Petrology, mineralogy, porosity, and cosmic-ray exposure history of Huaxi ordinary chondrite
Publisher DOI
Abstract
A meteorite fall was heard and collected on July 13, 2010 at about 18:00 (local time) in the Shibanjing village of the Huaxi district of Guiyang, Guizhou province, China. The total mass of the fall is estimated to be at least 1.6 kg; some fragments are missing. The meteorite consists mainly of olivine, low-Ca pyroxene, high-Ca pyroxene, plagioclase, kamacite, taenite, and troilite. Minor phases include chromite and apatite. Various textural
types of chondrules exist in this meteorite: most chondrule textures can be easily defined.
The grain sizes of secondary plagioclase in this meteorite range from 2 to 50 lm. The
chemical composition of olivine and low-Ca pyroxene are uniform; Fa in olivine and Fs in
low-Ca pyroxene are, respectively, 19.6 ± 0.2 and 17.0 ± 0.3 (mole%). Huaxi has been
classified as an H5 ordinary chondrite, with a shock grade S2, and weathering W0. The
weak shock features, rare fractures, and the high porosity (17.6%) indicates that Huaxi is a less compacted meteorite. The preatmospheric radius of Huaxi is ~11 cm, corresponding to ~21 kg. The meteorite experienced a relatively short cosmic-ray exposure of about
1.6 ± 0.1 Ma. The ⁴He and ⁴⁰Ar retention ages are older than 4.6 Ga implying that Huaxi
did not degas after thermal metamorphism on its parent body.
types of chondrules exist in this meteorite: most chondrule textures can be easily defined.
The grain sizes of secondary plagioclase in this meteorite range from 2 to 50 lm. The
chemical composition of olivine and low-Ca pyroxene are uniform; Fa in olivine and Fs in
low-Ca pyroxene are, respectively, 19.6 ± 0.2 and 17.0 ± 0.3 (mole%). Huaxi has been
classified as an H5 ordinary chondrite, with a shock grade S2, and weathering W0. The
weak shock features, rare fractures, and the high porosity (17.6%) indicates that Huaxi is a less compacted meteorite. The preatmospheric radius of Huaxi is ~11 cm, corresponding to ~21 kg. The meteorite experienced a relatively short cosmic-ray exposure of about
1.6 ± 0.1 Ma. The ⁴He and ⁴⁰Ar retention ages are older than 4.6 Ga implying that Huaxi
did not degas after thermal metamorphism on its parent body.
Date Issued
2017
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Li, Shijie | |
Wang, Shijie | |
Li, Yang | |
Li, Xiongyao |
Additional Credits
Journal
Meteoritics & planetary science
Publisher
Meteoritical Society at the University of Arkansas, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry
ISSN
1086-9379
Access(Rights)
restricted