Energy-selective neutron imaging for morphological and phase analysis of iron-nickel meteorites.

ABSTRACT

We propose energy-selective neutron imaging as a new and non-destructive method to investigate rare metallic meteorites. It is based on attenuation of a neutron beam of limited spectral distribution in a sample depending on the elemental composition and crystalline structure. Radiography and tomography allow obtaining the presence, morphology and orientation information in the bulk of mineral inclusions, oxide crust and crystalline structure. Its usage in classification and meteor formation studies would be of great value.