1. Meteorite Porosity and Hydration
Dan Britt
University of Central Florida
Workshop on Water in Asteroids and Meteorites

2. Start with Meteorites

3. Measuring density and porosity

5. Where is the pore space? Ordinary chondrites mostly same porosity
Pore spaces seen in SEM as microcracks
Weathering in cracks: cracks not an artifact!

6. Can high porosities be seen in SEM images?
NOT ALWAYS…
ORGUEIL (CI): 35% POROSITY
DURALA (L6): 15% POROSITY

7. But sometimes, yes ALLENDE (CV3) NOGOYÁ (CM2)
from Chronology of the early Solar System from chondrule-bearing calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions
Alexander N. Krot, Hisayoshi Yurimoto, Ian D. Hutcheon and Glenn J. MacPherson
Nature 434, (21 April 2005)
NOGOYÁ (CM2)

23. A Few Conclusions…
Almost all meteorites have porosity…. sometimes lots of porosity.
Sometimes that porosity is at very fine scales.
For Porosity
Petrographic grade matters
Shock state matters
Matrix matters
Oxidation state matters

25. ASTEROID MACROPOROSITY
Coherent Bodies
(Dwarf Planets)
Fractured but
Coherent?
Rubble piles
P-types & Comets
Near earth asteroids