Petrology and mineralogy of the angrite Northwest Africa 1670

Abstract— Northwest Africa (NWA) 1670, contains olivines of up to 5 mm in size representing about 30% of the studied section. With subordinate clinopyroxene and chrome‐spinel microphenocrysts (0.2‐0.5 mm), they represent a xenocrystic association. Phenocrysts are surrounded by a groundmass, predominantly comprising bundles of plagioclase and clinopyroxene (typically 20 × 200 μm crystals). Olivine and kirschsteinite are present in the groundmass in lesser amounts. The olivine xenocrysts (Fo90) are significantly fractured and show mosaicism for their major part, the remaining showing faint undulatory extinction. They are surrounded with a rim of 100–200 μm zoned down to Fo80 and overgrown with serrated olivine, Fo80 to Fo60 (about 100 μm). Olivine in the groundmass is zoned from Mg# 0.55 to 0.15; its CaO content ranges 2.0 to 8.4%. Subcalcic kirschsteinite is zoned from Mg# 0.13 to 0.03, CaO increasing from 15.8 to 21.3%. Pyroxenes xenocrysts (Mg# = 0.77) are superseded in the groundmass by less magnesian pyroxenes, Mg# 0.61 to 0.17, with an average FeO/ MnO of 98. Their compositions range from En₃₀ Fs₂₂ Wo₂₇ Al‐Ts₂₈ Ti‐Ts₂ to En₂ Fs₃₇ Wo₂₂ Al‐Ts₄₀ Ti‐Ts₁. Anorthite microcrysts (An99‐100) are restricted to the groundmass. Accessories are pyrrhotite, kamacite, Ca‐phosphate, titanomagnetite, hercynite and Ca‐carbonate. The bulk chemical composition confirms that NWA 1670 corresponds to a normal angrite melt that incorporated olivine. High Mg olivine xenocrysts and the associated mineralogy are typical of angrites. We suggest that it is an impact melt with relict phenocrysts. The strong silica undersaturation, the presence of Fo90 olivine xenocrysts and carbonate support their derivation as melilite‐like melts in the presence of carbonate.     

Regolith breccia Northwest Africa 7533: Mineralogy and petrology with implications for early Mars

Northwest Africa 7533, a polymict Martian breccia, consists of fine‐grained clast‐laden melt particles and microcrystalline matrix. While both melt and matrix contain medium‐grained noritic‐monzonitic material and crystal clasts, the matrix also contains lithic clasts with zoned pigeonite and augite plus two feldspars, microbasaltic clasts, vitrophyric and microcrystalline spherules, and shards. The clast‐laden melt rocks contain clump‐like aggregates of orthopyroxene surrounded by aureoles of plagioclase. Some shards of vesicular melt rocks resemble the pyroxene‐plagioclase clump‐aureole structures. Submicron size matrix grains show some triple junctions, but most are irregular with high intergranular porosity. The noritic‐monzonitic rocks contain exsolved pyroxenes and perthitic intergrowths, and cooled more slowly than rocks with zoned‐pyroxene or fine grain size. Noritic material contains orthopyroxene or inverted pigeonite, augite, calcic to intermediate plagioclase, and chromite to Cr‐bearing magnetite; monzonitic clasts contain augite, sodic plagioclase, K feldspar, Ti‐bearing magnetite, ilmenite, chlorapatite, and zircon. These feldspathic rocks show similarities to some rocks at Gale Crater like Black Trout, Mara, and Jake M. The most magnesian orthopyroxene clasts are close to ALH 84001 orthopyroxene in composition. All these materials are enriched in siderophile elements, indicating impact melting and incorporation of a projectile component, except for Ni‐poor pyroxene clasts which are from pristine rocks. Clast‐laden melt rocks, spherules, shards, and siderophile element contents indicate formation of NWA 7533 as a regolith breccia. The zircons, mainly derived from monzonitic (melt) rocks, crystallized at 4.43 ± 0.03 Ga (Humayun et al. 2013 ) and a ¹⁴⁷Sm‐¹⁴³Nd isochron for NWA 7034 yielding 4.42 ± 0.07 Ga (Nyquist et al. 2016 ) defines the crystallization age of all its igneous portions. The zircon from the monzonitic rocks has a higher Δ¹⁷O than other Martian meteorites explained in part by assimilation of regolith materials enriched during surface alteration (Nemchin et al. 2014 ). This record of protolith interaction with atmosphere‐hydrosphere during regolith formation before melting demonstrates a thin atmosphere, a wet early surface environment on Mars, and an evolved crust likely to have contaminated younger extrusive rocks. The latest events recorded when the breccia was on Mars are resetting of apatite, much feldspar and some zircons at 1.35–1.4 Ga (Bellucci et al. 2015 ), and formation of Ni‐bearing pyrite veins during or shortly after this disturbance (Lorand et al. 2015 ).     

