Shock-transformation of whitlockite to merrillite and the implications for meteoritic phosphate.

ABSTRACT: Meteorites represent the only samples available for study on Earth of a number of planetary bodies. The minerals within meteorites therefore hold the key to addressing numerous questions about our solar system. Of particular interest is the Ca-phosphate mineral merrillite, the anhydrous end-member of the merrillite-whitlockite solid solution series. For example, the anhydrous nature of merrillite in Martian meteorites has been interpreted as evidence of water-limited late-stage Martian melts. However, recent research on apatite in the same meteorites suggests higher water content in melts. One complication of using meteorites rather than direct samples is the shock compression all meteorites have experienced, which can alter meteorite mineralogy. Here we show whitlockite transformation int

SUBMITTER: Adcock CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5343502 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature