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Carbon in the matrices of ordinary chondrites
Author(s) -
Makjanic J.,
Vis R. D.,
Hovenier J. W.,
Heymann D.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
meteoritics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1945-5100
pISSN - 0026-1114
DOI - 10.1111/j.1945-5100.1993.tb00249.x
Subject(s) - chondrite , troilite , meteorite , carbon fibers , electron microprobe , ordinary chondrite , microprobe , mineralogy , chemistry , astrobiology , analytical chemistry (journal) , materials science , physics , environmental chemistry , composite material , composite number
— Carbon in the petrologic matrices of a number of ordinary chondrites of groups H, L, and LL, and of types 3 through 6 was studied with a nuclear microprobe and a Raman microprobe. The majority of the matrices had carbon contents in the narrow range between 0.03 and 0.2 wt%. The carbon content decreased only slightly with increasing petrologic type. Carbon‐rich coats around troilite and/or metal phases occured in five meteorites. Poorly ordered carbon was found in the matrices. The carbon in the meteorites of higher petrologic types was slightly better ordered than in the meteorites of lower types. The narrow range of carbon contents and the similarity of the structural form of carbon in the matrices of the measured ordinary chondrites, which represent all groups and types, imply that their matrices may contain a common component, which might be of interstellar origin.