Sulfide petrology of four nakhlites: Northwest Africa 817, Northwest Africa 998, Nakhla,and Governador Valadares

Abstract– The nakhlites contain small proportions of Cu‐Fe‐Ni sulfide minerals; we have studied these sulfides in Northwest Africa (NWA) 998, Nakhla, Governador Valadares, and NWA 817 with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope, and electron microprobe. Modal abundances of magmatic sulfides, as estimated by image analysis on thin section, are uniformly low (0.02 to 0.05 ± 0.03 vol%), i.e., a factor 5 lower than in shergottites. Sulfides occur within the glassy mesostasis, as composite two‐phase Fe‐Ti oxide‐sulfide grains, intimately associated with interstitial grains or locally enclosed in postcumulus melt inclusions (e.g., Governador Valadares) in olivine. They exhibit a uniform low‐Ni monoclinic pyrrhotite composition ± chalcopyrite. There is a gradation of sulfide grain sizes and textures across the nakhlites flow(s): droplets in NWA 817; resorbed blebs in Governador Valadares; more massive, true intercumulus blebs in Nakhla and NWA 998. These nakhlites also show evidence for sulfide weathering. Hot desert finds (e.g., NWA 998 and NWA 817) show a few percent fracture‐filling iron (oxy) hydroxides of likely terrestrial origin. Original sulfides are 50% altered in our NWA 998 section, with iron (oxy) hydroxides at grain boundaries and as complete pseudomorphs. The compositions of unaltered pyrrhotites are homogeneous, close to that of the monoclinic endmember Fe₇S₈, and are too sulfur‐rich to have been in chemical equilibrium with the late magmatic redox state fixed by the fayalite‐magnetite‐quartz buffer. Therefore, the compositions of the pyrrhotites must have been altered during the later stages of magmatic crystallization, by assimilation of S‐rich regolith and hydrothermal circulation.     

Detailed mineralogy and petrology of highly shocked poikilitic shergottite Northwest Africa 6342

Northwest Africa (NWA) 6342 is an intermediate, poikilitic shergottite, found in Algeria in 2010. It is comprised of two distinct petrographic areas; poikilitic domains with rounded Mg‐rich olivine chadacrysts enclosed by large low‐Ca pyroxene oikocrysts, and a nonpoikilitic domain mainly comprised of subhedral olivine and vesicular recrystallized plagioclase. Oxygen fugacity conditions become more oxidizing during crystallization from the poikilitic to the nonpoikilitic domain (QFM?3.0 to QFM?2.2). As such, it is likely that NWA 6342 experienced a two‐stage (polybaric) crystallization history similar to that of the enriched poikilitic shergottites. NWA 6342 also experienced relatively high levels of shock metamorphism in comparison to most other poikilitic shergottites as evidenced by the fine‐grained recrystallization texture in olivine, as well as melting and subsequent crystallization of plagioclase. The recrystallization of plagioclase requires an extended period of postshock thermal metamorphism for NWA 6342 and similarly shocked intermediate poikilitic shergottites NWA 4797 and Grove Mountains 99027 most likely due to launch from Mars. The similarities in petrology, chemistry, and shock features between these three meteorites indicate that they have similar crystallization and shock histories; possibly originating from the same source area on Mars.     

