The effect of terrestrial weathering on the magnetic properties of meteorites from the Atacama Desert
https://doi.org/10.26907/2542-064X.2025.2.353-366
Abstract
Once ordinary chondrites fall on Earth, Fe–Ni minerals and troilite they contain oxidize and transform into iron oxyhydroxides and/or iron oxides, which is expected to modify their magnetic properties. In this study, the effect of long-term terrestrial weathering on the magnetic properties (magnetic susceptibility and hysteresis parameters) of 117 H and L ordinary chondrites from the Atacama Desert (Chile), a region hosting the oldest meteorite collection in the world, was investigated. The measurements revealed a consistent weathering-induced decrease in the saturation magnetization and magnetic susceptibility of both H and L chondrites. The observed trends indicate a faster initial weathering of Fe–Ni minerals compared to troilite, their transformation into mostly paramagnetic iron oxyhydroxides, as well as the formation of magnetite in the later weathering stages.
Keywords
ordinary chondrites,
terrestrial weathering,
magnetic properties,
magnetic susceptibility,
hysteresis,
Atacama Desert
Supporting agencies: This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 24-2700388, https://rscf.ru/project/24-27-00388/)
About the Authors
D. Kuzina
Kazan Federal University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Dilyara Kuzina - Cand. Sci. (Geology and Mineralogy), Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology, Paleomagnetism.
Kazan
Competing Interests:
The authors declare no conflicts of interest
J. Gattacceca
Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, IRD, INRAE
France
Competing Interests:
France
Jérôme Gattacceca - PhD, Senior Researcher, CEREGE – Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS.
Aix-en-Provence
Competing Interests:
The authors declare no conflicts of interest
H. Gouilloux
Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, IRD, INRAE
France
Competing Interests:
France
Hugo Gouilloux - Master’s Student, CEREGE – Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS.
Aix-en-Provence
Competing Interests:
The authors declare no conflicts of interest
H. Mertens
Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, IRD, INRAE
France
Competing Interests:
France
Hugo Mertens - Master’s Student, CEREGE – Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS.
Aix-en-Provence
Competing Interests:
The authors declare no conflicts of interest
R. Lacube
Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, IRD, INRAE
France
Competing Interests:
France
Romain Lacube - Master’s Student, CEREGE – Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS.
Aix-en-Provence
Competing Interests:
The authors declare no conflicts of interest
F. Demory
Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, IRD, INRAE
France
Competing Interests:
France
Francois Demory - PhD, Research Engineer, CEREGE – Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS.
Aix-en-Provence
Competing Interests:
The authors declare no conflicts of interest
C. Lorenz
Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Cyril Lorenz - Cand. Sci. (Geology and Mineralogy), Senior Researcher.
Moscow
Competing Interests:
The authors declare no conflicts of interest
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Review
For citations:
Kuzina D., Gattacceca J., Gouilloux H., Mertens H., Lacube R., Demory F., Lorenz C. The effect of terrestrial weathering on the magnetic properties of meteorites from the Atacama Desert. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta Seriya Estestvennye Nauki. 2025;167(2):353-366. https://doi.org/10.26907/2542-064X.2025.2.353-366
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