Nanomineralogy of planetary materials

The scientific significance and scarcity of extraterrestrial rock and mineral samples means that techniques for nanoscale analysis are essential tools for planetary scientists. This review describes some applications of key methods for identifying minerals in meteorites and samples that have been collected and returned by space missions, and for characterising their crystal structure, microstructure, and chemical and isotopic compositions. The techniques covered are electron backscatter diffraction, transmission Kikuchi diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography. In the near future, these tools may provide answers to very important questions including whether there is sufficient water on the Moon to support lunar habitats, and did life evolve on Mars.