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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Komatiite Succession as an Analog for the Olivine Bearing Rocks at Jezero

The Mars 2020 rover landed at Jezero crater on February 18, 2021 [1]. Since then, the rover has traveled around the “Séítah” region [2] and has collected data from the Mastcam-Z, Supercam, PIXL and SHERLOC instruments that has led to insights into the formation of the olivine-clay-carbonate bearing rocks that were identified from orbit [3,4]. Here we discuss three questions: 1) What have we learned about the olivine-claycarbonate unit? 2) What terrestrial analogs exist for the unit? 3) Why do the rocks have a thinly layered morphology? We shall briefly mention instrumental measurements which provide important information regarding the olivine bearing rock at Seitah. Note: Extended abstract included on attachment.

A.J. Brown↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Olivine Mineralogy of Asteroid Ryugu Samples and CI Chondrites: Further Evidence for their Common Origin

Initial analysis of asteroid Ryugu samples has revealed that they were mm-mm scale brecciamostly composed of aqueously altered phases (e.g., Mg-Fe phyllosilicates, carbonates) and showed remarkablesimilarities to CI chondrites in mineralogy and chemistry [e.g., 1,2]. Our detailed analysis of Ryugu samples hasdetected small amounts (<<1 vol.%) of unaltered silicates that would escape severe aqueous alteration [3]. Olivine isthe most abundant (>90 vol%) phase among such unaltered silicates. Although most Ryugu olivine grains aresmaller than 5 mm, they bear important information about the precursors of the parent Ryugu asteroid. In thisabstract we report additional results of olivine mineralogical study of Ryugu samples, and especially compare witholivine grains in CI chondrites (Ivuna and Orgueil) to further discuss their relationship and possible common origin.

T. Mikouchi↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Role of Olivine in Fe-Carbonate Formation in Gale Crater, Mars

Carbonates have been identified in remote sensing datasets, martian meteorites, and in-situ with rovers at Gale and Jezero craters. In Gale crater, traces of carbonate have been found by the SAM instrument throughout the Mars Science Laboratory mission, e.g., at Rocknest and Pahrump Hills, with models for carbonate formation at Pahrump Hills explored by [9]. Further up-section, CheMin data of clay-rich Glen Torridon (GT) samples show that five out of seven drill samples from GT contain Fe-carbonate alongside phyllosilicates. The GT sediments were deposited in a lacustrine environment and subsequently underwent multiple episodes of diagenesis. In this work, we explore the role of olivine in the formation of carbonates by modelling the interaction of different martian olivines with a previously modeled Gale groundwater. We then explore the incongruent dissolution of host rocks within the GT sediments by mixing olivine with quantities of the Kilmarie drill sample chemical composition as the reactant rock.

S M R Turner↗
DOE OSTI2026

Computer simulation of reaction and transport of core-scale serpentinization of Fe-bearing olivine and evolution of geological hydrogen

We present reactive flow and transport simulations of core-scale serpentinization of forsteritic, Fe-bearing olivine under hydrothermal conditions. The model captures fluid flow, evolving porosity–permeability, and redox-controlled H 2 production in a cylindrical core over 55 days at 245 °C and 37 bar. Key processes include olivine dissolution, precipitation of serpentine and magnetite, and oxidation of Fe2+ to Fe 3+ . Here, results show strong coupling among flow velocity, alteration front propagation, and spatially heterogeneous H 2 generation. Elevated H2 concentrations align with inlet-localized magnetite precipitation, consistent with experiments. Secondary mineral formation reduces porosity and permeability, altering transport pathways. Reactive flow at the fluid–solid interface governs H 2 generation rates and distribution. Dissolved SiO2 promotes serpentine and talc formation by suppressing brucite, while bicarbonate extends reaction duration and moderates surface complexation effects.

