Carbon isotopic composition and petrographic setting of graphite in the Vaca Muerta mesosiderite.

SAAVEDRA M.; JIN Z.; HWANG S.L.; M. BOSE; MARIA EUGENIA VARELA; SHEN P; YUI T.F.; CHU, H-T

Houston

Conferencia; 51th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference; 2020

Carbon isotopic heterogeneity of graphite has been previously reported in primitive achondrites, chondrites and in the IAB iron meteorites Canyon Diablo and Campo del Cielo [e.g., 1-4]. For mesosiderites, previous studies have shown the presence ofisotopically heavy and heterogeneous carbon in thegraphite of Vaca Muerta [5].Here we report on the carbon isotopic compositionof graphite associated with the metal in Vaca Muertamesosiderite and on a petrologic study of a new polished section of this meteorite. The petrographic evidences (e.g., the presence of long graphite veins) revealed new information that is crucial for understanding the carbon isotopic composition.