title: Quantitative Raman spectroscopy as a tool to study the kinetics and formation mechanism of carbonates.
abstract: We have carried out a systematic study of abiotic precipitation at different temperatures of several Mg and Ca carbonates (calcite, nesquehonite, hydrocalcite) present in carbonaceous chondrites. This study highlights the capability of Raman spectroscopy as a primary tool for performing full mineralogical analysis. The precipitation reaction and the structure of the resulting carbonates were monitored and identified with Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy enabled us to confirm that the precipitation reaction is very fast (minutes) when Ca(II) is present in the solution, whereas for Mg(II) such reactions developed at rather slow rates (weeks). We also observed that both the composition and the reaction mechanisms depended on temperature, which might help to clarify several issues in the fields of planetology and geology, because of the environmental implications of these carbonates on both terrestrial and extraterrestrial objects.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Astrobiología, INTA-CSIC, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; MALTA-Consolider Team and QUIMAPRES, Departamento de Química Física I, Facultad de Química, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: laurajbonales@quim.ucm.es.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bonales
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Iglesias
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santamaría-Pérez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caceres
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Remolar
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Prieto-Ballesteros
mesh_terms: D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry*; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D007700:Kinetics; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: C005479:magnesium carbonate; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D008274:Magnesium
keywords: Carbonates; Kinetics; Precipitation; Raman spectroscopy; X-Ray Diffraction