Geologic hydrogen↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cost‐Effective Layered Oxide – Olivine Blend Cathodes for High‐Rate Pulse Power Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract Sustainability and supply‐chain concerns require lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) free from critical minerals, such as nickel and cobalt. While recent advances provide encouraging signs that cobalt can be removed, the question remains how much Ni can be removed from Co‐free layered oxide cathodes before sacrificing critical performance metrics. This study highlights the effect of reducing Ni by benchmarking several Co‐free cathodes with decreasing Ni content. Keeping the energy density the same by increasing the charge voltage, cathodes below 80% Ni content exhibit worsened capacity fade due to increasing oxygen release and electrolyte decomposition. Charge transfer and diffusion kinetics are also hindered with increasing Mn content and exacerbated by resistive surface phases formed at high voltages, rendering lower‐Ni, Co‐free cathodes less competitive than high‐Ni cathodes for high energy and power applications. It is demonstrated blending layered oxide with olivine as an effective alternative to deliver energy density and cycling stability comparable to lower‐Ni cathodes with moderate charging voltages. Blending with 30 wt% olivine LiMn 0.5 Fe 0.5 PO 4 (LMFP) virtually eliminates the diffusion limitation of layered oxides at low state‐of‐charge, with enhanced pulse power characteristics rivaling the high‐Ni counterparts. Cathode blending can further reduce the overall Ni content and cost without the performance limitations of lower‐Ni, Co‐free cathodes.

Lee, Steven↗
DOE OSTI2025

Stable-Cycling Sustainable Na-Ion Batteries with Olivine Iron Phosphate Cathode in an Ether Electrolyte

Sustainable batteries using nontoxic, earth-abundant, and low-cost materials are key to decarbonization. Olivine NaFePO 4 fulfills these criteria, is attractive for Na-ion batteries, and can be derived from LiFePO 4 recycled from Li-ion battery wastes. Critical knowledge is needed for transforming LiFePO 4 to NaFePO 4 to enable such a sustainable, green engineering path toward high-performance Na-ion batteries. Herein, we report on the development of a stable-cycling, sustainable olivine iron phosphate-based Na-ion battery empowered by an improved understanding of materials transformation and electrolyte chemistry. First, we found that the conventional carbonate electrolyte with fluoroethylene carbonate additive causes an additional plateau (~2.4 V) at the end of the discharge process of the FePO 4 ||Na metal cell, leading to lower initial discharge capacity and voltage. This result shows that the voltage profile is influenced by not only intrinsic materials phase transformation during battery cycling but also the electrolyte additives and interphases formed. With the 1 M NaPF 6 diglyme electrolyte, we achieved an excellent capacity retention of 96% and 98% after 500 cycles at 1 and 5 C, respectively. Second, we chemically sodiated FePO 4 to form single-phase Na 0.9 FePO 4 . Na 0.9 FePO 4 ||hard carbon full cells demonstrated a remarkable capacity retention of ~84% at 3 and 5 C after 1000 cycles. The successful implementation of hard carbon, which can be derived from biomass waste, will further improve the sustainability of energy storage technologies. Our research demonstrates that electrolyte chemistry influences the voltage profile of phase-changing electrodes and provides effective electrolyte and full-cell design solutions for stable-cycling NaFePO 4 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Direct observations of transient weakening during phase transformations in quartz and olivine

Phase transformations are widely invoked as a source of rheological weakening during subduction, continental collision, mantle convection and various other geodynamic phenomena. However, despite more than half a century of research, the likelihood and magnitude of such weakening in nature remain poorly constrained. Here we use experiments performed on a synchrotron beamline to reveal transient weakening of up to three orders of magnitude during the polymorphic quartz to coesite (SiO 2 ) and olivine to ringwoodite (Fe 2 SiO 4 ) phase transitions. Weakening becomes increasingly prominent as the transformation outpaces deformation. We suggest that this behaviour is broadly applicable among silicate minerals undergoing first-order phase transitions and examine the likelihood of weakening due to the olivine-spinel, (Mg,Fe) 2 SiO 4 , transformation during subduction. Modelling suggests that cold, wet slabs are most susceptible to transformational weakening, consistent with geophysical observations of slab stagnation in the mantle transition zone beneath the western Pacific. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of incorporating transformational weakening into geodynamic simulations and provides a quantitative basis for doing so.

