X-ray microprobe measurements of the chemical compositions of ALH84001 carbonate globules
- Rutgers
We measured minor element contents of carbonate from ALH84001 and report trends in tbe Ca, V, Mn and Sr in carbonate and the associated magnetite bands. McKay et al. suggested that carbonate globules in the ALH84001 meteorite from Mars contained evidence consistent with the development of bacterial life early in the history of Mars. This result provoked an extensive study of the ALH84001 meteorite. More recently Thomas-Keprta et al. have published a study showing that the magnetite associated with carbonate rims are of the size and shape produced by terrestrial bacteria. This paper has revived interest in ALH84001. The typical ALH84001 carbonate globule consists of four regions: a core of Fe-rich carbonate, a thin magnetite-rich band, a rim of Mn-rich carbonate, and another thin magnetite-rich band. Trace element analysis of each of these phases may allow us to address several important questions about these carbonates: (1) The origin of the magnetite-rich bands in the ALH84001 carbonate globules. If the magnetites are derived from the underlying carbonate through thermal decomposition (as proposed by Golden et al.), then we expect to see 'inherited' trace elements in these magnetite bands. (2) The origin of the rim carbonate, by determining whether the carbonate in the core has the same trace elements as the rim carbonates. (3) The age of the rim carbonate. Borg et al. dated the formation of the rim carbonate using the Rb/Sr chronometer. Borg et al. performed their measurements on an aliquot of what they called a high-Rb, low-Sr carbonate separate from the rim. We previously measured the trace element contents of chips from core and rim carbonates from an ALH84001 carbonate globule using an X-Ray Microprobe on Beamline X26A at the National Synchrotron Light Source. These measurements showed the rim carbonate had a very low Rb content, with Sr>>Rb, inconsistent with the {approx}5 ppm Rb reported by Borg et al. in the sample they dated by the Rb/Sr chronometer. The large ({approx}15 micron) analysis spot of the NSLS X-Ray Microprobe precluded analysis of the magnetite bands. We have revisited this question using the new X-Ray Microprobe at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory. The APS microprobe has superior element detection limits and a smaller analysis spot than the NSLS instrument (as described by Sutton et al.), allowing significant improvement on our earlier measurements. Rubidium and strontium results relating to the chronological issues are reported in an accompanying abstract.
- Research Organization:
- Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 1008878
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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