Antarctic Meteorites

Acronym
AntMet
Code
PNRA16_00029
Research area
Earth science
Specific research topic
Research and study of Antarctic meteorites and cosmic dusts
Region of interest
East Antarctic Plateau, Transantarctic Mountanis
Project website
https://meteoant.dst.unipi.it/index.php
PI
Luigi Folco
PI establishment
University of Pisa, Department of Earth Sciences
Institutional website
https://www.dst.unipi.it/
Other institutions and subjects involved
UniParthenope, UniCam, UniPavia, IIT@NEST, CEREGE (France)
Consistency of the research team
Project status
Completed
Main stations used
MZS
The project

"Antarctic Meteorites" is a three-year national project that continues and develops research activities begun in 1990 under the National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA). To date, this project has led to the collection of more than 1,200 meteorite specimens from numerous blue ice areas of the polar plateau, the discovery of micrometeorite and microtektite deposits on the peaks of the Transantarctic Mountains, the development of dozens of research projects in planetary sciences in Italy, and the advanced training of many young researchers.

The project is focused on the collection and cosmochemical study of meteorites, micrometeorites and impactites collected in the Terra Victoria with the aim of contributing to the understanding of the origin and evolution of the solar system, as well as to the reconstruction of the collisional history of our planet. The project also aims to study the mechanism of meteorite concentration in the blue ice areas of the polar plateau to obtain information on the dynamics of the East Antarctic ice sheet in response to global climate change.

Images
  • Motivation, importance of research

    Knowledge about the origin and evolution of the solar system is derived from the effective synergy between astronomical observation, direct exploration by space missions, numerical modeling, and the study of the chemical and physical properties of thousands of meteorites-fragments of rocks falling to Earth-from a wide variety of celestial bodies in the solar system including asteroids, comets, satellites, and planets.  

    Antarctic ice is a favored ground for meteorite collection. Since 1969 nearly fifty thousand samples have been collected by researchers from various national polar programs, including Italy with the AntMet project of the Programma Nazionale delle Ricerche in Antartide (PNRA). These include lunar meteors, Martian meteors, and a wide variety of asteroidal meteorites whose international study has led to significant advances in planetary science and space exploration. 

    Objectives of the proposal
    Activities carried out and results achieved

    Go to our project webpage to see what we have been up to, from the Antarctic Plateau meteorite search campaign to the laboratory. You'll also find the illlustrated account of our 2017-18 expedition, as well as the media impact of our work, from print to television.

    https://meteoant.dst.unipi.it/index.php

     

    Products

    Campanale, F., Mugnaioli, E., Gemmi, M., Folco L. (2021) The formation of impact coesite. Scientific Reports 11, 16011 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95432-6

    Brase L. Harvey R.P., Folco L., Suttle M.D., McIntosh E., James D., Corrigan C. (2021) Microtektites and glassy micrometeorites from new sites in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 56, 829-843. https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13634

    Polimeno P., Magazzù A., Latì M. A., Saija R., Folco L., Bronte Ciriza D., Donato M. G., Foti A., Gucciardi P. G., Saidi A., Cecchi-Pestellini C., Jimenez Escobar A., Ammannito E., Sindoni G., Bertini I., Della Corte V., Inno L., Ciaravella A., Rotundi A., Maragò O. M. (2021) Optical tweezers in a dusty universe. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 136, 339. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-021-01316-z

    Di Vincenzo G., Folco L., Suttle M., Brase L.  Harvey R. (2021) Multi-collector 40Ar-39Ar dating of microtektites from Transantarctic Mountains (Antarctica): a definitive link with the Australasian tektite/microtektite strewn field. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 298, 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2021.01.046

    Suttle M.D., Folco L., Genge M.J., Franchi I.A., Campanale F., Mugnaioli E. Zhao X. (2021) The aqueous alteration of GEMS-like amorphous silicate in a chondritic micrometeorite by Antarctic water. Geochmica et Cosmochimica Acta 293, 399-421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2020.11.006

    Masotta M., Peres S., Folco L., Mancini L., Rochette P., Glass B.P., Campanale F., Gueninchault N., Radica F., Singsoupho S., Navarro E. (2020) 3D X-ray tomographic analysis reveals how coesite is preserved in Muong Nong-type tektites. Scientific Report 10: 20608. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76727-6

    Suttle M.D.,  Folco L. (2020). The extraterrestrial dust flux: Size distribution and mass contribution estimates inferred from the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) micrometeorite collection. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125, e2019JE006241. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JE006241

    Nava J., Suttle M.D., Spiess R., Folco L., Najorka J., Carli C., Massironi M. (2020) Hydrothermal activity on the CV parent body: new perspectives from the giant micrometeorite TAM5.29. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 55, 164–183.  https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13429

