Spark planed surfaces of pure iron have been investigated using conver
sion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (GEMS), scanning electron microsc
opy, and x-ray diffraction. Results reveal that as a consequence of sp
ark erosion, phases not originally present, alpha'- and gamma-iron, ar
e formed at the surface of the samples. The limit of carbon content of
gamma-Fe is estimated from GEMS hyperfine parameters. (C) 1995 Americ
an Institute of Physics.