Microstructures of iron meteorites

Abstract Meteorites originate from the early phase of our solar system and are wonderfully undefined and inhomogeneous. In terms of its composition and microstructure, one single meteorite has quite a few surprises in store. The iron meteorite microstructure depends essentially on the initial solidification of the melt in a larger asteroid or minor planet. The solidification process itself is a function of local element concentrations and the very slow cooling rate. Various collisions in space resulted in the fragmentation of the asteroids and the deformation of the microstructure. However, whether visible microstructural changes occur or not depends on the microstructure itself. And finally, corrosion may also occur in the Earth’s atmosphere. An attempt is made to explain the different microstructures on the example of three iron meteorites, namely those found in Canyon Diablo, Gebel Kamil, and Dronino.