陨石学是一门涉及陨石和其它地球外物质,能让我们更进一步了解太阳系的历史和其起源的科学[1][2]。专门研究陨石的人称为陨石学家[3]

研究的历史

莱格尔陨石的研究报告出来之前,人们相信陨石是一种异端邪说,那些声称看到陨石从天而降的人是在说谎。

在1960年,约翰·雷诺发现一些陨石有过量的129,是存在于太阳星云中的129衰变的结果[4]

研究的方法

矿物学

有些矿物的存在与否,是经过某些物理或化学过程的指标。母体受到的撞击会记录在撞击角砾岩和高压矿物的相位(例如柯石英akimotoite镁铁榴石尖晶橄榄石重硅石β橄榄石[5][6][7]。水合矿物(例如黏土矿物)是母体有液体活动的指标[8]

放射性定年法

辐射的方法可以定出陨石历史阶段的不同日期。来自太阳星云浓缩体会纪录下富含钙铝陨石球粒。这些可以利用太阳星云的放射性元素定年(例如26铝/26 53锰/53铀/铅129碘/129)。在这些凝聚物达到微星的尺度之后,就会发生融化和分异。这些过程可以利用铀/铅87铷/87[9]147钐/143176镥/176[10]。金属核心的形成和冷凝可以用187铼/187锇法追溯应用在铁陨石[11][12]。大型撞击事件,或甚至导致母体销毁可以利用39氩 /40氩法244钚分裂痕迹法[13]。在与母体分离后,流星体都暴露在宇宙辐射中。这段时期的长短可以使用3氚/322钠/2181氪 /83[14][15]。在撞击到地球之后 (或任何其他足以遮蔽掉宇宙射线的行星),肇因于宇宙射线的核衰变可以用来定出坠落的时间。暴露在地球上的时间是用361481[16]

相关条目

参考资料

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  2. ^ A rarely used synonym is Astrolithology: Leonard, Frederick C. Introducing meteoritics: The Journal of the Meteoritical Society and the Institute of Meteoritics of the University of New Mexico. Meteoritics. 1953, 1 (1): 1–4. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1953.tb01299.x. 
  3. ^ meteoriticist, n.. OED Online. Oxford University Press. 19 December 2012 [2014-11-30]. (原始内容存档于2020-04-14). 
  4. ^ Reynolds, J. Isotopic Composition of Primordial Xenon. Physical Review Letters. 31 March 1960, 4 (7): 351–354. Bibcode:1960PhRvL...4..351R. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.4.351. 
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  6. ^ Ohtani, E.; Ozawa, S.; Miyahara, M.; Ito, Y.; Mikouchi, T.; Kimura, M.; Arai, T.; Sato, K.; Hiraga, K. Coesite and stishovite in a shocked lunar meteorite, Asuka-881757, and impact events in lunar surface. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 27 December 2010, 108 (2): 463–466. Bibcode:2011PNAS..108..463O. doi:10.1073/pnas.1009338108. 
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  8. ^ Hutchison, R.; Alexander, C.M.O.; barber, D.J. The Semarkona meteorite: First recorded occurrence of smectite in an ordinary chondrite, and its implications. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 30 June 1987, 51 (7): 1875–1882. Bibcode:1987GeCoA..51.1875H. doi:10.1016/0016-7037(87)90178-5. 
  9. ^ Birck, J.L.; Allègre, C.J. Chronology and chemical history of the parent body of basaltic achondrites studied by the 87Rb-87Sr method. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 28 February 1978, 39 (1): 37–51. Bibcode:1978E&PSL..39...37B. doi:10.1016/0012-821X(78)90139-5. 
  10. ^ Bouvier, Audrey; Vervoort, Jeffrey D.; Patchett, P. Jonathan. The Lu–Hf and Sm–Nd isotopic composition of CHUR: Constraints from unequilibrated chondrites and implications for the bulk composition of terrestrial planets. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 31 July 2008, 273 (1–2): 48–57. Bibcode:2008E&PSL.273...48B. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.06.010. 
  11. ^ Smoliar, M. I.; Walker, R. J.; Morgan, J. W. Re-Os Ages of Group IIA, IIIA, IVA, and IVB Iron Meteorites. Science. 23 February 1996, 271 (5252): 1099–1102. Bibcode:1996Sci...271.1099S. doi:10.1126/science.271.5252.1099. 
  12. ^ Re-Os ages of group IIA, IIIA, IVA, and IVB iron from meteorites.. [19 December 2012]. (原始内容存档于2016-04-13). 
  13. ^ Bogard, D.D; Garrison, D.H; Jordan, auJ.L; Mittlefehldt, D. 39Ar-40Ar dating of mesosiderites: Evidence for major parent body disruption < 4 Ga ago. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 31 August 1990, 54 (9): 2549–2564. Bibcode:1990GeCoA..54.2549B. doi:10.1016/0016-7037(90)90241-C. 
  14. ^ Eugster, O. Cosmic-ray production rates for 3He, 21Ne, 38Ar, 83Kr, and 126Xe in chondrites based on 81Kr-Kr exposure ages. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 31 May 1988, 52 (6): 1649–1662. Bibcode:1988GeCoA..52.1649E. doi:10.1016/0016-7037(88)90233-5. 
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进阶读物

  • A. J. Bowden; R. J. Howarth; Editors G. J. H. McCall. The history of meteoritics and key meteorite collections : fireballs, falls and finds. London: Geological Society. 2006. ISBN 978-1862391949 (英语).