Meteorite mineralogy

Table of Contents

1. Minerals and Meteorites: Historical Foundations and Current Status
2. Definitions and Explications
3. Brief review of Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry
4. Properties of Minerals: Explanations and Applications
5. Identification of Meteoritic Minerals in Reflected Light, by Back-scattered Electron (BSE) Imaging, and by EDS and EBSD Analyses
6. Meteorite Classification and Taxonomy
7. Mineralogy of Major Physical Components of Chondrites
8. Petrologic and Mineralogical Characteristics of Meteorite Groups
9. Cosmomineralogy
10. Formation of Meteoritic Minerals in Gas- and Dust-rich Environments
11. Formation of Meteoritic Minerals on Parent Bodies
12. Formation of Meteoritic Minerals in the Terrestrial Environment
13. The Strange Case of the Aluminum-Copper Alloys
Epilogue
References.

Meteorites are fascinating cosmic visitors. Using accessible language, this book documents the history of mineralogy and meteorite research, summarizes the mineralogical characteristics of the myriad varieties of meteorites, and explains the mineralogical characteristics of Solar System bodies visited by spacecraft. Some of these bodies contain minerals that do not occur naturally on Earth or in meteorites. The book explains how to recognize different phases under the microscope and in back-scattered electron images. It summarizes the major ways in which meteoritic minerals form – from condensation in the expanding atmospheres of dying stars to crystallization in deep-seated magmas, from flash-melting in the solar nebula to weathering in the terrestrial environment. Containing spectacular back-scattered electron images, colour photographs of meteorite minerals, and with an accompanying online list of meteorite minerals, this book provides a useful resource for meteorite researchers, terrestrial mineralogists, cosmochemists and planetary scientists, as well as graduate students in these fields.
Provides a detailed summary of the mineralogy of all meteorite groups, allowing researchers and collectors to grasp their essential mineralogical features.
Includes self-contained and comprehensive definitions of key terms, making the book accessible to those without a background in planetary science.
Discusses the history of the fundamental breakthroughs in mineralogy and meteorite research, providing readers with important historical context. Provided by publisher.