X-ray CT Scan of the Murchison Meteorite at 5.5-Micron Resolution

1820 slices of high-resolution X-ray CT data capture a tiny chip from the CM2 Murchison chondrite meteorite. The University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray CT Facility scanned the specimen on 24 April 2015, achieving a voxel size of 5.50 microns in all dimensions. This dataset was created for Romy Hanna of UT DOGS and is supported by NASA grant NNX13AO64H.

Use Cases

• Analyze the 3D internal structure of a chondrite meteorite based on the X-ray CT slices.
• Segment and classify mineral phases and inclusions within the meteorite sample based on density contrasts.
• Create digital models for finite element analysis of material properties based on the stitched volumetric data.
• Study pore space and fracture networks within the meteorite fragment based on the high-resolution scans.

Strengths

• High-resolution volumetric data with a consistent voxel size of 5.50 microns in X, Y, and Z dimensions.
• Contains 1820 individual image slices, providing detailed internal views.
• Data was processed and stitched using a dedicated Xradia plugin, suggesting careful preparation.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for certain quantitative analyses.
• The dataset represents a single, tiny chip from a specific meteorite, limiting generalizability.

Provenance

Source

The University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray CT Facility (UTCT)

Collection Method

X-ray CT scanning of a physical meteorite sample, followed by digital stitching.

Time Range

Scanned on 24 April 2015.

Freshness

Last updated 2024-03-18 09:31:25; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Sample origin: Murchison meteorite (CM2 chondrite). Physical specimen: USNM 5487.