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    30 June 2008, Volume 20 Issue 2 Previous Issue    Next Issue

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    RECENT ADVANCES IN ANTARCTIC METEORITE RESEARCH IN CHINA
    2008, 20 (2):  81-94. 
    Abstract ( 1529 )   PDF (1006KB) ( 1681 )  

    Ice field exploration,classification and studies of meteorites from Grove Mountains,Antarctica,are reviewed.A total number of 9834 meteorites have been collected during 4 times of the explorations in this region.2431 meteorites out of the collection will be classified by the end of 2008.Of 685 meteorites published in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database,there are 2 martian meteorites,2 eucrites,6 ureilites,5 mesosiderites,1 pallasite,1 iron,and 10 carbonaceous chondrites.Comprehensive studies on these rare types are also summarized in this paper.We suggest continuing Antarctic meteorite searching and classifying projects,and propose key research topics of the Antarctic meteorites.

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    CLASSIFICATION OF METEORITES FROM THE GROVE MOUNTAINS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE
    2008, 20 (2):  95-104. 
    Abstract ( 1489 )   PDF (693KB) ( 1752 )  

    Meteorites are the extraterrestrial rocks,which provide insights into the origin and evolution of the solar system.In the past half century,a great number of meteorites have been discovered on the Antarctic Ice Sheet,confirming that the Antarctica is the most important meteorite concentration in the earth.Since the first four Antarctic meteorites were found in Grove Mountains in 1998,a total number of 9834 meteorites have been collected by four expeditions.It breaks a new field of meteorite study in China,and also accumulates a great deal of scientific samples for China.Recently,classification of Grove Mountains meteorites has been carried out for 6 years,and some progresses have been made:(1) 684 meteorites,including many special meteorites,e.g.Martian meteorites,ureilites and carbonaceous chondrites,have been classified;(2) The Antarctic meteorite house and the sharing net system are set up preliminarily;(3) The classification procedure,the management of meteorite samples,and the application procedure for the Antarctic meteorites are completed after the systematic classification during these years;(4) The young scientists are trained through the cooperation of many universities and institutes on meteorite classification.

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    GEOCHEMISTRY OF ANTARCTIC GRV 99027 MARTIAN METEORITE
    2008, 20 (2):  105-128. 
    Abstract ( 1581 )   PDF (1279KB) ( 1666 )  

    GRV 99027 is a Martian lherzolitic shergottites(L-S)with poikilitic,nonpoikilitic and melt pocket textures.The mineral assemblages in GRV 99027 mainly include olivine(55 vol%)and pyroxene(37.5 vol%),minor maskelynite(6 vol%)and chromite(1.5 vol%),trace whitlockite and troilite,and so on.The paper describes the mineralogy and petrology of GRV 99027,and further investigates the geochemical characteristics of the REE and H isotopes in the GRV 99027.The ∑REE in GRV 99027 is relatively low;HREE is rich in olivine and pyroxene grains;LREE is rich in plagioclase with high positive δEu;high ∑REE value is found in rare mineral whitlockite(less than 0.2 vol %),LREE≈HREE,and whitlockite has negative δEu abnormity.The REE distribution patterns of the whole-rock of GRV 99027 is similar to that of L-S Martian meteorites,while is different from that of other SNC Martian meteorites,indicating that they came from different location of Mars parent body.GRV 99027 has highδD value.Different water-bearing minerals give different contribution for δD value.The δD of phosphates generally has no correlation with water content,and δD has weak negative correlation with water content.GRV 99027 can be classified as an L-S Martian meteorite based on mineralogical assemblage patterns,REE distribution patterns,and hydrogen isotope of the GRV 99027.The isotope data of Sr,Nd,Pb,Os and REE from other L-S Martian meteorites were collected to discuss the formation history of the GRV 99027.As other L-S Martian meteorites,GRV 99027 originated from part of Mar's mantle;about 4 Ma ago,after one strong impact event,the parent body of the meteorites were ejected from deep mantle into space,and travelled for a different duration in space(indicated by different cosmic exposure time),and captured by the Earth later in different time,and finally fell on the Antarctica as L-S Martian meteorites.

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    PETROGRAPHY AND MINERALOGY OF THE GROVE MOUNTAINS ORDINARY CHONDRITES
    2008, 20 (2):  129-140. 
    Abstract ( 1534 )   PDF (872KB) ( 1832 )  

    Ninety-seven ordinary chondrites,recovered from the Grove Mountains in Antarctica by the 19th CHINARE,were studied here.Based on their petrographic and mineralogical characteristics,the meteorites were divided into specific petrologic and chemical classes,as well as into different shock metamorphism and weathering stages.Five unequilibrated ordinary chondrites were identified: GRV 020011(L3),GRV 020035(H3),GRV 020054(H3),GRV 020137(L3) and GRV 020169(L3). There are twenty-four,seventy and three chondrites belonging to chemical groups H,L,and LL,respectively.The shock metamorphism stages of most chondrites are relatively low,but a few of them do have some features of S5 stages.The weathering of these Antarctic chondrites is mostly very limited,and only GRV 020055(H5),GRV 022123(L5) and GRV 022462(LL6) can reach the stage of W3.