Mineralogy and petrogenesis of lunar magnesian granulitic meteorite Northwest Africa 5744

Lunar meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 5744 is a granulitic breccia with an anorthositic troctolite composition that may represent a distinct crustal lithology not previously described. This meteorite is the namesake and first‐discovered stone of its pairing group. Bulk rock major element abundances show the greatest affinity to Mg‐suite rocks, yet trace element abundances are more consistent with those of ferroan anorthosites. The relatively low abundances of incompatible trace elements (including K, P, Th, U, and rare earth elements) in NWA 5744 could indicate derivation from a highlands crustal lithology or mixture of lithologies that are distinct from the Procellarum KREEP terrane on the lunar nearside. Impact‐related thermal and shock metamorphism of NWA 5744 was intense enough to recrystallize mafic minerals in the matrix, but not intense enough to chemically equilibrate the constituent minerals. Thus, we infer that NWA 5744 was likely metamorphosed near the lunar surface, either as a lithic component within an impact melt sheet or from impact‐induced shock.     

Northwest Africa 1950: Mineralogy and comparison with Antarctic lherzolitic shergottites

Abstract— NWA 1950 is a new lherzolitic shergottite recently recovered from Morocco and is the first sample of this group found outside Antarctica. Major constituent phases of NWA 1950 are olivine, pyroxenes, and plagioclase glass (“maskelynite”) and the rock shows a two distinct textures: poikilitic and non‐poikilitic typical of lherzolitic shergottites. In poikilitic areas, several‐millimeter‐sized pyroxene oikocrysts enclose cumulus olivine and chromite. In contrast, pyroxenes are much smaller in non‐poikilitic areas, and olivine and plagioclase glass are more abundant. Olivine in non‐poikilitic areas is more Fe‐rich (Fa_29–31) and shows a narrower distribution than that in poikilitic areas (Fa_23–29). Pyroxenes in non‐poikilitic areas are also more Fe‐rich than those in poikilitic areas that show continuous chemical zoning suggesting fractional crystallization under a closed system. These observations indicate that pyroxene in non‐poikilitic areas crystallized from evolved interstitial melts and olivine was re‐equilibrated with such melts. NWA 1950 shows similar mineralogy and petrology to previously known lherzolitic shergottites (ALH 77005, LEW 88516, Y‐793605 and GRV 99027) that are considered to have originated from the same igneous body on Mars. Olivine composition of NWA 1950 is intermediate between those of ALH 77005‐GRV 99027 and those of LEW 88516‐Y‐793605, but is rather similar to ALH 77005 and GRV 99027. The subtle difference of mineral chemistry (especially, olivine composition) can be explained by different degrees of re‐equilibration compared to other lherzolitic shergottites, perhaps due to different location in the same igneous body. Thus, NWA 1950 experienced a high degree of re‐equilibration, similar to ALH 77005 and GRV 99027.     

Mineralogy and petrology of the LaPaz Icefield lunar mare basaltic meteorites

Abstract— Five basaltic meteorites from the LaPaz ice field are paired on the basis of their mineralogy and texture, and represent a unique basalt type distinct from those in the Apollo or Luna sample collections. LaPaz Icefield (LAP) 02205, LAP 02224, LAP 02226, LAP 02436 and LAP 03632 all contain plagioclase, pyroxene, ilmenite, spinel, olivine, and minor troilite, metal, phosphate, baddeleyite and silica (cristobalite). Brown glassy melt veins are ubiquitous and cross the primary igneous texture. Plagioclase, the major mineral and occurring as laths in a subophitic texture, is of narrow compositional range, from An_85–89. Pyroxene, also a major mineral, is strongly zoned, from augite and pigeonite cores to very iron‐rich rims. Ilmenite laths comprise approximately 3–5% of the basalts. Spinels show a large compositional range, comparable to that documented in Apollo 15 basalts, indicating an early chromite‐rich stage followed by an intermediate to late stage with Cr‐rich ulvöspinel. Relatively large, subhedral to skeletal olivine crystals (Fo_46–62) are sparse, and are too Forich to be in equilibrium with the bulk rock, indicating that these are xenocrysts rather than phenocrysts. The presence of melt veins with a similar composition to the bulk rock, maskelynitized plagioclase feldspar, and metastable cristobalite indicate that these rocks underwent significant shock, between 30 and 50 GPa. Calculated oxygen fugacity, using spinel‐ilmenite‐iron metal equilibria, is within the range defined by previous studies of lunar materials. The bulk composition (low MgO) and low calculated temperatures, together with modelling calculations, indicate an origin by fractional crystallization of a more primitive low TiO₂ parent liquid similar to Apollo 12 olivine basalt.     

