ABSTRACT
Electron paramagnetic resonance study of a natural single crystal of natrolite was carried out at the frequency nu=36.772 GHz at room temperature. The angular dependence of the four symmetry-related spectra of Fe(3+) in the three crystallographic planes was fitted to a spin Hamiltonian (S=5/2) of symmetry C(i). The rank 4 crystal field tensors at tetrahedral sites were calculated using the point-charge model to determine the principal axes orientations of their cubic and trigonal components. The analysis of zero-field splitting tensors and comparison with crystal field ones suggests that Fe(3+) substitutes for Al(3+) with no significant distortion of the coordination tetrahedron in natrolite. Comparison of data for several natural and synthetic crystals reveals that the 4-rank zero-field splitting tensor invariants for Fe(3+) at the tetrahedral oxygen-coordinated sites are distinguishably smaller than those for Fe(3+) at octahedral sites. Such comparative analysis may help to determine the substitutional sites in other crystals.
ABSTRACT
In the area of Solar System Exploration most of recently proposed mission oriented to the studies of Mars. Except MARS-96 and possibly MARS SAMPLE RETURN missions other Mars missions use Molnija class launchers. All Russian missions heavily involve international partners.
