Antarctic Meteorite Sample Preparation
Thin and Thick Section Preparation
The meteorite thin section lab at JSC can prepare standard 30–micrometer thin sections, thick sections of variable thickness (100 to 150 micrometers are common for LA–ICP–MS or microdrilling), or demountable sections using superglue for use in TEM studies. Water is not used in any part of the thin sectioning process, and instead light mineral oil and alcohol are used for the cutting grinding and polishing stages. Diamond grinding wheels are used on some samples, as well as a SiC slurry for lapping. Polishing compounds are typically diamond paste or diamond fluids, but alumina can be used as a final polish as well. Pure silica slides are available as a substitute for standard petrographic glass slides if necessary.
Thin sections of MIL 03346 nakhlite in plane-polarized light (left) and crossed nicols light (center), and a reflected-light photo of acapulcoite MIL 07582 (right)