Progress in study of Chinese Antarctic Meteorites

This paper reviews and summarizes the Chinese Antarctica meteorite search, classification and research. During the past four antarctic explorations, a total of 9834 meteorites were collected in the Grove Mountains region. Among them, 2431 meteorites were classified by the end of 2008. So far, 684 meteorites have been officially published in the Meteoritical Bulletin, Meteoritical Society, including 2 martian meteorites, 2 eucrites, 6 ureilites, 5 mesosiderites, 1 pallasite, 1 iron and 10 carbonaceous chondrites. Comprehensive studies were carried out on a number of these rare type meteorites. In addition, we propose to continue the meteorite searching project in Grove Mountains and other regions in Antarctica. We also suggest several key topics of the future researches on the Chinese Antarctic meteorites.     

Shock metamorphism of ordinary chondrites from Grove Mountains, Antarctica

Shock effects of 93 Grove Mountains (GRV) ordinary chondrites were studied in this work, 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).     

东南极格罗夫山陨石(GRV 052382):一块强烈冲击变质的橄辉无球粒陨石

GRV052382陨石是在南极格罗夫山地区发现的强烈冲击变质的橄辉无球粒陨石。它主要由橄榄石(75%)、易变辉石(5%)、富碳填隙物(20%)和少量金属组成。橄榄石呈半自形等粒细晶结构,颗粒大小约10~20μm,细晶颗粒间有少量辉石质的熔融填隙物。根据富碳填隙物分布和颗粒间的裂隙,可以区分出原粗粒橄榄石结构的轮廓,原颗粒大小约0.5~1.5mm。这些原粗粒橄榄石具有还原边结构,即边缘的橄榄石细晶富MgO,而核部橄榄石细晶富FeO。因强烈的还原作用,这些原粗粒橄榄石的核部成分变化大(Fa12.2-21.8),因此,原橄榄石核部成分Fa应为21.8%或略高。易变辉石呈浑圆粒状,大小约0.4~0.9mm,在颗粒之间其成分基本相当(En76.4-82.6Wo4.6-9.8Fs10.9-13.8),但在颗粒内部因冲击作用,产生波浪状韵律成分变化。富碳质填隙物充填在原粗粒橄榄石颗粒之间,主要由碳质和富MgO的硅酸盐组成。碳质多型主要为石墨,呈不规则蠕虫状或网脉状,大小约0.2~0.4mm,其中包含有少量金刚石颗粒(约1~3μm)。因此,这些特征表明GRV052382具有橄辉无球粒陨石结构,为单矿岩质橄辉无球粒陨石。根据橄榄石成分,GRV 052382陨石被进一步划分为富FeO亚型(I型)。此外,强烈冲击变质特征,即:(1)橄榄石冲击细晶结构;(2)橄榄石细晶颗粒具有圆化特征,其间存在熔融填隙物;(3)易变辉石晶体具有波浪状韵律成分变化;(4)易变辉石中存在大量不规则气孔;(5)金属Fe沿裂隙或气孔充填;(6)石墨发生金刚石相变等,表明GRV052382陨石的冲击变质程度为S6。因此,GRV052382陨石可能是经受最强烈冲击变质的橄辉无球粒陨石,这不仅为橄辉无球粒陨石的冲击历史提供直接证据,而且有可能获得其母体早期经历的冲击作用信息。     

南极陨石研究的启示Ⅹ:南极陨石的居地年龄

到目前为止 ,陨石学者已考察了约 2 5 0 0km2 的南极蓝色冰区 ,并在南极冰盖不同的地区回收到约 30 0 0 0个陨石样品。在过去 2 0年 ,主要根据36Cl或1 4 C的浓度测定了几百个南极陨石的居地年龄。每个搁浅区的陨石显示不同的居地年龄分布 ,并提供陨石局部堆积机制的信息 ,在蓝色冰表面南极陨石的密度取决于许多因素 ,如陨石的降落率、冰的消融率、雪的堆积率等。大多数南极陨石的居地年龄范围从小于 1 0ka到 1 0 0 0ka ,Yamato山地冰区陨石的居地年龄可高达 2 0 0ka,而LewisCliff及AllanHills陨石的居地年龄分别高达 5 0 0ka和 1 0 0 0ka,新近发现两个陨石的居地年龄分别为 2Ma及 2 .35Ma,表明它们深埋于靠近冰川底部 ,且冰流率比表面低得多 ,同时也表明陨石堆积进入目前的搁浅区至少始于 2Ma以前 ,这与东南极冰盖为稳定和持续性假设是一致的。陨石的居地年龄是确定陨石历史的一个重要参数 ,同时也可用以估计陨石的搬运时间及平均风化寿命。     

