Meteorites A Petrologic, Chemical and Isotopic Synthesis

Meteorite research is fundamental to our understanding of the origin and early history of the Solar System. Some meteorites were produced by melting on asteroids, a few are from the Moon and others are martian. Their study yields a chronology of the first 100 million years of Solar System history and provides evidence that our Sun went through a highly radiative, T Tauri stage. This book considers the mechanism and timing of core formation and basaltic volcanism on asteroids and the effects of heating water-rich bodies. Results from meteorite research are placed in a galactic setting, and a theory is proposed for the origin of the planets of our Solar System. This advanced yet succinct introduction provides a classification of meteorites and discusses their ages and origin. It will be valuable to graduate students and scientists in astrophysics, space research, cosmochemistry, geochemistry, isotope geology and earth and planetary sciences.

Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. The chondrites: chemistry and classification; 3. The components of chondrites; 4. Petrography of the chondrites I: carbonaceous chondrites; 5. Petrography of the chondrites II: non-carbonaceous chondrites; 6. Time in the evolution of chondrites; 7. Origin of chondrites and their components; 8. Differentiated meteorites I: primitive achondrites, ureilites and aubrites; 9. Differentiated meteorites II: asteroidal, lunar and Martian basaltic meteorites; 10. Differentiated meteorites III: iron and stony iron meteorites; 11. Parent body processes and petrogenetic associations; 12. Origin of Solar System planets: a meteoriticist's view; Glossary; Bibliography; Index of meteorite names; General index.

Meteorite research is fundamental to our understanding of the origin and early history of the Solar System. This advanced yet succinct introduction to meteorites and many of their properties will be valuable to graduate students and scientists in astrophysics, space research, cosmochemistry, geochemistry, isotope geology and earth and planetary sciences.

Robert Hutchison was a retired research scientist and curator of meteorites at the Natural History Museum, London, prior to his death in 2007.