Chemistry Letters, Vol.38, No.1, 22-23, 2009
Submicron Distribution of Organic Matter of Carbonaceous Chondrite Using Near-field Infrared Microspectroscopy
Carbonaceous chondrites are known to contain up to a few wt % organic carbon. Organic materials are disseminated in the clayish matrix, and some of them have been reported to be in the form of submicron organic globules. However, little is known about the nature of these microscopic organics. The organic matter distribution of the Bells (CM2) carbonaceous chondrite has been studied using a near-field infrared (NFIR) microspectrometer. Organic matter distribution and mineral associations at the submicron scale spatial resolution were observed.