Investigation of the Meteorite “Chelyabinsk” by Means of the Positron Annihilation Lifetime and Transmission Mössbauer Spectroscopies

Abstract

Bulk of the main part of the Chelyabinsk meteorite (ordinary chondrite, LL5) for the presence of nanometer pores therein is investigated by means of the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). In addition, its phase composition is studied with a help of the transmission Mossbauer spectroscopy (TMS). These results are refined by means of the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The obtained data demonstrate an absence of the nanometer pores in the meteorite. TMS data show that the meteorite consists of mineral phases (olivine and pyroxene), which are rather typical for the ordinary chondrites. Iron is present in sulfide and nickel forms. Possible applications of nuclear-physics methods for analysis of an origin of meteorites and evolution of the Solar system are discussed.