Magnetite Synthesis for Meteorites

Aqueous alteration in meteorites commonly produces magnetite, though the morphology varies substantially (e.g. plaquettes and framboids as seen in the images on this page). Of particular interest to me are how these different types of magnetite form and how this may impact the magnetic records the grains are capable of retaining. For example, magnetite framboids are just the right size to have stable remanences, but occur in densely packed structures that could affect their magnetic recording properties. This might be a reason that many framboid-bearing meteorites do not have any clear magnetic records. 

To elucidate the potential of meteoritic magnetite to record ancient fields, I am conducting synthesis experiments in Nick Tosca's laboratory to grow various morphologies of magnetite under various field conditions. I am intensely interested in framboids given their uniform size and ordered, packed structures. While pyrite framboids are common on Earth, magnetite framboids are exceedingly rare and almost only occur in extraterrestrial samples. Check back soon for updates!