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    CLASSIFICATION OF 100 GROVE MOUNTAINS METEORITES AND PRELIMINARY PAIRING
    2008, 20 (2):  141-152. 
    Abstract ( 1585 )   PDF (687KB) ( 1502 )  

    Based on the petrologic characteristics by optical microscope and analyses of mineral chemistry by electronic microprobe,100 meteorites collected from Grove Mountains,Antarctica,are classified into different chemical groups,rock types,shock stages and weathering degrees.Eight of them are classified into H4,15 into H5,3 into H6,1 into L3,2 into L4,16 into L5,47 into L6,5 into LL3,1 into LL4,and 2 into LL5.Furthermore,according to their petrologic features and mineral chemistry,21 groups of meteorites are preliminarily paired.

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    PETROGRAPHY,MINERAL CHEMISTRY AND CLASSIFICATION OF 100 METEORITES COLLECTED FROM THE GROVE MOUNTAINS,ANTARCTICA
    2008, 20 (2):  153-166. 
    Abstract ( 1366 )   PDF (888KB) ( 1474 )  

    Petrography and mineral chemistry of 100 meteorites collected from the Grove Mountains,Antarctica,were studied and their chemical-petrographic types were assigned.The chemical-petrographic types of these meteorites are presented below.Six are unequilibrated ordinary chondrites,including three H3 and three L3;92 meteorites are equilibrated ordinary chondrites,including 24 H-group(13 H4,10 H5,1 H6),64 L-group(2 L4,44 L5,18 L6) and 4 LL-group(3 LL4,1 LL5);the other two belong to stone-iron meteorites.In 6 unequilibrated ordinary chondrites,chondrules are well-shaped,and olivine and low-Ca pyroxene are commonly zoned and have wide ranges of composition.The olivine and low-Ca pyroxene in the other 92 equilibrated ordinary chondrites have similar composition,respectively,and to some degree it reflected thermodynamics equilibration in olivine and lowCa pyroxene.All ordinary chondrites,consisting of predominant weathering degrees of W1 and W2(>90%),suggest a weak weathering among Antarctica meteorites.~40 % meteorites experienced severe shock metamorphism,as indicated by the presences of shock-induced melt veins and pockets.These heavily shocked meteorites provide us with natural samples for study of high-pressure polymorphs of minerals.

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    A SUMMARY ON CLASSIFICATION OF ORDINARY CHONDRITES FROM THE GROVE MOUNTAINS REGION,ANTARCTICA IN 2006
    2008, 20 (2):  167-176. 
    Abstract ( 1900 )   PDF (627KB) ( 2348 )  

    9834 meteorites have been collected in Grove Mountains,Antarctica,and they are held in Polar Research Institute of China now.A detailed petrographical and mineral chemical study of 100 samples has been finished by National Astronomical Observatories,Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2006.By optical microscope and electron probe analysis,results of 100 meteorites show that two samples belong to special types,and the others are classified as ordinary chondrites.Three of the 98 chondrites are primitive type 3 chondrites(2 H3 & 1 L3) and the others are equilibrated ordinary chondrites.In H group,there are 41 equilibrated chondrites including 12 H4 chondrites,20 H5 chondrites and 9 H6 chondrites.For the L group,3 L4 chondrites,13 L5 chondrites and 37 L6 chondrites are sub-classified,and 2 chondrites of LL group are also further classified into one LL4 chondrite and one LL6 chondrite.

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    THE CLASSIFICATION OF 100 GROVE MOUNTAINS ORDINARY METEORITES
    2008, 20 (2):  177-188. 
    Abstract ( 1693 )   PDF (753KB) ( 1683 )  

    Classification of ordinary chondrites based on mean Fa and Fs value of olivine and Low-Ca pyroxene respectively is effective.By using this method,these 100 ordinary chondrites are classified into chemical groups of H(include 1 H-au),L and LL.According to some petrographic criteria under optical microscope,these meteorites belong to the following chemical-petrographic types: 4 H3,11 H4(including 1 H4-an),10 H5,3 H6,2 L3,6 L4,31 L5,32 L6 and 1 LL4.Compared with the Antarctic and non-Antarctic ordinary chondrites,ordinary chondrites from Grove Mountains have significant differences in chemical-petrologic distribution mode.That maybe indicates the presence of a member of paired meteorites.Weathering degree of these meteorites is slight,and shock effects are showed in all the types but the S6.

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    SHOCK METAMORPHISM OF ORDINARY CHONDRITES FROM THE GROVE MOUNTAINS,ANTARCTICA
    2008, 20 (2):  189-200. 
    Abstract ( 1625 )   PDF (963KB) ( 2074 )  

    hock effects of 93 Grove Mountains(GRV) ordinary chondrites were studied in this paper,including fracture,various types of extinction,and recrystallization of silicates observed under optical microscopy.Shock-induced veins and pockets show various microtextures,decomposition and phase transformation of minerals.The confirmed high-pressure polymorphs of silicates are ringwoodite,majorite,pyroxene glass and maskelynite.Based on the shock effects and assemblages of high-pressure minerals,shock stages of all of 93 GRV chondrites were classified.In comparison with literature,the Grove Mountains meteorites have a higher fraction(23 out of 93) of heavily shocked samples(S4—S5).Most of the heavily shocked meteorites are L group(22 out of 23),except for one H chondrite.The distinct shock metamorphism between H and L groups may indicate different surface properties of their parent bodies.In addition,there is relationship between petrologic types and shock stages,with most heavily shocked samples observed in equilibrated ordinary chondrites(especially Type 5 and 6).

