[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Etch Pattern in Vaca Muerta
- To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
- Subject: Etch Pattern in Vaca Muerta
- From: Bolidechaser <bolidechaser@tripod.net>
- Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:21:35 -0700
- CC: bolidechaser@tripod.net
- Old-X-Envelope-To: <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
- Resent-Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 17:21:57 -0400 (EDT)
- Resent-From: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
- Resent-Message-ID: <"EA1kiC.A.TJF.hj5R1"@mu.pair.com>
- Resent-Sender: meteorite-list-request@meteoritecentral.com
Hello List members,
Recently I obtained a 4gm specimen of Vaca Muerta. I know I'll get my
hand slapped for this, but after polishing the cut side, I couldn't
resist the urge to etch the mostly metallic surface. Lo and behold,
what had formed was a microscopic etch (Widmanstatten?) pattern!
(see attachments)
Questions:
Can anything be inferred from this very fine pattern regarding metallic
nickel concentration (ataxites?), or does that not apply to
stony-irons(mesosiderites)?
Were an iron meteoroid to remelt, say by impact with another meteoroid,
wouldn't the resolidified metal have a finer crystal pattern, more as a
result of a comparatively quicker rate of solidification and less as a
result of Fe-Ni composition? Would there be a pattern at all?
Could etch pattern types in stony-irons be diagnostic for determining
mantle-derived versus impact-derived parent melt?
Hoping my questions make some sense,
Bob Verish
--