Experimentelle und Analytische Planetologie
Systematic and comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of all Martian meteorites - TOF-SIMS investigation
SNC (shergottite-nakhlite-chassignite) meteorites are a small, but important group of achondrites. Due to their young
crystallization age, their content of noble gases, and some other features they are accepted to be igneous Martian
rocks. As a result of the intensive search for meteorites, at present the group of Martian meteorites consists of more
than 50 single specimens with a total mass of about 90 kg. The main focus of the project was a comprehensive and
interdisciplinary investigation of all known Martian meteorites with coordinated techniques. Mineralogical,
microstructural and chemical analyses as well as the detection of rare element concentration and their spacial
distribution and the isotope composition of the noble gases should give answers to a lot of scientific questions. E.g.,
melt inclusions are frequently found in Martian meteorites. They are considered to be residues of trapped melt from
which the host phase - or even the whole meteorite - crystallized. Several different
inclusions were found within the five investigated Martian meteorites. Detailed characterizations of all inclusions
were done by TOF-SIMS, EMPA, and FEG-SEM. The results of this comparative study led, amongst others, to the
identification of a weathering product found in Nakhla, and to the detection of a pyroxferroite breakdown material
found in Los Angeles. In
addition, detailed TOF-SIMS analyses of some maskelynite grains in Nakhla allow the determination of
SiO2-veins within the maskelynite. These veins were most probable introduced during the maskelynite
formation by an SiO2-excess in the meteorite.
Drittmittelgeber:
Beteiligte Wissenschaftler:
Veröffentlichungen:
| 
