Preliminary Analysis of Meteorites with an Ion Probe Mass Analyzer

Abstract

A small ion probe mass spectrometer was constracted for the analysis of meteorites. Preliminary analyses of a standard steel, iron meteorites, and stone meteorites have been carried out with this instrument. It was noticed that molecular ions, and multicharged ions, together with instrumental backgro unds such as H⁺, C⁺, O⁺, Al⁺, were disturbing species for the analysis of trace elements. The dis tributions of nickel concentration along a scanning line on the surface of the iron meteorite, Odessa, were obtained. Enrichment of nickel in taenite phase was clearly shown. Isotopic abundances of lithiu m and boron in stone meteorites. Bruderheim and Leedey, were possible to measure and the preliminary data were shown.