What specific geometric pattern appears when iron meteorites are cut, polished, and etched with weak acid?
Answer
Widmanstätten patterns
A defining characteristic used to confirm the identity of an iron meteorite is the presence of Widmanstätten patterns. These intricate, beautiful geometric etchings become visible only after the metal is cut open, carefully polished smooth, and then treated with a weak acid solution. These crystalline structures formed over millions of years as the iron-nickel alloy cooled incredibly slowly deep inside the parent planetesimal. The slow cooling rate allowed the nickel-iron crystals to intergrow in a specific lattice arrangement, providing undeniable proof of its deep space, high-temperature, slow-cooling history.
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