Clues from meteorite to Earth’s mantle

Subject : Science & tech

Context : A new study has now shown that by studying this meteorite and its minerals we may find new clues about the Earth’s lower mantle

Concept :

On November 13, 2015, a meteorite fell near the town of Kamargaon in Assam, India. It weighed a little over 12 kg and scientists decoded its mineral composition and classified it as a chondrite, a variety of stony meteorite.
Using new high-resolution electron microscopy and spectroscopy, researchers studied this dissociation reaction of olivine in the Kamargaon meteorite. They noted an alternative mechanism and reactions that may be driving the transformation of olivine.
It is possible that when materials are transported to the lower mantle by convection or subduction, there would be high-temperature conditions in the lower mantle that would cause this dissociated reaction.

Meteor, Meteorite and Meteoroid

When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors.
When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it’s called a meteorite.
Meteorites are classified into three groups: Stony (silicaterich), Iron (Fe–Ni alloy), and Stony Iron (mixed silicate iron alloy).

Components of Meteorite:

Detailed spectroscopic studies revealed that the meteorite had very high (about 90%) phyllosilicate minerals comprising both magnesium and iron.
Forsterite and FeO olivine, calcium aluminium rich inclusion (CAI) minerals.
Few magnetites, sulphides, aluminium complexes and calcites were also found.