Scientists have discovered traces of a previously unknown mineral in the Chelyabinsk meteorite

On February 15, 2013, a small asteroid with a diameter of 17 m and a mass of about 10 thousand tons exploded over the Chelyabinsk region.

NASA representatives note that this is the mosta large celestial body after the fall of the Tunguska meteorite, which entered the Earth's atmosphere. The largest fragments fell in the vicinity of Lake Chebarkul, 78 km west of Chelyabinsk.

Carbon crystals of a new form have been discoveredduring the study of dust samples taken from the Chelyabinsk meteorite. At first, the researchers took the crystal for diamond, but further study showed that it refers to a different form of carbon crystals.

At first I thought it was a diamond, because sixfaces. Later in Germany, this crystal was pulled out using micro-tweezers and X-rayed — it turned out to be not a diamond, but a carbon crystal. We measured the position of atoms, interatomic planes, then Korean experts on a computer calculated that, indeed, such an arrangement of atoms is possible.

Sergei Zamozdra, lead author of the study

The discovered mineral belongs to multipletwin crystals. Previously, the existence of such forms was predicted theoretically, but so far not a single such mineral has been discovered on Earth.

Now scientists are preparing a publication describing the study, the agency notes.

Previously, scientists discovered in the Chelyabinsk meteorite phases of the mineral kamasit - an alloy of iron and nickel. Then it was noted that this mineral was discovered for the first time.