Cross, Andrew J. [Woods Hole Oceanographic Institu↗
DOE OSTI2026

Aperture and roughness govern iron oxide passivation in olivine fractures during carbon mineralization

Efficient carbon dioxide mineralization in silicate-rich formations depends on reaction rates within fracture networks, yet the role of fracture microstructure remains poorly constrained. We investigated how fracture aperture and surface roughness influence mineralization by reacting synthetic forsteritic olivine fractures with controlled apertures (0.5–1.6 millimeters) and roughness (6–16 micrometers) with supercritical carbon dioxide at 13.7 megapascals and 185 degrees Celsius. Optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy showed that rougher fracture surfaces promoted iron oxide precipitation, which passivated olivine surfaces, limiting magnesium availability for carbonate formation while removing iron as a reactant. These effects were more pronounced in smaller-aperture fractures. A geochemical model incorporating surface topography and passivation reproduced the observed trends, confirming that increased roughness can reduce reactivity despite greater surface area. Our results demonstrate that fracture microstructure strongly influences iron oxide passivation and carbon dioxide mineralization, with important implications for predicting long-term performance of engineered carbon dioxide storage systems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1972

Site preferences of Ni/2+/ and Co/2+/ in clinopyroxene and olivine - Limitations of the statistical approach.

Criticism of a statistical approach used by Dasgupta (1972) in analyzing Snyder's (1959) chemical data for minerals from the Duluth Complex in Minnesota. Apart from obvious mathematical objections to citing correlation coefficients to four significant figures from Snyder's relatively inaccurate analytical data, several more fundamental criticisms are leveled at the statistical approach of Dasgupta. These relate to compositional zoning and disequilibrium in the minerals, inhomogeneities of the samples caused by inclusions and exsolved phases, measured site population data for the major cations in olivines and pyroxenes, and the importance of coupled substitutions in the crystal structures. It is concluded that the crystal field predictions of relative enrichments of Ni(2+) and Co(2+) ions in olivine and pyroxene structures have not been disproved by Dasgupta's statistical approach.

Burns, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The petrology of 76055,10, a thermally metamorphosed fragment-laden olivine micronorite hornfels

General petrographic description of a large regolith specimen collected at the Taurus-Littrow landing site of Apollo 17. The specimen consists of a large clast of olivine micronorite hornfels with well-devepoled porphyroblastic texture, surrounded by highly vesicular olivine micronorite hornfels with incipient development of the porphyroblastic textures. Pink spinels with radial anorthite rims occur in both the clast and the surrounding matrix.

Chao, E. C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Solubility of Cr, Ti, and Al in co-existing olivine, spinel, and liquid at 1 atm

The partitioning of chromium between olivines, spinels and silicate liquids was studied as a function of temperature, oxygen fugacity, and cooling rate between 1175 and 1300 C and redox states near the Fe-FeO buffer. It is found that the weight ratio of Cr2O3 in olivine to that in the liquid increases slightly as oxygen fugacity decreases, but the effect is very small. The cooling experiments showed that the Cr2O3 content does not re-equilibrate with cooling.

Akella, J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Apollo 14 - Oxide, metal, and olivine mineral chemistries in 14072 with a bearing on the temporal relationships of subsolidus reduction

One of three primary objectives of the reported study is related to the definition of the distribution of troilite and Fe and the evaluation of the role of FeS in subsolidus reduction assemblages. Another objective was concerned with the definition of the lower limit of stabilizing elements such as Mg, Al, and Cr in ulvospinel to determine the terminal compositions at which reduction is inhibited. The third objective involves a comparison of the mineral chemistries of decomposed olivine with unaltered olivine in an attempt to determine the temperature limits. The sample was selected because it is one of the most intensely reduced samples returned from the moon. The model invoked for reduction is a magmatic-deuteric process which requires an environment approximating that of a closed system in which the volatile constituents are contained and in which reduction proceeds continuously with crystallization.

