Japanese Magazine of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences
Online ISSN : 1349-7979
Print ISSN : 1345-630X
ISSN-L : 1345-630X
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The evolution process of planets explored from the texture of minerals and rocks
Kazuto SAIKI
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2005 Volume 34 Issue 6 Pages 294-302

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Abstract
Study of rock texture will surely make a breakthrough in the elucidation of the evolution process of planets. This report presents two examples showing methodologies for the study of rock texture in planetary materials. The first example is the study of pallasites. Rounded texture of olivine grains was reproduced through annealing experiments and rounding kinetics was characterized. The result shows that small scale rounding of olivine in pallasites such as Eagle Station requires a rapid cooling after olivine-metal mixing. The second example is the study of polymict eucrites. The results from detailed observation of their texture show the individual origin of pyroxene fragments and suggest that the polymict breccias were generated by gathering locally ordinary eucrites and cumulate eucrites. In future planetary exploration, observation of rock texture will serve as indispensable technology.
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© 2005 Japan Association of Mineralogical Sciences
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