TY - CONF

T1 - 2D elemental mapping of micrometeorites via LA-ICP-tof-MS

AU - Chernonozhkin, Stepan

AU - Van Acker, Thibaut

AU - Van Malderen, Stijn

AU - Goderis, Steven

AU - Vanhaecke, Frank

N1 - Conference code: 19

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Micrometeorites, tiny extraterrestrial particles, largely produced by collisions of celestial bodies, which survived atmospheric entry, fall on Earth at a rate of 40000 tons annually, and can be retrieved on the Antarctic. Micrometeorites represent a valuable source of information on the chemical evolution of the Solar System. Their microscopic size (50-2000 m) warrants the use of novel in situ mapping techniques of elemental analysis. Hyphenated with a low-dispersion laser ablation (LA) system, ICP-ToF-MS allows for 2D mapping at several hundred hertz, with each laser shot recorded as a single pixel, and for quasi-simultaneous rapid acquisition of almost the entire periodic table.In this contribution we present approaches for and results of high-resolution multi-element 2D mapping of micrometeorites cross-sections via LA-ICP-ToF-MS. Quantitative data for each pixel was obtained through a combination of multi-point calibration - via a set of natural glass reference materials - and 100% oxide normalization to account for ablation yield. variations. Detection limits down to a few ng/g were attained while only using a 5x5 µm square laser spot. Analysis of the elemental images of micrometeorites allows to recognize and isolate melts of different composition, complimenting petrographic observations.

AB - Micrometeorites, tiny extraterrestrial particles, largely produced by collisions of celestial bodies, which survived atmospheric entry, fall on Earth at a rate of 40000 tons annually, and can be retrieved on the Antarctic. Micrometeorites represent a valuable source of information on the chemical evolution of the Solar System. Their microscopic size (50-2000 m) warrants the use of novel in situ mapping techniques of elemental analysis. Hyphenated with a low-dispersion laser ablation (LA) system, ICP-ToF-MS allows for 2D mapping at several hundred hertz, with each laser shot recorded as a single pixel, and for quasi-simultaneous rapid acquisition of almost the entire periodic table.In this contribution we present approaches for and results of high-resolution multi-element 2D mapping of micrometeorites cross-sections via LA-ICP-ToF-MS. Quantitative data for each pixel was obtained through a combination of multi-point calibration - via a set of natural glass reference materials - and 100% oxide normalization to account for ablation yield. variations. Detection limits down to a few ng/g were attained while only using a 5x5 µm square laser spot. Analysis of the elemental images of micrometeorites allows to recognize and isolate melts of different composition, complimenting petrographic observations.

KW - laser ablation

KW - LA-ICP-MS

KW - mapping

KW - Visualization

M3 - Abstract

T2 - European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Y2 - 29 January 2023 through 3 February 2023

ER -