Mineralogy and petrology of melt rocks from the Popigai impact structure,Siberia

Abstract— The late Eocene Popigai impact structure of Siberia comprises an approximately 0.5–1.5 km thick, ˜100 km diameter sequence of clast-rich and clast-poor andesitic to rhyolitic impact melt rocks and impact breccias, underlain by Archean to Proterozoic crystalline basement and Proterozoic to Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks. The fine-grained to cryptocrystalline texture of the more melt-rich rocks, despite their occurrence in bodies locally in excess of 800 m thick and 28 km long, suggests that the melt crystallized in response to (1) cooling by the clast load, and/or; (2) rapid nucleation on finely brecciated clasts, which have since been assimilated and/or; (3) crystallization enhanced by the relatively low water contents of the melts. Rapid crystallisation of the melt is indicated by the lack of zoning in minerals, the presence of glass, the lack of strain recovery features in clasts and the lack of evidence for fractionation in the major and trace elements, including the rare earth elements. Optical and analytical electron microscopy reveal that the previously reported division of the melt rocks into high- and low-temperature variants based on hand sample appearance, or glass content, is not warranted. Clasts within the melt-rich rocks exhibit a wide range of shock metamorphic features, though they are not distributed in the impact melts in a systematic manner. This indicates that the melt-rich rocks were well mixed during their formation, thus juxtaposing unshocked with shocked material. Injection of mesostasis melt into partially melted checkerboard plagioclase and orthopyroxene clasts also occurred during this mixing stage.     

Petrogenesis of D'Orbigny-like angrite meteorites and the role of spinel in the angrite source

Angrite meteorites are samples of early planetesimal magmatic rocks, distinguished from more typical “basaltic eucrites” by compositions that are silica undersaturated, relatively oxidized, and with high CaO/Al₂O₃. The latter is not expected from nebular, chondritic materials that might form a primitive mantle, such as a source enriched in refractory inclusions with fixed CaO/Al₂O₃ (e.g., CV chondrite). Here we present results of “reversal” crystallization experiments for two possible parental angrite compositions (approximating the D'Orbigny meteorite) to investigate the role of spinel as a sink for Al₂O₃. This mineral has previously been produced with angritic melts during “forward” melting of CV chondrite and may be abundant in the angrite source. At oxidizing conditions, we confirm that spinel is a liquidus phase and that angritic magmas form near the olivine-anorthite-spinel-liquid peritectic. A stability gap separates Al-rich liquidus spinels and lower temperature spinels, the latter of which are similar to those in basaltic eucrites. Al-rich spinel is likely more abundant in the angritic source than other Fe-rich core-forming components such as metal or sulfide, and a CV chondrite-like composition generates most features of angrite magmas by fractionation of observed olivine and liquidus spinel. Direct CaO excess, via carbonate addition, is therefore limited. In this model, discrepancies remain for Li, Sc, Cr(-Al), and Ba, which may record local accretion conditions or early processing. The possible role of spinel as a sink for ²⁶Al may have strong influence on the thermal evolution of the angrite parent body.     

