Mineralogy,petrography, geochemistry,and classification of the Košice meteorite |
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| Authors: | Daniel Ozdín Jozef Plavčan Michaela Horňáčková Pavel Uher Vladimír Porubčan Pavel Veis Jozef Rakovský Juraj Tóth Patrik Konečný Ján Svoreň |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic;2. Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic;3. Astronomical Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic;4. Department of Astronomy, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic;5. Department of Special Laboratories, State Geological Institute of Dionyz ?túr, Bratislava, Slovak Republic;6. Astronomical Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Tatranská Lomnica, Slovak Republic |
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| Abstract: | The Ko?ice meteorite was observed to fall on 28 February 2010 at 23:25 UT near the city of Ko?ice in eastern Slovakia and its mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry are described. The characteristic features of the meteorite fragments are fan‐like, mosaic, lamellar, and granular chondrules, which were up to 1.2 mm in diameter. The fusion crust has a black‐gray color with a thickness up to 0.6 mm. The matrix of the meteorite is formed mainly by forsterite (Fo80.6); diopside; enstatite (Fs16.7); albite; troilite; Fe‐Ni metals such as iron and taenite; and some augite, chlorapatite, merrillite, chromite, and tetrataenite. Plagioclase‐like glass was also identified. Relative uniform chemical composition of basic silicates, partially brecciated textures, as well as skeletal taenite crystals into troilite veinlets suggest monomict breccia formed at conditions of rapid cooling. The Ko?ice meteorite is classified as ordinary chondrite of the H5 type which has been slightly weathered, and only short veinlets of Fe hydroxides are present. The textural relationships indicate an S3 degree of shock metamorphism and W0 weathering grade. Some fragments of the meteorite Ko?ice are formed by monomict breccia of the petrological type H5. On the basis of REE content, we suggest the Ko?ice chondrite is probably from the same parent body as H5 chondrite Morávka from Czech Republic. Electron‐microprobe analysis (EMPA) with focused and defocused electron beam, whole‐rock analysis (WRA), inductively coupled plasma mass and optical emission spectroscopy (ICP MS, ICP OES), and calibration‐free laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF‐LIBS) were used to characterize the Ko?ice fragments. The results provide further evidence that whole‐rock analysis gives the most accurate analyses, but this method is completely destructive. Two other proposed methods are partially destructive (EMPA) or nondestructive (CF‐LIBS), but only major and minor elements can be evaluated due to the significantly lower sample consumption. |
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