Brownleeite is a silicide mineral with chemical formula MnSi. It was discovered by researchers of the Johnson Space Center in Houston in April 2003 while analyzing the Pi Puppid particle shower of the comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup. The only other known natural manganese silicide is mavlyanovite, Mn5Si3.Mindat, http://www.mindat.org/min-38826.html
Overview The particles were collected from the stratosphere over south-western US in April 2003 using an ER-2 high-altitude research aircraft of NASA. The team of researchers from US, Germany and Japan was led by NASA scientist Keiko Nakamura-Messenger.Newswise: Like a Rock: New Mineral Named for Astronomer Retrieved on June 15, 2008
To determine the mineral's origin and examine other dust materials, a new transmission electron microscope was installed in 2005 at Johnson Space Center.NASA News Releases June 12, 2008: NASA Finds New Type of Comet Dust Mineral
The mineral name was approved by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA Number 2008-011).Minerals approved by the IMA-CNMNC in June 2008 The NASA scientists named the mineral after Donald E. Brownlee, professor of astronomy at the University of Washington, Seattle, because of his pioneering research on interplanetary dust particles. Universe Today June 12, 2008: Alien Mineral From Comet Dust Found in Earth's Atmosphere
See also Comet dust
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