New Method of Magnetic in SITU Mineral Characterization within Thin Section, Implication for Magnetic Characterization of Magnetic Grains within an Asteroid

Abstract:

Magnetic images have been produced using a magnetic scaning system from Youngwood Science and Engineering (YSE). This scanner consists of a stationary Hall probe with adjustable z-direction and a 2D (XY) motorized stage. The hall probe senses the magnetic component perpendicular to the scanning surface from a distance 0.3 mm from the polished thin section of the meteorite fragment removed from the bottom of lake Chebarkul. This sample was magnetically scanned after application of multiple steps of DC magnetizing/demagnetizing fields. Initially, the sample was saturated in a specified direction in 1T magnetic field, followed by about 40 steps of gradual demagnetization with step of 1 mT, until full saturation in opposing direction, which was achieved at -40mT. The very same process was applied after this sample was re-saturated in opposing direction. The magnetic anomalies have been analyzed at each step and demagnetizing curves interpreted (Kletetschka et al., 2013) based on the magnetic characteristics of individual grains, which have been located in the fragments. These areas with magnetic anomalies were subjected to scanning electron micrography to reveal composition and morphology of magnetic sources. Results introduce a new method for interpreation of the micro-magnetic properties of the meteorite.

Kletetschka, G., Schnabl, P., Sifnerova, K., Tasaryova, Z., Manda, S., and Pruner, P., 2013, Magnetic scanning and interpretation of paleomagnetic data from Prague Synform's volcanics: Studia Geophysica Et Geodaetica, v. 57, p. 103-117.