Chinese Journal of Polar Research

ADVANCES IN POLAR SCIENCE ›› 2009, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (2-English): 215-224.

• Contents • Previous Articles    

Weathering, shock metamorphism and type distribution patterns of 98 ordinary chondrites from the Grove Mountains, Antarctica

 Dai Deqiu1, Wang Daode2 and Miao Bingkui3   

  1. 1 Institute of Geology, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China;
    2 Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China;
    3 Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
  • Online:1959-06-30 Published:1959-06-30
  • Contact: Dai Deqiu

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Abstract:

Petrography and mineral chemistry of ninety-eight ordinary chondrites from Grove Mountains (GRV), Antarctica, were presented and their. Weathering effect, shock metamorphism and type distribution patterns were discussed in this study. Among them, six are unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, including 3 H3 and 3 L3; and 92 meteorites are equilibrated ordinary chondrites, including 24H-group (13H4, 10H5, 1H6), 64 L-group ( 2 L4, 44 L5, 18 L6) and 4 LL-group ( 3 LL4, 1 LL5). Most GRV chondrites ( > 90% ) displayed minor weathering effect (W 1 and W 2). About half of the meteorites experienced severe shockmetamorphism. They commonly contain shock-induced melt veins and pockets. These heavily shocked meteorites provide us with natural samples for study of high-pressure polymorphs of minerals. In addition, the Grove Mountains collection seems to have more abundant unequilibrated and L group ordinary chondrites compared to the US Antarctic meteorite collection which were mainly found along the Transan tarctic Mountains.

Key words: ordinary chondrites, weathering, shock metamorphism, type distribution patterns, Antarctica