What distinct crystalline pattern is revealed upon cutting and polishing Iron meteorites?
Answer
Widmanstätten pattern
Iron meteorites, composed primarily of an iron-nickel alloy derived from the cores of ancient parent bodies, possess a unique macroscopic structure when appropriately prepared. This structure is known as the Widmanstätten pattern. This pattern manifests as an intersecting, crosshatch crystalline arrangement visible when the iron meteorite is cut, etched, and polished. The formation of this specific pattern requires conditions of extremely slow cooling, estimated to occur over millions of years deep within the interior of the differentiated parent body before it was broken apart.
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