Low temperature magnetic properties of sulphides present in meteoritic material

During the low temperature measurements of selected enstatite chondrites we discovered that certain iron and manganese bearing sulfide minerals present within extraterrestrial material undergo various magnetic transitions at low temperatures and thus have significantly different magnetic properties at temperatures of the cold environment than at terrestrial conditions. This opens us a new way to look on extraterrestrial material and to interpret its properties and interactions with magnetic fields in Solar System. In the proposed extensive study a set of he samples representing extraterrestrial material, terrestrial mineral samples as well as synthetic mineral analogues (including single crystals) will be prepared. First a detailed mineralogical and chemical characterization will be done. In the second step a detailed research of the low temperature magnetic propeties will be performed. Special emphasis will be taken on the role of impurities in the samples on the magnetic properties.Certain iron and manganese bearing sulfide minerals present within extraterrestrial material undergo various magnetic transitions at low temperatures and thus have significantly different magnetic properties at temperatures of the cold interplanetary environment compared to terrestrial conditions. This opens us a new look on asteroids and comets and on their interactions with magnetic fields in Solar System. Detailed research of the low temperature magnetic properties of such sulfides is being done with natural and synthetic samples. Data are used to model and interpret magnetic observations and magnetic properties of Solar System minor bodies.