The Fusion Crust of Meteorites is the Result of Changes in the Meteoroid Material under the Influence of Atmospheric Ablation

Abstract— The paper provides an overview of the phenomenon of “fusion crust of chondrites.” The processes of crust formation, ablation, emission and registration of radiation spectra, the phase and structural composition of the fusion crust substance in comparison with the internal substance, and experiments with a plasma torch to model ablation processes are considered. It was shown that preliminary characterization of meteorite matter is possible based on the recorded spectrum of their bolides. Information is provided on the transformation of the composition of meteorite matter as a result of ablation and confirmation of the possibility of accumulation of elements heavier than Ni and Co in the fusion crust of ordinary chondrites. The decrease in the content of iron-containing phases in the fusion crust and changes in the composition of silicates are consistent with the spectral data of experimental ablation and the spectra of fireballs.