[meteorite-list] Ultraviolet space rocks

From: Laurence Garvie <lgarvie_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 2 Oct 2010 21:28:03 -0700
Message-ID: <42D44F77-7124-4B16-B6CC-8331E8456A97_at_cox.net>

I took the picture displayed in "Rocks from Space Picture of the Day" dated September 29, 2009.

I used a UV led flashlight with the primary output around 380nm.

Most minerals in meteorites do not fluoresce under UV light because of their high Fe content. The Fe quenches the fluorescence. The aubrites formed under low fO2 conditions and hence the pyroxenes have very low Fe (typically <350 ppm FeO). If I remember correctly, the color of the fluorescence may have something to do with trace amounts of Mn.

Laurence Garvie
CMS
ASU



>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 2 Oct 2010 04:29:52 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "David Gunning" <davidgunning at fairpoint.net>
> Subject: [meteorite-list] Ultraviolet Space Rocks?
> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Message-ID:
> <1305.69.50.53.154.1286008192.squirrel at webmail.fairpoint.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I notice that the "Rocks from Space Picture of the Day", dated about a
> year ago, September 29, 2009, features an unusually remarkable glowing
> fluorescent meteorite. It's described as "an 11.1 g piece of Norton
> County (ASU#523)" where "The large enstatite crystals fluoresce bright
> yellow." Quite an eyeful.
>
> This is an oddball meteorite, I'm guessing, as I haven't seen pictures of
> any other meteorites displaying fluorescent color values. Does this bode
> well for other fluorescent meteorites being found? I mean, are the
> scientists really looking and checking for fluorescent color values in
> meteorites on a systematic basis?
>
> If not, they may be missing the boat.
>
> If you look closely at this picture you may be able to detect, as I do,
> that there apparently are other possible fluorescent color values
> happening, as well. I am referring to the noticable blue/green colored
> fluoresent values below and to the right of the yellow colored enstatite
> and to the upper left of the enstatite area, also.
>
> To my understanding, these may indicate additional minerals with other
> fluorescent color values reacting to utlraviolet light, too.
>
> It's unfortunate that the person who took this picture did not take the
> time and spend the effort to look carefully at their resulting picture.
>
> I wonder what wavelength ultraviolet was used, although I guess it was
> probably shortwave. If so, they may not have exposed the specimen to
> midwave and longwave ultraviolet wavelengths, as well, consequently
> denying themselves (and the rest of us!) valuable ultraviolet reactive
> fluorescent color value information.
>
> Is this simply a situation of sloppy science rearing it's ugly head?
>
> Or does it indicate that ignorance is truly bliss, after all?
>
> Yours for the light,
>
> Dave Gunning
>
Received on Sun 03 Oct 2010 12:28:03 AM PDT