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Allende Meteorite Carbonaceous Phase: Intractable Nature and Scanning Electron Morphology

Nature volume 241, pages 264–267 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

METEORITES, being solar nebula condensates1, should carry information on the processes which led to formation of the planets. Within this context Green, Radcliffe and Heuer2 studied 1 µm thick foils of the Allende C-3 chondrite by means of high voltage transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Its chondrules (small silicate spheres) showed features which suggested that they were older than the microcrystalline matrix which alone contained carbon. If the matrix crystallized directly from the circumsolar plasma as virgin planetary material3 further study of its carbon phase would be of interest because little is known of the nature of the insoluble carbonaceous “polymers” of meteorites4. The Allende chondrite contains about 0.3% carbon of which 100 p.p.m., extractable by organic solvents, has been extensively studied5. The origin of this organic matter is an extremely controversial subject6.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91103

    A. J. BAUMAN & JOHN R. DEVANEY

  2. Bollin Scientific Laboratory, 1201 Fry Blvd., Sierra Vista, Arizona, 85635

    EDGAR M. BOLLIN

Authors
  1. A. J. BAUMAN
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  2. JOHN R. DEVANEY
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  3. EDGAR M. BOLLIN
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BAUMAN, A., DEVANEY, J. & BOLLIN, E. Allende Meteorite Carbonaceous Phase: Intractable Nature and Scanning Electron Morphology. Nature 241, 264–267 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/241264b0

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