Presolar Grains and Their Isotopic Anomalies in Meteorites

Study on presolar grains including diamond,silicon carbide,graphite,silicon nitrite(Si3N4),coundum and spinel isolated from meteorites is summarized in this paper.Except for nanometer-sized diamond,the other grains are micrometers to submicrometers in size.The presolar grains survived mainly in the fine-grained matrix of primitive chondrites and were isolated by chemical treatments.Diamond contains Xe isotopes(Xe-HL),typically produced in p-and r-processes,probably formed in supernovae.Mainstream silicon carbides are enriched in ^29,30Si and ^13C,but depleted in ^15N.They also contain various s-process products,consistent with calculations of AGB stars.Other silicon carbides exhibit much larger isotopic anomalies and are classified as groups X,Y,Z and AB.Among them,group X of SiC is characterized by enrichment of ^28Si and daughter isotopes of various short-lived nuclides,suggesting an origin from supernovae.Graphite can be divided into four density fractions with distince isotopic compositions.They may form in AGB stars,novae and supernovae,respctively,Si3N4 is similar to X-SiC in isotopic composition.Corundum is classified as four groups based on theid oxygen isotopic compositions.AGB and red giang stare are possible sources for the oxide.More comprehensive study of presolar grains,especially discovery of the other types of oxides and silicates,isotopic analyses of individual submicrometer-sized grains and distribution of presolar grains among various chemical groups and petropaphic types of chondrites will provide new information on nucleosynthesis,stellar evolution and formation of the solar nebula.     

清镇顽辉石球粒陨石（EH3）不透明相的岩石,矿物学研究

通过对最新鲜、最原始的ＥＨ３型损石－清镇员石不透明矿物的岩石学、矿物学研究，揭示了不透明矿物化学组成与产状的成因关系，提出了星云冷凝，金属与星去气相组分的硫化反应，矿物出熔及矿物分解等四种形成机制。对不透明物的各种环带结构及闪锌矿、矿镁矿等矿物温度计的研究，揭示了该陨石在星云阶段和母体中的热历史，与Ｙａｍａｔｏ－６９１（ＥＨ３）的对比表明，清镇陨石不透明矿物形成于更加还原的星云条件。     

南极陨石研究的启示 Ⅵ:火星陨石的研究及宇宙化学意义

火星陨石的发现使人类第一次获得了除地球之外，太阳系另一类地行星的岩石样品。目前已收集并确证的火星陨石共１０个，包括了４种岩石类型，其中有４个火星陨石是在南极地区发现和回收的。本文通过对火星陨石有关岩石学、矿物学、全岩化学组成、轻元素及稀有气体的同位素组成，以及同位素年代学特征的总结和对比，对火星幔的化学组成特征、岩浆作用及火星表面的化学风化作用等进行了初步的讨论。     

太阳系形成及演化研究方法

通过对陨石的研究,说明太阳系的形成与演化历史,包括太阳星云的凝聚过程、高温加热熔融事件和低温蚀变过程,陨石母体的热变质作用、熔融分异作用以及冲击变质作用等。对太阳星云的化学组成和同位素组成不均一性、前太阳物质的存在及其意义、太阳系形成和演化的同位素绝对年龄、间隔年龄以及宇宙射线暴露年龄等进行了讨论。结合太阳系形成和演化的研究,特别对电子探针、离子探针、透射电子显微镜以及拉曼光谱等微束分析技术在该领域的应用和相关问题进行了讨论。     

Meteorites from Grove Mountains, Antarctica:An overview

Thirty-two meteorites were collected in Grove Mountains area, Antarctica, by the 15th and 16th Chinese Antarctic Research Expeditions (CHINARE). Petrography and mineral chemistry of these meteorites are reviewed, among which there are one Martian lherzolite, one eucrite, one ungrouped iron meteorite, and six unequili-brated and twenty-three equilibrated ordinary chondrites. An equilibrated ordinary chondrite GRV 98004 ( H5 ) has an unusually low cosmic-ray exposure age. Meteorite concentrating processes in Grove Mountains area are discussed. In addition, future studies on Grove Mountains (GRV) meteorites are proposed.