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Effect of Tube-Based X-Ray Microtomography Imaging on the Amino Acid and Amine Content of the Murchison CM2 ChondriteX-ray and synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) are increasingly being used for three dimensional reconnaissance imaging of chondrites and returned extraterrestrial material prior to detailed chemical and mineralogical analyses. Although micro-CT imaging is generally considered to be a non-destructive technique since silicate and metallic minerals in chondrites are not affected by X-ray exposures at the intensities and wavelengths typically used, there are concerns that the use of micro-CT could be detrimental to the organics in carbonaceous chondrites. We recently conducted a synchrotron micro-CT experiment on a powdered sample of the Murchison CM2 carbonaceous chondrite exposed to a monochromatic high energy (approximately 48 kiloelectronvolts) total X-ray radiation dose of approximately 1 kilogray (kGy) using the Advanced Photon Source beamline 13-BMD (13-Bending Magnet-D Beamline) at Argonne National Laboratory and found that there were no detectable changes in the amino acid abundances or enantiomeric compositions in the chondrite after exposure relative to a Murchison control sample that was not exposed. However, lower energy bremsstrahlung X-rays could interact more with amino acids and other lower molecular weight amines in meteorites. To test for this possibility, three separate micro-CT imaging experiments of the Murchison meteorite using the GE Phoenix v/tome/x s 240 kilovolt microfocus high resolution tungsten target X-ray tube instrument at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) were conducted and the amino acid abundances and enantiomeric compositions were determined. We also investigated the abundances of the C1-C5 amines in Murchison which were not analyzed in the first study.
Document ID
20170002388
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Glavin, D. P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Friedrich, J. M. (American Museum of Natural History New York, NY, United States)
Aponte, J. C. (Catholic Univ. of America Washington, DC, United States)
Dworkin, J. P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Ebel, D. S. (American Museum of Natural History New York, NY, United States)
Elsila, J. E. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Hill, M. (American Museum of Natural History New York, NY, United States)
McLain, H. L. (Catholic Univ. of America Washington, DC, United States)
Towbin, W. H. (American Museum of Natural History New York, NY, United States)
Date Acquired
March 21, 2017
Publication Date
March 20, 2017
Subject Category
Inorganic, Organic And Physical Chemistry
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN39070
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC 2017)
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 20, 2017
End Date: March 24, 2017
Sponsors: NASA Johnson Space Center, Universities Space Research Association, Lunar and Planetary Inst.
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX15AM13A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
Microtomography Imaging
Chondrite
Murchison

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