Comet Encke: Meteor Metallic Ion Identification by Mass Spectrometer

Abstract

Metal ions including 23(+) (Na(+)), 24(+) (Mg(+)) 28(+) (Si(+)), 39(+) (K(+)), 40(+) (Ca(+)), 45(+) (Sc(+)), 52(+) Cr(+)). 56(+) (Fe(+)), and 58(+) (Ni(+)) have been detected in the upper atmosphere during the period of the Beta Taurids meteor shower. The abundances of these ions relative to Si(+) show, agreement in most instances with abundances in chondrites. A notable exception is 45(+), which, if it is Sc(+), is 100 times more abundant than neutral scandium found in chondrites.