Evaluation of the utility of handheld XRF in meteoritics

Abstract

We tested a handheld X‐ray fluorescence instrument with adaptable matrix correction for its suitability in meteoritics. We report here the instrument setup, precision and accuracy and present examples of applications. With a measuring time of 300 s, it is possible to collect accurate data for K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Sr and Ba that are needed for the identification of doubtful meteorites and the nondestructive classification of chondrites and achondrites. The factory‐supplied calibration curve of the instrument was fine tuned for our purposes with the use of well‐analyzed meteorite powders, pressed pellets and meteorite hand specimens as standards. Relative errors of 10% to 20% are reached for the mentioned elements. The instrument was tested in the hot desert of Oman while searching for meteorites and also in the laboratory while doing research on meteorites. The main applications of the instrument are the identification and classification of meteorites, the quantification of terrestrial elemental contamination (Sr and Ba) and detection of Mn‐rich desert varnish. It is possible to discriminate the major meteorite groups using Fe/Mn and Ni values. Handheld X‐ray fluorescence is also useful in identifying meteorites belonging to the same fall event. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Expedition 350 methods

“…Mining uses a fundamental parameter calibration taking into account the matrix effects from all identified elements in the analyzed spectrum (Zurfluh et al, 2011). In soil mode, quantification is performed after dividing the baseline-and interference-corrected intensities for the peaks of interest to those of the Compton scatter peak, and then comparing these normalized intensities to those of a suitable standard measured in the factory (Zurfluh et al, 2011).…”

The meteoritic origin of Tutankhamun's iron dagger blade

“…XRF measurements, carried out in the laboratory and, more recently, with the aid of portable or handheld devices, have been widely used for the bulk nondestructive analysis of meteorites since the late 1960s and early 1970s (Reed ; Zurfluh et al. ; Gemelli et al. ).…”

Parentage Identification of Differentiated Achondritic Meteorites by Hand‐held Energy Dispersive X‐Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

“…In more oxidised conditions (i.e., ƒO 2 ≈ IW, Grossman et al . ), Fe occurs as Fe 2+ in silicate minerals. Moreover, Fe and Mn show same valence state, similar ionic radii and do not fractionate during igneous processes.…”

“…Due to their high atomic number, the Fe and Mn contents of rocks are detected by HH‐ED‐XRF with high accuracy and precision (Zurfluh et al . , Young et al . ).…”

“…Recently, HH‐ED‐XRF has been used to identify and classify different groups of stony meteorites (Zurfluh et al . ), to perform chemical bulk analysis on iron meteorites (Gemelli et al . ) and to evaluate its potential in planetary surface exploration (Young et al .…”