The Mineralogy,petrology and geochemistry of lunar samples - a review

Crystallization from the molten state has been an important process for the formation of rocks on the Moon; the phenomenon of fractional crystallization is therefore discussed. The principal chemical and mineralogical features of the Apollo 11, 12 and 14 basaltic crystalline rocks are described, and an account is given of other rock types and minerals which are represented among the coarser particles in the lunar soils. A comparison is made between the chemical compositions (major, minor and trace element concentrations) of rocks and soils.Based upon the above data, one possible model for the outer shell of the Moon is presented, which consists of an outer layer of Al-rich rocks underlain by a layer which is more ferromagnesian in character. Partial melting of the latter was probably responsible for the extrusion of lavas at the surface which spread to form the basalts (Apollo 11 and 12) of the non-circular maria. The Apollo 14 (Fra Mauro) basalts are relatively enriched in potassium, rare earth elements, zirconium, phosphorus and certain other elements and may derive from partial melting of the more aluminous upper layer.The separation of the outer Moon into two layers could have occurred through gravity-aided fractional crystallization at an early stage (first few hundred m yr) in lunar history.Paper presented to the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Lunar Studies, Patras, Greece, September 1971.     

Mineralogy,petrology and geochemistry of carbonaceous chondritic clasts in the LEW 85300 polymict eucrite

Abstract— We have performed a detailed petrologic and mineralogic study of two chondritic clasts from the polymict eucrite Lewis Cliff (LEW) 85300, and performed chemical analyses by INAA and RNAA on one of these. Petrologically, the clasts are identical and are composed of dispersed aggregates, chondrules and chondrule fragments supported by matrix. The aggregates and chondrules are composed of olivine (Fo_100–45), orthopyroxene (Wo_1–2En_98–60), plus some diopside. The matrix consists of fine-grained olivine (Fo_60–53), and lesser orthopyroxene and augite. Fine-grained saponite is common in the matrix. The bulk major element composition of the matrix is identical in both clasts and similar to that of CM, CO and CV chondrites. The bulk composition of the clast studied by INAA and RNAA shows unusual abundance patterns for lithophile, siderophile and chalcophile elements but is basically chondritic. The INAA/RNAA data preclude assignment of the LEW 85300,15 clast to any commonly accepted group of carbonaceous chondrite. The unusual rare earth element abundance pattern may, in part, be due to terrestrial alteration.     

Noble gases in angrites Northwest Africa 1296, 2999/4931, 4590, and 4801: Evolution history inferred from noble gas signatures

Noble gases in the five angrites Northwest Africa (NWA) 1296, 2999, 4590, 4801, and 4931 were analyzed with total melting and stepwise heating methods. The noble gases consist of in situ components: spallogenic, radiogenic, nucleogenic, and fission. Cosmic-ray exposure ages of the angrites (including literature data) spread uniformly from <0.2 to 56 Ma, and coarse-grained angrites have longer exposure ages than fine-grained angrites. It is implied that the parent bodies from which the two subgroups of angrites were ejected are different and have distinct orbital elements. The ²⁴⁴Pu-¹³⁶Xe relative ages of the angrites obtained by using ²⁴⁴Pu/¹⁵⁰Nd ratios are as old as that of Angra dos Reis, reflecting their early formation. On the other hand, another method to obtain ²⁴⁴Pu-¹³⁶Xe relative ages, using fission ¹³⁶Xe, spallogenic ¹²⁶Xe, and Ba/REE ratios, yields systematically older ²⁴⁴Pu-¹³⁶Xe ages than those obtained by using ²⁴⁴Pu/¹⁵⁰Nd ratios, which is explained by apparently high Ba/REE ratios caused by Ba contamination during terrestrial weathering. The ²⁴⁴Pu/²³⁸U ratio at 4.56 Ga of angrites is estimated as 0.0061 ± 0.0028, which is consistent with those for chondrules, chondrites, achondrites, and a terrestrial zircon. It is suggested that initial ²⁴⁴Pu/²³⁸U ratio has been spatially homogeneous at least in the inner part of the early solar system.     

