Rapid growth of magnesium-carbonate weathering products in a stony meteorite from Antarctica
Nesquehonite, a hydrous magnesium carbonate, occurs as a weathering product on the surface of the Antarctic meteorite LEW 85320 (H5 chondrite). Isotopic measurements of delta(C-13) and delta(O-18) indicate that the nesquehonite formed at near freezing temperatures by reaction of meteoritic minerals...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Other/Unknown Material |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
1988
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19890029125 |
| Summary: | Nesquehonite, a hydrous magnesium carbonate, occurs as a weathering product on the surface of the Antarctic meteorite LEW 85320 (H5 chondrite). Isotopic measurements of delta(C-13) and delta(O-18) indicate that the nesquehonite formed at near freezing temperatures by reaction of meteoritic minerals with terrestrial water and carbon dioxide. Results from carbon-14 dating suggest that, although the meteorite has been in Antarctica for at least 32,000 to 33,000 years, the nesquehonite formed after AD 1950. |
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