Quantitative Analysis
An Example
Shown below is a BackScattered Electron image of four pyroxene crystals in a meteorite from Mars. The image shows the grains are composed of up to three distinct compositional 'zones', and that the boundaries between zones are very irregular. The questions are 'What elements create the disitctive zones, why are there irregular boundaries between zones, and importantly, what petrological process is responsible.
Seventy six (76) Wavelength Dispersive analsysis (WDS) were performed at 5 micron steps along the path shown by the yellow arrow, results are to the right. The analyses show that there are very abrupt changes in the concentrations of many elements at these boundaries, particularly in Fe, Al, Mn, Cr.
The petrological interpretation can be found here:
Deering, C., Kuehner, S.M., Bachman, O. (2011) Magma Mush on Mars. Meteoritical Society 74th Annual Meeting. Meteoritcs, Abst 5061, pA56.