The low-temperature electrical properties of carbonaceous meteorites

Abstract Electrical conductivities and dielectric constants have been measured over the temperature range 90–300°K on several carbonaceous chondrites and some terrestrial analogues. The conductivities of meteorites of different petrologic subtypes range over many orders of magnitude and the low-temperature activation energies are typically much smaller than those observed in terrestrial materials at higher temperatures. The electrical properties of carbonaceous chondrites vary systematically with chemical-mineralogical characteristics in that: (1) activation energy at low temperature is greater in the more volatile-rich meteorites containing hydrated silicates, and (2) conductivity is greater in the more reduced meteorites of higher petrologic subtype. These new data on the electrical properties of chondrites hold important implications for both the thermal and magnetic histories of small bodies in the early solar system.