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Title: Tin in a chondritic interplanetary dust particle

Journal Article · · Meteoritics; (USA)
 [1]
  1. New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque (USA)

Submicron platey Sn-rich grains are present in chondritic porous interplanetary dust particle (IDP) W7029 A and it is the second occurrence of a tin mineral in a stratospheric micrometeorite. Selected Area Electron Diffraction data for the Sn-rich grains match with Sn{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Sn{sub 3}O{sub 4}. The oxide(s) may have formed in the solar nebula when tin metal catalytically supported reduction of CO or during flash heating on atmospheric entry of the IDP. The presence of tin is consistent with enrichments for other volatile trace elements in chondritic IDPs and may signal an emerging trend toward nonchondritic volatile element abundances in chondritic IDPs. The observation confirms small-scale mineralogical heterogeneity in fine-grained chondritic porous interplanetary dust. 27 refs.

OSTI ID:
5508711
Journal Information:
Meteoritics; (USA), Vol. 24; ISSN 0026-1114
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English