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Advanced Microscopy for

Planetary Geology

Discover the secrets of our solar system

From meteorites to pre-solar grains, the study of extra-terrestrial material requires advanced capabilities using multi-scale, multi-modal correlative analysis.

Quantitative mineral identification and crystal orientation using deep-learning enhanced X-ray microscopy generate complete 3D characterization of precious samples.

Electron microscopy techniques focus on maximizing quantitative analysis from
microstructural variations to nanoscale trace element analysis.

Download the Collection of Paper
  • Study the Winchcombe and Allende Meteorite
  • Quantitative geochemical mapping and petrological analysis
  • EBSD Mapping Of Complex Geological Samples
  • Mechanical Microscopy

Analyzing the Winchcombe Meteorite

On February 28th, 2021, a bright fireball blazed across the skies above the UK. It was moving from west to east and was caught by 16 special cameras that are used to observe meteorites, as well as thousands of domestic CCTV-style cameras, and reported by numerous eyewitnesses. The event was so spectacular that it was national news by the next morning. Winchcombe is the first meteorite to fall in the UK for 30 years.

Read the whole story

Understanding the Building Blocks of Our Solar System.

Download this complimentary collection of papers identifying applications and solutions for planetary geology.

  • Studying the Winchcombe meteorite

    The Winchcombe meteorite is one of the most exceptional meteorites to be studied due to how fast it was able to be collected. Check out how quantitative data was obtained by several microscopy techniques to most accurately describe the information about the sample.

  • Large Area, High Resolution EBSD Mapping of Complex Geological Samples

    Mapping the spatial distributions of crystalline phases and their lattice orientations using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is a central task in both the materials and earth sciences, that also has application for extraterrestrial samples.

  • Quantitative geochemical mapping and petrological analysis

    Achieve quantitative geochemical and petrological data of your extraterrestrial samples with the greatest possible flexibility.

  • Correlative EM to Nanoindentation Studies

    Indentation mapping is one of the best ways of investigating the local mechanical properties of complex microstructures such as the octahedrite Muonionalusta meteorite that impacted northern Scandinavia.

Quantitative analysis for extraterrestrial samples

ZEISS Mineralogic is a suite of quantitative analytical software for scanning electron microscope (SEM) electron and X-ray microscopy (uCT). Quantitative analysis allows for detailed textural characterisation of the sample coupled with automated mineral identification using geochemistry in 2D or absorption contrast tomography in 3D leaving your most precious samples intact. ZEISS Mineralogic provides a versatile range of solutions for automated mineralogy regardless of sample type, from thin section to extraterrestrial sample return mission.

Learn more in our Application Note "Quantitative Geochemical Mapping and Petrological Analysis"

Screening of Zr-containing particles from Chang’e-5 lunar soil samples

New samples returned by China Chang’e-5 (CE-5) mission offer an opportunity for studying the lunar geologic longevity, space weathering, and regolith evolution. The age determination of the CE-5 samples was among the first scientific questions to be answered. However, the precious samples, most in the micrometer size range, challenge many traditional analyses on large single crystals of zircon developed for massive bulk samples. Here, we developed a non-destructive rapid screening of individual zirconium-containing particle for isotope geochronology based on a Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis (µXRF).

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Allende Meteorite

The Allende carbonaceous chondrite is the largest meteorite of its kind ever found on Earth, with over 2 tonnes of material recovered after falling in northern Mexico in 1969. The stony meteorite is primarily composed of irregularly shaped, mm-to-cm scale CAI’s (calcium aluminium inclusions) and more spherical, mm-scale chondrules embedded in a more fine-grained matrix.

Watch the Sample Videos below

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    5mm core of the Allende meteorite. Sample has been scanned using a Versa 620 XRM at a 5µm pixel size and upscaled to a 2µm pixel resolution using the deep learning powered DeepScout package in the Advanced Reconstruction Toolbox. Individual elements have been segmented using the ORS Dragonfly software. Segmented scan shows a number of silicate chondrules (green) within the meteorite and a particularly large CAI (blue). The CAI is a fine grained zone comprising calcium and aluminium rich minerals and shows a characteristically irregular, anastomosing shape through the sample. CAI’s represent some of the oldest material in the solar system, predating the chondrules and the meteorite body itself.
    Allende CAI segmentation

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    5mm core of the Allende meteorite. Sample has been scanned using a Versa 620 XRM at a 5µm pixel size and upscaled to a 2µm pixel resolution using the deep learning powered DeepScout package in the Advanced Reconstruction Toolbox. Scan shows the highly heterogeneous nature of the carbonaceous chondrite. Spherical chondrules of darker looking silicate minerals can be seen often associated with smaller, bright sulfide and oxide minerals. More convoluted dark shapes winding through the interior of the sample are examples of CAI’s, or calcium aluminium inclusions, which are among the oldest objects in our solar system.
    Allende chondrules flythrough

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    5mm core of the Allende meteorite. Sample has been scanned using a Versa 620 XRM at a 5µm pixel size and upscaled to a 2µm pixel resolution using the deep learning powered DeepScout package in the Advanced Reconstruction Toolbox. Individual elements have been segmented using the ORS Dragonfly software. Scan shows a chondrule-rich portion of the meteorite. Bright regions of the absorption contrast (greyscale) scan show that dense phases may be distributed within the chondrules, or decorate the exterior. For two individual chondrules these dense phases (sulfides and oxides) have been segmented (red and orange for respective chondrules). The size and distribution of these minerals within the chondrules highlights the level of variation among seemingly similar components of the carbonaceous chondrite.
    Allende sulfide segmentation

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