Compositions of Normal and Anomalous Eucrite-Type Mafic AchondritesThe most common asteroidal igneous meteorites are eucrite-type mafic achondrites - basalts and gabbros composed of ferroan pigeonite, ferroan augite, calcic plagioclase, silica, ilmenite, troilite, Ca-phosphate, chromite and Fe-metal. These rocks are thought to have formed on a single asteroid along with howardites and diogenites. However, high precision O-isotopic analyses have shown that some mafic achondrites have small, well-resolved, non-mass-dependent differences that have been interpreted as indicating derivation from different asteroids. Some of these O-anomalous mafic achondrites also have anomalous petrologic characteristics, strengthening the case that they hail from distinct parent asteroids. We present the results of bulk compositional studies of a suite of normal and anomalous eucrite-type basalts and cumulate gabbros.
Document ID
20160007108
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Mittlefehldt, D. W. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Peng, Z. X. (Jacobs Technology, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Mertzman, S. A. (Franklin and Marshall Coll. Lancaster, PA, United States)
Date Acquired
June 7, 2016
Publication Date
August 7, 2016
Subject Category
AstrophysicsLunar And Planetary Science And Exploration