Mineralogy and petrology of dark clasts in the Allan Hills 76005 polymict eucrite pairing group

The Allan Hills 76005 polymict eucrite pairing group consists of 15 paired masses recovered during six different field seasons in the Transantarctic Mountains. Although this group has been well studied in general, most of the meteorites contain a significant portion of dark clasts that have not been well characterized. The Dawn mission to Vesta discovered dark materials that provide insight into its evolution. The ALH dark clasts are thus of great interest to understanding the evolution of Vesta. Here, 45 different dark clasts from 15 different thin sections from the pairing group are characterized in detail to better understand their nature and origin. Five different textural types of dark clasts are recognized among this group—skeletal, vitrophyric, pilotaxitic, fan spherulitic, and troilite‐silica‐plagioclase‐rich clasts with aphyric or blobby textures. Mineralogy of the clasts is dominated by plagioclase and pyroxene, with minor troilite, silica, ilmenite, chromite, and rare Fe‐Ni metal. All of the textures can be produced by rapid cooling rates on the order of 60–2500°C h^?1. Bulk compositions of the clasts are demonstrably eucritic, and not chondritic, howarditic, or diogenitic. The combination of mineralogy, composition, and textures strongly suggests that the dark clasts are eucritic impact melts. Several craters on Vesta have associated orange deposits that have been proposed as impact melt breccias. The ALH pairing group may thus represent material that originated near Oppia or Octavia craters.     

Mineralogy,petrology, chronology,and exposure history of the Chelyabinsk meteorite and parent body

Three masses of the Chelyabinsk meteorite have been studied with a wide range of analytical techniques to understand the mineralogical variation and thermal history of the Chelyabinsk parent body. The samples exhibit little to no postentry oxidation via Mössbauer and Raman spectroscopy indicating their fresh character, but despite the rapid collection and care of handling some low levels of terrestrial contamination did nonetheless result. Detailed studies show three distinct lithologies, indicative of a genomict breccia. A light‐colored lithology is LL5 material that has experienced thermal metamorphism and subsequent shock at levels near S4. The second lithology is a shock‐darkened LL5 material in which the darkening is caused by melt and metal‐troilite veins along grain boundaries. The third lithology is an impact melt breccia that formed at high temperatures (~1600 °C), and it experienced rapid cooling and degassing of S₂ gas. Portions of light and dark lithologies from Chel‐101, and the impact melt breccias (Chel‐102 and Chel‐103) were prepared and analyzed for Rb‐Sr, Sm‐Nd, and Ar‐Ar dating. When combined with results from other studies and chronometers, at least eight impact events (e.g., ~4.53 Ga, ~4.45 Ga, ~3.73 Ga, ~2.81 Ga, ~1.46 Ga, ~852 Ma, ~312 Ma, and ~27 Ma) are clearly identified for Chelyabinsk, indicating a complex history of impacts and heating events. Finally, noble gases yield young cosmic ray exposure ages, near 1 Ma. These young ages, together with the absence of measurable cosmogenic derived Sm and Cr, indicate that Chelyabinsk may have been derived from a recent breakup event on an NEO of LL chondrite composition.     

Mineralogy,petrology, and distribution of meteorites at the Whitecourt crater,Alberta, Canada

The Whitecourt meteorite impact crater, Alberta, Canada is a rare example of a well‐preserved small impact structure, with which thousands of meteorite fragments are associated. As such, this crater represents a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of a low‐energy impact event on an impacting iron bolide. Excellent documentation of meteorite fragment locations and characteristics has generated a detailed distribution map of both shrapnel and regmaglypted meteorite types. The meteorites' distribution, and internal and external characteristics support a low‐altitude breakup of the impactor which caused atmospherically ablated (regmaglypted) meteorites to fall close to the crater and avoid impact‐related deformation. In contrast, shrapnel fragments sustained deformation at macro‐ and microscales resulting from the catastrophic disruption of the impactor. The impactor was significantly fragmented along pre‐existing planes of weakness, including kamacite lamellae and inclusions, resulting in a bias toward low‐mass (<100 g) fragments. Meteorite mineralogy was investigated and the accessory minerals were found to be dominated by sulfides and phosphides with rare carlsbergite, consistent with other low‐Ni IIIAB iron meteorites. Considerations of the total mass of meteoritic material recovered at the site relative to the probable fraction of the impactor that was preserved based on modeling suggests that the crater was formed by a higher velocity, lower mass impactor than previously inferred.     

