Determination of Sulphur-Bearing Components in C1 and C2 Carbonaceous Chondrites by Stepped Combustion

Ten type 1 and 2 carbonaceous chondrites have been analyzed by stepped combustion to determine the nature of their sulphur-bearing components. All samples show complex release patterns which, when combined with published petrographic observations, can be interpreted in terms of sulphur derived from a mixture of at least seven components (elemental sulphur, organic sulphur, sulphide, FESON or tochilinite, and sulphates: gypsum, bloedite and epsomite). Estimated concentrations of individual components show that most of the sulphur in the meteorites exists in oxidized form. The concentrations of reduced and oxidized components can be used to derive approximate oxidized/reduced sulphur ratios for the meteorites. These ratios are indicators of the extent of aqueous alteration and increase in the order CM less than CI. Formation of the different alteration products by aqueous processes active on the meteorite parent body appears to be the most likely origin. 42 refs.

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