New Martian Meteorite:
Northwest Africa (NWA 7034)
Courtesy Carl Agee
Meteorite NWA 7034 is a breccia, with minerals
and rock fragments set in a fine-grained glassy
matrix.
http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Jan13/NWA7034.html
Evidence for a Martian Origin
Mn and Fe concentrations in
pyroxene is an effective way to
distinguish rocks from different
planetary bodies. Note that the
data for NWA 7034 fall along the
line defined by Martian meteorites.
http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Jan13/NWA7034.html
New Martian Meteorite is Similar to
Typical Martian Crust
TAS diagram for classification
of igneous rocks. NWA 7034
falls with rocks and soils from
the surface and mean surface
measured from orbit (GRS)
Martian meteorites (SNC) are
depleted in alkalis.
http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Jan13/NWA7034.html
Distinctive Mantle Source Region
NWA 7034 has different REE abundances and
pattern, and slightly different oxygen isotopic
compositions compared to known Martian meteorites.
http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Jan13/NWA7034.html
NWA 7034 Older Than Most Martian Meteorites
Martian meteorite ages
ALH 84001: 4100 Ma
NWA 7034: 2089 Ma
Nakhlites & Chassigny: 1300 Ma
Shergottites: 170-575 Ma
http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Jan13/NWA7034.html