Popular search terms:

Home / Our science / Science departments and staff / Staff directory / Enrica Bonato
Ms Enrica Bonato

Ms Enrica Bonato

Researcher, Li bearing Micas DIF

Department: Core Research Laboratories
Division: Imaging and Analysis Centre

Summary

I am currently undertaking a PhD in Meteoritics between the Natural History Museum, London and the University of Glasgow.

My project is focused in the analysis of CO carbonaceous chondrites, which are amongst the most primitive extra-terrestrial materials available for study. They consist of a mixture of primordial pre-planetary components including chondrules and calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions (CAIs) set within a matrix of fine-grained (<1 μm) materials and an amorphous silicate groundmass. However, these have been affected, to varying extents, by geological processes on their parent asteroid, including thermal metamorphism and interaction with water. In particular, the origin of the amorphous silicates is poorly understood; they may represent nebula precursor materials that following accretion were altered to form the crystalline matrix components. Amorphous silicates are therefore considered an important tracer for the early evolution of asteroid parent bodies.

This project will investigate the effects of thermal metamorphism on the physical and chemical characteristics of the silicates and amorphous silicates that constitute the matrix material. The CO meteorites are an interesting focus for study, as they are chemically and texturally very similar to each other but differ in the degree of heating they have experienced during asteroidal metamorphism. They span a petrologic range (3.0 – 3.7) allowing us systematically investigate how amorphous silicates change with the degree of heating (200‒600°C).

The aim is to better understand the initial formation conditions of the amorphous silicates, their relationship to crystalline and organic components, and evolution with thermal alteration on primitive asteroids.

My background is in Analysis of Archaeological Materials and I am specialised in ceramic analyses, and I worked on materials from very different periods (Roman and Iron Age) and regions (e.g. Italy, Bulgaria, Tanzania and Georgia) .

Moreover I have also a few years of experience on Samples Preparation of archaeological findings, rock, fossils and meteorites.

Qualifications

    Degrees

  • MSc Technology and Analysis of Archaeological Materials, Univeristy College London, United Kingdom, 2012 - 2013
  • BSc Science and Technology for Cultural Heritage, Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Italy, 2009 - 2012

Publications

Suttle MD, King AJ, Ramkissoon NK, Bonato E, Franchi IA, Malley J, Schofield PF, Najorka J, Salge T, Russell SS (2022) Alteration conditions on the CM and CV parent bodies – Insights from hydrothermal experiments with the CO chondrite Kainsaz. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 318 : 83 - 111. doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2021.11.028

Bonato E, King AJ, Schofield PF, Lee MR, Russell SS (2016) MAKING AN ASTEROID: EFFECTS OF THERMAL METAMORPHISM ON CO3 METEORITES AS DETERMINED BY XRD. METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE 51 : A172 - A172.

Invited and keynote speaker

Invited speaker, The Role of XRD in an Integrated Scientific Approach to the Interpretation of Archaeological ceramics: Case Studies from Roman Italy and Iron Age Tanzania, X-ray Diffraction of Archaeological Ceramics and Clay Principles and Applications: Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London, 6/11/2014.

Invited speaker, Early Iron Age Ceramics from Eastern Tanzania: Compositional and Technological Approach, Ceramic Petrology Group (CPG) Annual Meeting: The British Museum, London, 15/11/2013.

Introduction

Summary

I am currently undertaking a PhD in Meteoritics between the Natural History Museum, London and the University of Glasgow.

My project is focused in the analysis of CO carbonaceous chondrites, which are amongst the most primitive extra-terrestrial materials available for study. They consist of a mixture of primordial pre-planetary components including chondrules and calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions (CAIs) set within a matrix of fine-grained (<1 μm) materials and an amorphous silicate groundmass. However, these have been affected, to varying extents, by geological processes on their parent asteroid, including thermal metamorphism and interaction with water. In particular, the origin of the amorphous silicates is poorly understood; they may represent nebula precursor materials that following accretion were altered to form the crystalline matrix components. Amorphous silicates are therefore considered an important tracer for the early evolution of asteroid parent bodies.

This project will investigate the effects of thermal metamorphism on the physical and chemical characteristics of the silicates and amorphous silicates that constitute the matrix material. The CO meteorites are an interesting focus for study, as they are chemically and texturally very similar to each other but differ in the degree of heating they have experienced during asteroidal metamorphism. They span a petrologic range (3.0 – 3.7) allowing us systematically investigate how amorphous silicates change with the degree of heating (200‒600°C).

The aim is to better understand the initial formation conditions of the amorphous silicates, their relationship to crystalline and organic components, and evolution with thermal alteration on primitive asteroids.

My background is in Analysis of Archaeological Materials and I am specialised in ceramic analyses, and I worked on materials from very different periods (Roman and Iron Age) and regions (e.g. Italy, Bulgaria, Tanzania and Georgia) .

Moreover I have also a few years of experience on Samples Preparation of archaeological findings, rock, fossils and meteorites.

Qualifications

    Degrees

  • MSc Technology and Analysis of Archaeological Materials, Univeristy College London, United Kingdom, 2012 - 2013
  • BSc Science and Technology for Cultural Heritage, Universitá degli Studi di Padova, Italy, 2009 - 2012
Publications

Publications

Suttle MD, King AJ, Ramkissoon NK, Bonato E, Franchi IA, Malley J, Schofield PF, Najorka J, Salge T, Russell SS (2022) Alteration conditions on the CM and CV parent bodies – Insights from hydrothermal experiments with the CO chondrite Kainsaz. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 318 : 83 - 111. doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2021.11.028

Bonato E, King AJ, Schofield PF, Lee MR, Russell SS (2016) MAKING AN ASTEROID: EFFECTS OF THERMAL METAMORPHISM ON CO3 METEORITES AS DETERMINED BY XRD. METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE 51 : A172 - A172.

Impact and outreach

Invited and keynote speaker

Invited speaker, The Role of XRD in an Integrated Scientific Approach to the Interpretation of Archaeological ceramics: Case Studies from Roman Italy and Iron Age Tanzania, X-ray Diffraction of Archaeological Ceramics and Clay Principles and Applications: Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London, 6/11/2014.

Invited speaker, Early Iron Age Ceramics from Eastern Tanzania: Compositional and Technological Approach, Ceramic Petrology Group (CPG) Annual Meeting: The British Museum, London, 15/11/2013.