Cosmic spherules as rounded bodies in space
Abstract
Cosmic spherules obtained from deep-sea sediments have generally been accepted as extraterrestrial, but their mode of origin is uncertain. Based on scanning electron microscopy of 65 such spherules, it is proposed that a spherule is a round body in space and that those found suffer only slight alteration during their grazing flight through the atmosphere. The surface appearance of various spherules is described, and the objects are classified into different types and forms on the basis of surface appearance. Types identified include 'stony' and 'iron'; the forms encompass such categories as vuggy, organized, and 'creamy-centered' for the stony types and metal-globule-containing, globule-free, and 'ballooned-oxide' for the iron types. It is concluded that the cosmic spherules were already round in space and could have originated in the zodiacal cloud or in comets.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- April 1977
- DOI:
- 10.1038/266515a0
- Bibcode:
- 1977Natur.266..515P
- Keywords:
-
- Electron Microscopy;
- Micrometeorites;
- Spherules;
- Surface Properties;
- Magnetite;
- Mineralogy;
- Ocean Bottom;
- Olivine;
- Sediments;
- X Ray Spectra;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration;
- ELECTRON MICROSCOPY;
- MICROMETEORITES;
- SPHERULES;
- SURFACE PROPERTIES;
- MAGNETITE;
- MINERALOGY;
- OCEAN BOTTOM;
- OLIVINE;
- SEDIMENTS;
- X RAY SPECTRA