Haggerty, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The problem of the origin of symplectites in olivine-bearing lunar rocks

In a study of its origin in olivine-bearing lunar rocks, symplectite is grouped into the following types: (1) very abundant blebs in olivine phenocrysts, (2) scattered blebs in dunite, (3) scattered elongated masses along grain boundaries in troctolite, (4) scattered mosaic assemblages of coarser minerology along grain boundaries, (5) very abundant needle-like arrays, and (6) very abundant grains dispersed in rows. Four theories are proposed to explain the various symplectite distributions.

Bell, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Clast-laden nature and the origin of Luna 24 olivine-vitrophyres

The study shows that Luna 24 olivine-vitrophyric particles are actually fragments of clast-laden melt and are not from a very low titanium (VLT) mare basalt flow. Diversity of composition and clast population, and morphological similarity to ropy glasses suggest an impact melt origin. Compositionally, the olivine-vitrophyres resemble the high magnesian VLT basalts, which may have been the target and source of the impact melt.

Basu, A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Olivine cooling speedometers

Several kinetic models of zoning in olivines are discussed at length. The effects on predicted cooling rates of various assumptions used in the analyses are evaluated. It is concluded that the models of Walker et al. (1977) and Taylor et al. (1977) both provide underestimates of the cooling rate required to preserve a given compositional profile, and that both models as well as the model of Taylor et al. (1978) can be used to provide order-of-magnitude estimates of cooling rates. A new model is described which considers diffusion in both solid and liquid during crystallization as well as diffusion in the solid after crystallization is complete. The model provides a description of the compositional gradients which develop during crystallization as well as after cooling at various rates. Applied to olivine crystals nucleated at 1272 C in a high-iron analogue to Lunar Composition 15555, the model predicts only slight compositional gradients - in accord with electron beam microprobe measurements on crystals grown isothermally at this temperature.

Onorato, P. I. K.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The solubility of olivine in basaltic liquids - An ionic model

A model is presented which enables the temperature at which olivine is in equilibrium with any alkali-depleted basaltic compound to be calculated to within + or - 30 C. It is noted that the error increases substantially when applied to terrestrial basalts which contain several weight percent alkalis. In addition the model predicts and quantifies the reduced activity of SiO4(4-) monomers due to increasing SiO2 concentrations in the melt. It is shown that the coordination of alumina in melts which precipitate olivine only appears to be dominantly octahedral, while titanium acts as a polmerizing agent by interconnecting previously isolated SiO4(4-) monomers. It is concluded that the model is sufficiently sensitive to show that there are small repulsive forces between Mg(2+) and calcium ions which are in association with normative diopside in the melt.

Herzberg, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The olivine-ilmenite thermometer

It is noted that the partitioning of Fe(2+) and Mg between olivine and ilmenite is temperature-dependent and can serve as a geothermometer if the activity-composition relations are determined. The paper reports on the study of the partitioning from 700-980 C at 1 kbar and 800-900 C at 13 kbar, and develops a solution model to account for the nonideality of olivine in the binary system fosterite-fayalite and for ilmenite in the ternary system ilmenite-geikielite-hematite. A comparison with crystallization experiments shows that this thermometer may be safely extrapolated to temperatures higher than those of the exchange experiments.

Andersen, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Experimental shock metamorphism of mono- and polycrystalline olivine - A comparative study

The paper reports on a series of controlled shock recovery experiments which have been performed on over 40 samples including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, dunite, and porous particulate olivine-bearing targets. Results of the mineralogical and petrological analyses of these samples are used to establish a general and comparative diagnosis of shock effects generated in various olivine-bearing materials. Finally, some experiments are conducted under different ambient pO2 conditions so that information on the distribution of observed impact features is derived as a function not only of peak pressure and texture of the target sample, but also of specific environmental conditions.

Bauer, J. F.↗