Porosity and density of ordinary chondrites: Clues to the formation of friable and porous ordinary chondrites

    Authors

    S. L. Wilkinson; T. J. McCoy; J. E. McCamant; M. S. Robinson;D. T. Britt

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Meteorit. Planet. Sci.

    Keywords

    ASTEROID 433 EROS; ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION; PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES; SHOCK; METAMORPHISM; INTERNAL STRUCTURE; PARENT BODIES; BULK-DENSITY; 253; MATHILDE; METEORITES; FEATURES; Geochemistry & Geophysics

    Abstract

    Densities and porosities of meteorites are physical properties that can be used to infer characteristics of asteroid interiors. We report density and porosity measurements of 42 pieces of 30 ordinary chondrites and provide a quantification of the errors of the gas pycnometer method used in this study. Based on our measurements, we find that no significant correlation exists between porosity and petrologic grade, chemical group, sample mass, bulk and grain density, or shock level. To investigate variations in porosity and density between pieces of a meteorite, we examined stones from two showers, Holbrook and Pultusk. Examination of nine samples of Holbrook suggests relative homogeneity in porosity and density between pieces of this shower. Measurements of three samples of Pultusk show homogeneity in bulk density, in contrast to Wilkison and Robinson (2000), a study that reported significant variations in bulk density between 11 samples of Pultusk. Finally, examination of two friable ordinary chondrites, Bjurbole and Allegan, reveal variability in friability and porosity among pieces of the same fall. We suggest that friable ordinary chondrites may have formed in a regolith or fault zone of an asteroid.

    Journal Title

    Meteoritics & Planetary Science

    Volume

    38

    Issue/Number

    10

    Publication Date

    1-1-2003

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1533

    Last Page

    1546

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000187751800010

    ISSN

    1086-9379

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