Mineralogy of Antarctic micrometeorites recovered from the Dome Fuji Station

• Main Authors: Noguchi,Takaaki, Nakamura ,Tomoki
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Materials and Biological Sciences, Ibaraki University/Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Kyushu University 2000
• Subjects: Antarctic; Dome Fuji; Dome Fuji Station; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=5983; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00005983/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=5983&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

Mineralogy of six micrometeorites (MMs) was investigated by a TEM for electron petrography. These MMs were selected based on X-ray diffraction analysis by a Gandolfi X-ray camera, qualitative analysis by SEMEDS of the surfaces of the MMs, and based on textural observation and quantitative analysis of "polished" sections of the MMs by a SEM and an EPMA. We found one saponite-bearing MM F96CI024 among 83 MMs. It has textural and mineralogical characteristics similar to a saponite-bearing MM BI 91/3-108. From the mineralogical point of view, they are different from CI, CM, CR, and hydrated CV chondrites. F96CI020 and F96DI021 contain lepidocrocite, which was formed by terrestrial weathering. MMs are susceptible to terrestrial weathering even in snow (or ice). A magnesium-and iron-bearing mineral (probably (Mg, Fe) O) was found in the phyllosilicate-bearing MM and two pyroxene-rich MMs. In the latter MMs, the mineral coexists with pyroxene that was formed newly during atmospheric entry of the MMs.