From a report submitted by Myrto Simopoulou, Agricultural University of Athens
The project was carried out to investigate the shock features in L6 ordinary chondrite meteorites, with a particular focus on shock-induced melt veins and the high-pressure (HP) minerals they contain. The primary goal was to conduct in-situ chemical and spectroscopic analyses to identify high-pressure mineral phases and reconstruct the pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) conditions associated with melt-vein formation. A combination of complementary, structure-sensitive analytical techniques was employed to ensure reliable mineral identification and avoid overestimating shock conditions.
The collected data enable a more robust interpretation of the impact history recorded by these meteorites and provide new constraints on the physical conditions and mechanisms responsible for their formation. In particular, the research investigates the formation of HP minerals through both solid-state recrystallization and crystallization from shock-induced melts. By combining mineralogical observations with experimental phase diagrams, the study aims to quantify the range of pressure–temperature conditions experienced during impacts and improve our understanding of shock metamorphism and collisional processes in the early Solar System.
I presented my research at the 57th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2026, held in Houston, Texas (16-20 March 2026), where I delivered an oral presentation. The work focused on two meteorites, Beni M’Hira and Hammadah Al Hamra 346, studied during my laboratory visits to Göttingen and Münster, supported by Meteoritical Society funding.
This research will also contribute to a manuscript currently in preparation, focusing on a suite of L6 chondrite meteorites.