Pallasites
The pallasites consist of olivine crystals that may be as large as 1 cm across embedded in a Fe-Ni alloy matrix. Esthetically, pallasites are easily the most beautiful meteorites, especially when cut and polished. When etched, the metal phase may exhibit a Widmanstatten pattern (see "Irons" below). Pallasites are thought to have formed at the core-mantle boundary within a differentiated asteroid; the iron would be derived from the asteroid's core, while the olivine crystals would come from the base of its mantle.
BACK »
|