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Equilibrium Thermodynamic Calculations Applied to Meteorite Mineral Assemblages

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Energetics of Geological Processes

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Abstract

Thermodynamic calculations on meteorite mineral assemblages have been applied in two ways: (1) subsolidus equilibria that pertain to conditions within or on parent objects, and (2) condensation of solids from a cooling gaseous nebula of solar composition. The subsolidus calculations fall into two categories: (1) oxidation-reduction equilibria in ordinary chondrites, iron meteorites, pallasites, enstatite chondrites, and carbonaceous chondrites; (2) cation distributions between coexisting phases, olivine-orthopyroxene, orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene, olivine-chromite, and troilite-sphalerite. The subsolidus calculations show that ordinary chondrites and iron meteorites equilibrated under approximately the same oxidation conditions, while enstatite chondrites are five to six orders of magnitude more reduced. The chondrites equilibrated at temperatures in the lower igneous range, 900–985°C. The iron meteorites equilibrated at relatively low pressures, 200–3100 bars, commensurate with parent planets ≤ 200 km in radius. The condensation calculations have been successful in predicting mineral assemblages that have been observed in the primitive, unaltered carbonaceous chondrites. Further refinement of condensation calculations, along with additional thermochemical data, promise to explain the earliest processes in planetary formation.

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Authors
  1. E. J. Olsen
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Bedford Avenue and Avenue H, Brooklyn, N.Y., 11210, USA

    Surendra K. Saxena  & Somdev Bhattacharji  & 

  2. Geological Institute, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden

    Hans Annersten

  3. Department of Rock Mechanics, Luleå University, Luleå, Sweden

    Ove Stephansson

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© 1977 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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Olsen, E.J. (1977). Equilibrium Thermodynamic Calculations Applied to Meteorite Mineral Assemblages. In: Saxena, S.K., Bhattacharji, S., Annersten, H., Stephansson, O. (eds) Energetics of Geological Processes. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-86574-9_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-86574-9_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-86576-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-86574-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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