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Ancient cosmic stone: How did the Mighei meteorite become the model of CM meteorite?
Meteoriology is a field full of mystery and exploration, among which the CM meteorite group is particularly eye-catching. This group of meteorites derived from the Mighei meteorite has become the most common type of carbonaceous meteorites. This article will explore how the Mighei meteorite became an example of CM meteorite and its important position in meteoriology.
Overview and classification of CM meteorites
Meteorites are mainly divided into two categories: ordinary meteorites and carbonaceous meteorites; CM meteorites are a special type of carbonaceous meteorites. The classification of CMs is not only based on its chemical composition, but also reflects their physical structure and composition.
The existence of CM meteorites can be traced back to the 19th century. Unlike ordinary meteorites, CM meteorites contain higher carbon content and are darker in color.
According to the latest meteorite catalog, CM meteorites have been observed 15 times and discovered 146 times, showing that they exist relatively frequently. This makes CM meteorites the most common category of carbonaceous meteorites.
Structural characteristics of CM meteorites
CM meteorites are characterized by their lower density, about 2.1 g/cm³, which is slightly higher than CI meteorites but lower than CO and other carbonaceous meteorites, in part because of the porosity and materials in their structure lightweight properties.
CM meteorites retain some of the original globular grains, which are droplets of minerals that cooled early in the planet's formation.
Chemical composition of CM meteorites
As the name suggests, carbonaceous meteorites contain a large amount of carbon compounds, including natural carbon, metal carbides and organic compounds. The moisture in CM meteorites cannot be underestimated. Its water content is between 3% and 14%. The main source of water is considered to be the composition of the meteorite itself.
CI and CM meteorites are considered to be "water-rich" meteorites, and this water may be one of the sources of the Earth's oceans.
The composition and evolution of CM meteorites
The chemical properties of CM meteorites make them a database for studying the early solar system. Amino acids and organic compounds found in these meteorites provide clues about the origins of life.
In 1970, scientists first reported the discovery of amino acids in meteorites, a discovery that emphasized the importance of meteorites in the study of the origin of life.
The history and prospects of CM meteorites
Mighei meteorites are good examples of the CM meteorite category, but clearly they face the challenge of observational bias. Compared with iron meteorites and ordinary meteorites, CM meteorites are fragile, which makes them more difficult to detect and recover.
Conclusion
The study of CM meteorites is not only important for understanding the origin of the universe, but also helps reveal the mystery of the origin of life. Will the future of meteoriology be bottlenecked by this exploration, and will more surprising discoveries be revealed?
