Post by vegasjames on Jul 21, 2013 20:24:14 GMT -5
When you send in a suspected meteorite for testing and classification one of the first tests that will be performed if the stone looks promising is thin sectioning the stone then examining the thin sections under the microscope under cross polarization. For those not familiar with stone thin sections the process involves taking a stone then encasing it in epoxy. The stone is then sliced to create a flat surface.
This is glued to a slide and the stone is cut again so that a thin slice remains glued to the slide. The stone is then ground down so thin that light can pass through the minerals.
Thin sections can then be placed under a microscope where polarizers are present above and below the slide. As the polarizers are crossed the different minerals show up as different colors aiding in their identification.