language: en

Trace Element Contents of Selected Antarctic Meteorites. I. Weathering Effects and ALH A77005, A77257, A77278 andA77299

Swarajranjan Biswas, Hung T. Ngo f, and Michael E. Lipschutz *
Department of Chemistry , Purdue University,
W . Lafayette , Indiana , USA
Z. Naturforsch. 35 a, 191-196 (1980);

[received June 1 1979]

[Dedicated to Professor H. Hintenberger on the occasion of his 70th birthday]

We report data for volatile/mobile Ag and Zn in exterior and/or interior samples of four Antarctic meteorites from the Allan Hills ( ALH ) : A77005 ( unique achondrite ) ; A77257 ( ureilite ) ; A77278 ( L3 ) ; A77299 ( H3 ). Exterior samples reflect contamination and/or leaching by weathering but trace element ( ppm-ppt ) contents in interior samples seem reasonable for representatives of these rare meteoritic types. The A77005 achondrite seems related to shergottites ; other samples extend compositional ranges previously known for their groups or types. With suitable precautions, Antarctic meteorite finds yield trace element data as reliable as those obtained from previously — known falls.

Introduction