Testing variations within the Tagish Lake meteorite—I: Mineralogy and petrology of pristine samples

Four samples (TL5b, TL11h, TL11i, and TL11v) from the pristine collection of the Tagish Lake meteorite, an ungrouped C2 chondrite, were studied to characterize and understand its alteration history using EPMA, XRD, and TEM. We determined that samples TL11h and TL11i have a relatively smaller proportion of amorphous silicate material than sample TL5b, which experienced low‐temperature hydrous parent‐body alteration conditions to preserve this indigenous material. The data suggest that lithic fragments of TL11i experienced higher degrees of aqueous alteration than the rest of the matrix, based on its low porosity and high abundance of coarse‐ and fine‐grained sheet silicates, suggesting that TL11i was present in an area of the parent body where alteration and brecciation were more extensive. We identified a coronal, “flower”‐like, microstructure consisting of a fine‐grained serpentine core and coarse‐grained saponite‐serpentine radial arrays, suggesting varied fluid chemistry and crystallization time scales. We also observed pentlandite with different morphologies: an exsolved morphology formed under nebular conditions; a nonexsolved pentlandite along grain boundaries; a “bulls‐eye” sulfide morphology and rims around highly altered chondrules that probably formed by multiple precipitation episodes during low‐temperature aqueous alteration (≥100 °C) on the parent body. On the basis of petrologic and mineralogic observations, we conclude that the Tagish Lake parent body initially contained a heterogeneous mixture of anhydrous precursor minerals of nebular and presolar origin. These materials were subjected to secondary, nonpervasive parent‐body alteration, and the samples studied herein represent different stages of that hydrous alteration, i.e., TL5b (the least altered) < TL11h < TL11i (the most altered). Sample TL11v encompasses the petrologic characteristics of the other three specimens.     

Petrology and geochemistry of the Northwest Africa 3368 eucrite

Abstract– Analysis of the mineralogy, isotopic, and bulk compositions of the eucrite meteorites is imperative for understanding their origin on the asteroid 4 Vesta, the proposed parent body of the HED meteorites. We present here the petrology, mineral compositions, and bulk chemistry of several lithic components of the new brecciated basaltic eucrite Northwest Africa (NWA) 3368 to determine if all the lithologies reflect formation from one rock type or many rock types. The meteorite has three main lithologies: coarse‐ and fine‐grained clasts surrounded by a fine‐grained recrystallized silicate matrix. Silicate compositions are homogeneous, and the average rare earth element pattern for NWA 3368 is approximately 10× CI chondrites with a slight negative Eu anomaly. Major and trace element data place NWA 3368 with the Main Group‐Nuevo Laredo trend. High‐Ti chromites with ilmenite exsolution lamellae provide evidence of NWA 3368’s history of intense metamorphism. We suggest that this meteorite underwent several episodes of brecciation and metamorphism, similar to that proposed by Metzler et al. (1995) . We conclude that NWA 3368 is a monomict basaltic eucrite breccia related to known eucrites in texture and in mineral, bulk, and oxygen isotopic composition.     

Geochemistry of intermediate olivine‐phyric shergottite Northwest Africa 6234, with similarities to basaltic shergottite Northwest Africa 480 and olivine‐phyric shergottite Northwest Africa 2990

Abstract— The newly found meteorite Northwest Africa 6234 (NWA 6234) is an olivine (ol)‐phyric shergottite that is thought, based on texture and mineralogy, to be paired with Martian shergottite meteorites NWA 2990, 5960, and 6710. We report bulk‐rock major‐ and trace‐element abundances (including Li), abundances of highly siderophile elements, Re‐Os isotope systematics, oxygen isotope ratios, and the lithium isotope ratio for NWA 6234. NWA 6234 is classified as a Martian shergottite, based on its oxygen isotope ratios, bulk composition, and bulk element abundance ratios, Fe/Mn, Al/Ti, and Na/Al. The Li concentration and δ⁷Li value of NWA 6234 are similar to that of basaltic shergottites Zagami and Shergotty. The rare earth element (REE) pattern for NWA 6234 shows a depletion in the light REE (La‐Nd) compared with the heavy REE (Sm‐Lu), but not as extreme as the known “depleted” shergottites. Thus, NWA 6234 is suggested to belong to a new category of shergottite that is geochemically “intermediate” in incompatible elements. The only other basaltic or ol‐phyric shergottite with a similar “intermediate” character is the basaltic shergottite NWA 480. Rhenium‐osmium isotope systematics are consistent with this intermediate character, assuming a crystallization age of 180 Ma. We conclude that NWA 6234 represents an intermediate compositional group between enriched and depleted shergottites and offers new insights into the nature of mantle differentiation and mixing among mantle reservoirs in Mars.     