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    PETROLOGY-MINERALOGY OF GRV 052483 FROM THE GROVE MOUNTAINS,ANTARCTICA:AN L-CHONDRITE IMPACT-MELT ROCK
    2008, 20 (2):  201-207. 
    Abstract ( 1423 )   PDF (376KB) ( 1506 )  

    An ordinary chondrite(Sample No.GRV052483) was recovered on blue ice during the 22nd Chinese Antarctic Research Exploration in Grove Mountains,Antarctica.In thin section,the sample shows a recrystallization texture and the texture is not particularly chondritic.Most euhedral to subhedral olivine crystals are set in a mesostasis of fine-grained olivine,pyroxene,and tiny spheres of Ni,Fe-rich metal and sulfides.Most olivine grains are essentially relicts.The major silicate phases are olivine,orthopyroxene,and plagioclase,with trace clinopyroxene.The mean Fa of olivine crystals and matrix are 24.7 mol%,and the mean Fs of low-Ca pyroxene is 21.1 mol% in GRV052483.These values are in the L chondrite range.Metal and sulfides are Fe–Ni metal(kamacite,taenite) and troilite.Minor phases are chromite and apatite.Abundant dark portions,numerous cracks and microfaults,as well as impact-melt veins,are also present.As a result,GRV052483 is an L6-chondrite impact-melt rock(i.e.,shocked L-6 chondrite).

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    CLASSIFICATION OF 100 GROVE MOUNTAINS METEORITES
    2008, 20 (2):  208-218. 
    Abstract ( 1619 )   PDF (626KB) ( 1756 )  

    A detailed petrographical and mineralogical study is conducted on 100 Grove Mountains(GRV) meteorites.There are four rear types of meteorites including 1 CM2 chondrite(GRV 050179),1 mesosiderite(GRV 050212),1 eucrite(GRV 051523) and 1 ureilite(GRV 052382).GRV 050179 consists of predominant phyllosilicates and poor characterized phases,suggesting strong aqueous alteration and typical of CM2 chondrites.The coarse-grained olivine of GRV 052382 is heavily shocked,recystallized into small euhedral crystals.Diamond(1—3μm) is found in carbonrich assemblages.This meteorite is classified as an ureilite.GRV 050212 contains 12.3 vol% of igneous textures.FeO/MnO weight ratios of low-Ca pyroxenes in both GRV 050212(30.0) and GRV 051523(28.7—30.9) are within the range of HED(Howardites-Eucrites-Diogenites) clan.Of 93 ordinary chondrites,there are 5 unequilibrated ordinary chondrites(GRV 050165,GRV 050189,GRV 050200,GRV 050404 and GRV 053167).According to PMD of fayalite content of olivine,the subtypes of these unequilibrated ordinary chondrites are 3.5,3.4,3.4,3.4 and 3.5,respectively.Other 88 equilibrated ordinary chondrites are classified into H(34) and L(54) groups without LL chondrites.The Grove Mountains meteorites have more L and less H chondrites than other Antarctica meteorite recovered by US.Other 3 small fragments of the meteorites mainly consist of metal with minor silicates.Co content of kamacite and fayalite content of olivine of these fragments are within the ranges of H and L-groups.These metal-rich fragments may be large metal grains from ordinary chondrites.Terrestrial weathering of most ordinary chondrites is weak(W1 for 22 of them) or moderate(W2 for 61 ordinary chondrites),and only 10 ordinary chondrites are severely weathered(W3).

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    GRV 051523: A NEW HED METEORITE
    2008, 20 (2):  219-228. 
    Abstract ( 1802 )   PDF (564KB) ( 1567 )  

    Grove Mountains(GRV) 051523 is a new eucrite,consisting mainly of coarsegrained pyroxene(62.9vol%) and plagioclase(34.2vol%) with less abundant opaque minerals(2.7vol%) and minor silica and tiny FeO-rich olivine(Fa75).Coarse-grained pyroxenes show exsolution of augite lamellae in pigeonite or vice versa.Width of most exsolution lamella in pyroxenes is 1—3μm.The opaque minerals are chromite,ilmenite and sulfides.The meteorite was heavily shocked,producing breccia and melt veins.Coarse-grained pyroxenes commonly contain abundant tiny or needle-like chromite inclusions with orientation,probably due to heavy shock events.Homogeneous compositions of pyroxenes of various occurrences indicate that GRV 051523 experienced intense thermal metamorphism in the parent asteroid Vesta,and it is classified as Type 5—6.This new eucrite will have additional constraints on chemical composition,magmatic differentiation,multi-stage shock and thermal history of Vesta.

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