The Lohawat howardite: Mineralogy,chemistry and cosmogenic effects |
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| Authors: | M S Sisodia A D Shukla K M Suthar R R Mahajan S V S Murty P N Shukla N Bhandari R Natarajan |
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| Abstract: | Abstract— The Lohawat meteorite is a texturally heterogeneous breccia having a variety of mineral and lithic fragments. Among mineral fragments, pyroxenes show a wide range of composition (Wo0.011–0.17En0.37–0.78Fs0.21–0.60) whereas plagioclase is anorthitic (An0.92Ab0.07Or0.007). Abundant rounded “chondrule‐like” objects ranging in size up to ～7 mm, some with concentric layering, have been observed. Petrographic features, trace element composition and rare earth element patterns show the presence of eucritic and diogenitic components confirming that it is a typical howardite. Cosmogenic tracks, rare gases (He, Ne, and Ar) and radionuclides (22Na and 26Al) were measured. Track density in olivine and plagioclase varies between 0.7 to 6 times 106/cm2. 38Ar exposure age is estimated to be ～110 Ma, being the highest among howardites. The track production rates correspond to ablation of 9 to 15 cm, implying a radius for its preatmospheric size of ～27 cm. 22Na/26Al ～ 1, as expected from the production models and solar modulation of galactic cosmic‐ray fluxes before its fall, suggesting that the meteoroid did not undergo any fragmentation during the past ～2 Ma in interplanetary space. The radiogenic age based on K‐Ar method is 4.3 Ga while the U‐Th‐4He age is 3.3 Ga indicating partial loss of He. |
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