Abstract
Iron–nickel metallic particles have been reported in meteorites1 and lunar2–5 and terrestrial6,7 rocks. The origin of these metallic particles is not unique as they may be formed by (1) condensation from a primordial solar nebula8; (2) crystallization from a melt; and (3) subsolidus reduction reactions under low oxygen or sulphur fugacity. We report here an electron microscopy study of the solid-state microstructural development in olivine single crystals (Fo92) in which half of the iron has been reduced to the metallic state by a gas–solid interaction in the temperature range 950–1,500 °C. The reaction, Fo92→Fo96+metallic Fe(Ni in solid solution)+pyroxene, begins with a homogeneous transformation involving fine-scale metallic precipitates resembling Guinier–Preston zones9. The microstructure develops by the growth of the first-formed precipitates during an Ostwald ripening process9 in which the precipitates located in the dislocation sub-boundaries develop in preference to precipitates in the subgrains. On the other hand, pyroxene is first observed to nucleate heterogeneously at pre-existing dislocations and its coarsening rate is more than an order-of-magnitude faster than that of the metallic phase. Besides the textural similarity of the observed microstructures with that reported for some of the lunar materials2, these results have important implications for the physical models of accretion of terrestrial planets, planetesimals and meteorites10, especially with respect to the distribution of siderophile elements. The rate of reaction observed here places constraints on models for the formation of the Earth's core by segregation of a metallic phase with or without reduction.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wasson, J. T. Meteorites (Springer, Berlin, 1974).
Haggerty, S. E. Proc. 8th Lunar Sci. Conf. 1809–1829 (1977).
Misra, K. M., Walker, B. M. & Taylor, L. A. Proc. 7th Lunar Sci. Conf. 2251–2266 (1976).
Brett, R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 40, 997–1004 (1976).
Taylor, S. R. Lunar Science: a Post-Apollo View (Pergamon, New York, 1975).
Dick, H. J. B. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 24, 291–298 (1974).
Bassett, W. A., Bird, J. M., Weathers, M. S. & Kohlstedt, D. L. Phys. Earth planet. Inter. 23, 255–261 (1980).
Grossman, L. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 36, 597–619 (1972).
Nicholson, R. B. & Davies, G. J. in Structural Characteristics of Materials (ed. Finniston, H. M.) 199–289 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1971).
Ringwood, A. E. The Origin of the Earth and Moon (Springer, Heidelberg, 1979).
Duba, A. & Nicholls, I. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 18, 59–64 (1973).
Lorimer, G. W. in Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis of Crystalline Materials (ed. Belk, J. A.) 29–55 (Applied Science, London, 1979).
Boland, J. N. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 47, 215–222 (1974).
Champness, P. E. & Lorimer, G. W. in Electron Microscopy in Mineralogy (ed. Wenk, H. R.) 174–204 (Springer, Berlin, 1976).
Boland, J. N. in Electron Microscopy, Vol. 1 (eds Brederoo, P. & Boom, G.) 444–451 (7th European Congress E. M. Foundation, Leiden, 1980).
Martin, J. W. & Doherty, R. D. Stability of Microstructure in Metallic Systems, 155–244 (Cambridge University Press, London, 1976).
Buening, D. K. & Buseck, P. R. J. geophys. Res. 78, 6852–6862 (1973).
Ashby, M. F. & Verral, R. A. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A288, 59–93 (1978).
Kohlstedt, D. L., Nichols, H. P. K. & Hornack, P. J. geophys. Res. 85, 3122–3130 (1980).
Liu, L.-G. in The Earth: Its Origin, Structure and Evolution, 177–202 (ed. McElhinny, M. W.) (Academic, New York, 1979).
Arculus, R. J. & Delano, J. W. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 45, 899–913 (1981).
Atkinson, A. & Taylor, R. I. Phil. Mag. A39, 581–595 (1979).
Blander, M., Fuchs, L. H., Horowitz, C. & Land, R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 44, 217–223 (1980).
Ruff, L. & Anderson, D. L. Phys. Earth planet. Int. 21, 181–201 (1980).
Smith, J. V. Miner. Mag. 43, 1–81 (1979).
Domenico, P. A. A. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 5, 287–317 (1977).
Elsasser, W. M. in Earth Science and Meteorites (eds Geiss, J. & Goldberg, E.) 1–30 (North Holland, Amsterdam, 1963).
Mao, H. K. & Bell, P. M. Yb Carnegie Instn Wash. 74, 555–559 (1975).
Hofman, A. W. & Magaritz, M. J. geophys. Res. 82, 5432–5440 (1977).
Wolf, R. & Anders, E. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 44, 2111–2124 (1980).
Bird, J. M. & Bassett, W. A. J. geophys. Res. 85, 5461–5470 (1980).
Boland, J. N. Terra Cognita, Spring 1981, 84 (Abstract K1).
Anderson, D. L. J. geophys. Res. (in the press).
El Goresy, A. E., Taylor, L. A. & Ramdohr, P. Proc. 3rd Lunar. Sci. Conf. 333–349 (1972).
McCallister, R. H. & Taylor, L. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 17, 357–364 (1973).
Grossman, L. A. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 8, 559–608 (1980).
Nitsan, U. J. geophys. Res. 79, 706–711 (1974).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boland, J., Duba, A. Solid-state reduction of iron in olivine—planetary and meteoritic evolution. Nature 294, 142–144 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/294142a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/294142a0
This article is cited by
-
A unique CO-like micrometeorite hosting an exotic Al-Cu-Fe-bearing assemblage – close affinities with the Khatyrka meteorite
Scientific Reports (2019)
-
Surface destabilization and laboratory-induced non-stoichiometry in San Carlos olivine
Physics and Chemistry of Minerals (1987)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
