Partial melting of the Allende (CV3) meteorite: Implications for origins of basaltic meteorites

A. J.G. Jurewicz, D. W. Mittlefehldt, J. H. Jones

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

Eucrites and angrites are distinct types of basaltic meteorites whose origins are poorly known. Experiments in which samples of the Allende (CV3) carbonaceous chondrite were partially melted indicate that partial melts can resemble either eucrites or angrites, depending only on the oxygen fugacity (fO2). Melts are eucritic if the fO2 is below that of the iron-wüstite buffer or angritic if above the fO2 of that buffer. With changing pressure, the graphite-oxygen redox reaction can produce oxygen fugacities that are above or below those of the iron-wüstite buffer. Therefore, a single, homogeneous, carbonaceous planetoid > 110 kilometers in radius could produce melts of drastically different composition, depending on the depth of melting.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)695-698
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume252
Issue number5006
StatePublished - May 3 1991
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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