[meteorite-list] SNC's and their ages

From: Phil <Phil_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:41:59 2004
Message-ID: <001101c07cd8$87f2f280$6643989e_at_t7f8c6>

> A collegue at work wants to know how old our snc's
> are, and what dating methods we use. This is in an
> attempt to determine if he should believe that they
> are actually of Martian origin.

Standard radiometric dating techniques can be used to date SNCs but that, in
itself, would not help your colleague determine whether they came from Mars.

There are two basic questions that need to be answered in studying SNC
origins:

1) Which planet(s) or satellite(s) were geologically active at the time the
SNCs were formed?

2) Do the SNCs contain any other evidence to link them to the planet or
satellite?

SNCs are geologically young (typically 1,300 Ma) and the only bodies that
appear to have been active at that time were Earth, Venus, Mars and a
perhaps couple of satellites. The link with Mars has been strengthened by
the presence of a suite of isotopes that match those found in the Martian
atmosphere.

Phil Bagnall
Received on Fri 12 Jan 2001 01:20:26 PM PST