Petrology of Martian meteorite Northwest Africa 998

Abstract— Nakhlite Northwest Africa (NWA) 998 is an augite-rich cumulate igneous rock with mineral compositions and oxygen isotopic composition consistent with an origin on Mars. This 456-gram, partially fusion-crusted meteorite consists of (by volume) ∼75% augite (core composition Wo₃₉En₃₉Fs₂₂), ∼9% olivine (Fo₃₅), ∼7% plagioclase (Ab₆₁An₃₅) as anhedra among augite and olivine, ∼3.5% low-calcium pyroxenes (pigeonite and orthopyroxene) replacing or forming overgrowths on olivine and augite, ∼1% titanomagnetite, and other phases including potassium feldspar, apatite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, ilmenite, and fine-grained mesostasis material. Minor secondary alteration materials include “iddingsite” associated with olivine (probably Martian), calcite crack fillings, and iron oxide/hydroxide staining (both probably terrestrial). Shock effects are limited to minor cataclasis and twinning in augite. In comparison to other nakhlites, NWA 998 contains more low-calcium pyroxenes and its plagioclase crystals are blockier. The large size of the intercumulus feldspars and the chemical homogeneity of the olivine imply relatively slow cooling and chemical equilibration in the late- and post-igneous history of this specimen, and mineral thermometers give subsolidus temperatures near 730 °C. Oxidation state was near that of the QFM buffer, from about QFM-2 in earliest crystallization to near QFM in late crystallization, and to about QFM + 1.5 in some magmatic inclusions. The replacement or overgrowth of olivine by pigeonite and orthopyroxene (with or without titanomagnetite), and the marginal replacement of augite by pigeonite, are interpreted to result from late-stage reactions with residual melts (consistent with experimental phase equilibrium relationships). Apatite is concentrated in planar zones separating apatite-free domains, which suggests that residual magma (rich in P and REE) was concentrated in planar (fracture?) zones and possibly migrated through them. Loss of late magma through these zones is consistent with the low bulk REE content of NWA 998 compared with the calculated REE content of its parent magma.     

Petrography and geochemistry of the enriched basaltic shergottite Northwest Africa 2975

We present a study of the petrology and geochemistry of basaltic shergottite Northwest Africa 2975 (NWA 2975). NWA 2975 is a medium‐grained basalt with subophitic to granular texture. Electron microprobe (EMP) analyses show two distinct pyroxene compositional trends and patchy compositional zoning patterns distinct from those observed in other meteorites such as Shergotty or QUE 94201. As no bulk sample was available to us for whole rock measurements, we characterized the fusion crust and its variability by secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) measurements and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (LA‐ICP‐MS) analyses as a best‐available proxy for the bulk rock composition. The fusion crust major element composition is comparable to the bulk composition of other enriched basaltic shergottites, placing NWA 2975 within that sample group. The CI‐normalized REE (rare earth element) patterns are flat and also parallel to those of other enriched basaltic shergottites. Merrillite is the major REE carrier and has a flat REE pattern with slight depletion of Eu, parallel to REE patterns of merrillites from other basaltic shergottites. The oxidation state of NWA 2975 calculated from Fe‐Ti oxide pairs is NNO‐1.86, close to the QFM buffer. NWA 2975 represents a sample from the oxidized and enriched shergottite group, and our measurements and constraints on its origin are consistent with the hypothesis of two distinct Martian mantle reservoirs: a reduced, LREE‐depleted reservoir and an oxidized, LREE‐enriched reservoir. Stishovite, possibly seifertite, and dense SiO₂ glass were also identified in the meteorite, allowing us to infer that NWA 2975 experienced a realistic shock pressure of ~30 GPa.