    Suttle M.D, Folco L., Genge M.J., Russell S.S. (2020) Flying too close to the Sun – The viability of perihelion-induced aqueous alteration on periodic comets. Icarus 351, 113956, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113956

    Suttle M.D., Dionnet Z. Franchi I., Folco L., Gibson J., Greenwood R.C., Rotundi A., King A., Russell S.S. (2020) Isotopic and textural analysis of giant unmelted micrometeorites – identification of new material from intensely altered 16O-poor water-rich asteroids. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 546, 116444, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116444

    Dionnet Z. , Suttle M.D. , Longobardo A., Rotundi A., Folco L., Della Corte V., King A. (2020)  X-ray computed tomography: Morphological and porosity characterization of giant Antarctic micrometeorites. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 55, 1581-1599. https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13533

    Suttle, M.D., Twegar, K., Nava, J. K., Spiess R., Spratt J., Campanale F.  & Folco L. (2019) A unique CO-like micrometeorite hosting an exotic Al-Cu-Fe-bearing assemblage – close affinities with the Khatyrka meteorite. Sci Rep 9, 12426. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48937-0

    Suttle M.D., Lee M., Genge M.J., Salge T., Folco L., Góral T., Russell S.S. (2019) Microchondrule-bearing micrometeorites and comparison with CM chondrites. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54, 1303-1324. https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13279

    Murri M, Smith R. L., McColl K., Hart M., Alvaro M., Jones A. P., Nemeth P., Salzmann C. G., Cora F., Domeneghetti M. C., Nestola F., Sobolev N. V., Vishnevsky S. A., Logvinova A. M., McMillan P. F. (2019) Quantifying hexagonal stacking in diamond. Scientic Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46556-3

    Murri M., Domeneghetti M.C., Fioretti A. M., Nestola F., Vetere F., Perugini D., Pisello A., Faccenda M., Alvaro M. (2019) Cooling history and emplacement of a pyroxenitic lava as proxy for understanding Martian lava flows. Scientic Reports 9, 10334. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53142-0

    Murri M., C amara F., Adam J., Domeneghetti M.C., Alvaro M. (2018). Intracrystalline \geothermometry" assessed on clino and orthopyroxene bearing synthetic rocks. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 227, 133-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.02.010

    Suttle M.D., Genge M.J., Folco L., van Ginneken M., Lin Q., Russell S.S., Najorka, J. (2018) The atmospheric entry of fine-grained micrometeorites: the role of volatile gases in heating and fragmentation. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54, 503-520. https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13220

    Suttle M.D., Folco L., Genge M.J., Russell S.S., Najorka, J., van Ginneken M., (2018) Intense aqueous alteration on C-type asteroids: Perspectives from giant fine-grained micrometeorites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 245, 352-373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.11.019

    Rochette P, Braucher R, Folco L, Horng C S, Aumaître G,  Bourlès D L, Keddadouche K. (2018) 10Be in Australasian microtektites compared to tektites: size and geographic controls. Geology 46, 803-806. https://doi.org/10.1130/G45038.1

    Cordier C., Baecker B., Ott U., Folco L., Trieloff M. (2018) A new type of oxidized and pre-irradiated micrometeorite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 233, 135-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.04.010

    Baecker B., Ott U., Cordier C., Folco L.,Trieloff M., van Ginneken M., Rochette P. (2018). Noble gases in micrometeorites from the Transantarctic Mountains. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 242, 266–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.08.027

    Folco L., Glass B.P., D’Orazio M., Rochette P. (2018) Impactor identification in Australasian microtektites based on Cr, Co and Ni ratios. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 222, 550-568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.11.017

    Hamann C., Fazio A., Ebert M., Hecht L., Folco L., Deutsch A., Wirth R. Reimold W. U. (2018) Silicate liquid immiscibility in impact melts. Meteoritics & Planetary Science  53, 1594-1632. https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.12907

    Gemelli M., Di Rocco T., Folco L., D'Orazio M. (2017) Parentage Identifcation of Differentiated Achondritic Meteorites by Hand-held Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggr.12179

    Pack A., Höweling A., Hezel D.C., Stefanak M.T., Beck A-K., Peters S.T.M., Sengupta S., Herwartz D., Folco L. (2017) Tracing the oxygen isotope composition of the Earth's upper atmosphere using cosmic spherules. Nature Communication. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15702

    Suttle M.D., Genge M.J., Folco L., Russell S. (2017) The Thermal Decomposition of Fine-grained Micrometeorites, Observations from Mid-IR Spectroscopy Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 206: 112–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.03.002