Mineralogy Of Fine-Grained Extraterrestrial Materials

The early history of the solar system is being explored through detailed characterization of the minerals and noncrystalline phases composing primitive extraterrestrial materials. As these materials are typically very fine grained, this research is being performed principally by analytical electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron back-scattered diffraction, and synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction. We are currently examining carbonaceous chondrites, interplanetary dust particles, asteroid Itokawa and comet Wild 2 grains, and fluid inclusions and primitive organics in meteorites.