MOSSBAUER SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF METEORITES RECOVERED ON ANTARCTICA

The chemical states of iron in sixteen Antarctic meteorites belonging to H-group chondrites were studied by means of Mossbauer spectroscopy. An Fe-Ni alloy, troilite, paramagnetic Fe(III), and two kinds of para magnetic Fe(II) were observed in each meteorite. The Mossbauer paramet ers indicated that the Fe(II) components can be assigned to olivine an d some pyroxenes. The relative area intensities of Fe(III) in the chon drites correlated positively with iodine content, which was determined by radiochemical neutron activation analysis, and those of two Fe(II) -species correlated negatively with the content. On the basis of the d ata on the halogen and the Mossbauer spectroscopy, the terrestrial con tamination on Antarctic meteorites is discussed.