Northwest Africa 3127

Northwest Africa

Found 2002

Ordinary chondrite (LL3.1)

A 487 g stone was purchased in Safsaf, Morocco in October 2002. Description and classification (T. Bunch and J. Wittke, NAU; J. Grossman, USGS, Reston): polymict chondritic breccia; host is LL3.1 with xenoliths of LL4 and LL5. Chondrules are very similar to the LL3.0 Semarkona and LL3.1 NWA 1756 chondrites in terms of phase and mesostasis compositions, zoning profiles, and textures. FeO contents in 65 type II chondrule olivine cores range from 7.0 to 26.8 wt. % and corresponding CaO from 0.06 to 0.20 wt.%, which are consistent with an LL3.0–3.2 classification (Jones, 1990); Cr₂O₃ contents in these olivines, which is considered to be a more sensitive indicator of petrologic subtype (Grossman and Brearley, 2005), range from 0.08 wt. % to 0.58 wt. % with an average of 0.38 wt. %, consistent with an LL3.1 classification, Chondrule mesostasis is optically isotropic and SEM images show little evidence for metamorphic crystallization of mesostasis glass.  Shock level, S2; weathering grade is W3. Specimens: 20.1 g, NAU*; main mass xHupé.