on their mean Fa contents of olivine, mean Fs contents of low-Ca pyroxene and abundances of Fe-Ni metal. We also give a brief account of the meteorite recovery during the three Explorations and of some preli