PETROGRAPHY AND BULK CHEMISTRY OF MARTIAN IHERZOLITE LEW88516

The meteorite Lewis Cliffs 88516 is a gabbroic Iherzolite with geochem ical and petrologic characteristics typical of the shergottites, a dis tinct subgroup of basaltic achondrites belonging to the SNC (Martian) meteorite dan. We report new INAA and microprobe data for LEW88516, no ting small but significant differences between our results and those p reviously published for this meteorite. These discrepancies are mainly attributed to heterogeneities in the bulk rock powder which was distr ibuted to several laboratories for geochemical studies. Other discrepa ncies are attributed to interlaboratory bias. We emphasize that even m inor variations between datasets may have the potential to significant ly affect geochemical models for Martian basalts. Small differences in bulk trace element chemistry between LEW88516 and Martian Iherzolite ALH77005 may indicate that they crystallized from different magmas. Co pyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.