Identification of Fe-rich meteoric dust

Cryo-mineralogy in coagulated ice particles nucleated onto meteoric iron sp ecies in noctilucent clouds could be a critical step in the formation of me teoric dust at the mesopause. Meteoric dust of the hydrated iron species al pha -FeOOH (goethite) is dehydrated via kinetically controlled reactions du ring descent in the mesosphere and stratosphere to hematite or maghemite. T his thesis must await experimental and observational verification before it can be accepted. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.