Petrology, phase equilibria modelling, noble gas chronology and thermal constraints of the El Pozo L5 meteorite

We present the results of physical properties, petrography, bulk chemistry, mineral compositions, phase relations modelling and Noble gases study of the meteorite El Pozo. The petrography and mineral compositions indicate that the meteorite is an L5 chondrite with a low shock stage of S2-S3. Heterogenous weathering was preferentially along shock structures. Thermobarometric calculations indicate thermal equilibrium conditions between 768 °C and 925 °C at ∼4 to 6 kb, which are substantially consistent with the petrological metamorphism type 5. A pseudosection phase diagram is relatively consistent with the mineral assemblage observed and PT conditions calculated. Temperature vs. fO2 diagram shows that plagioclase compositional stability is very sensitive to Tschermack substitution in orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and XAn plagioclase during the high temperature metamorphic process. Based on noble gases He, Ne, Ar and K contents a cosmogenic exposure age CRE of 1.9 Myr was calculated. The 21Ne would be totally cosmogenic, with no primordial Ne. The 21Ne/22Ne value (0.97) is higher than solar value. According to the cosmogenic Ne content, we argue that El Pozo chondrite originally had a pre-atmospheric mass of 9-10 kg, which would have been produced by a later collision after the recognized collision of the L-chondrite parent body ∼470 Ma ago.