Carbonate Formation in Non-Aqueous Environments by Solid-Gas Carbonation   of Silicates
  We have produced synthetic analogues of cosmic silicates using the Sol Gel method, producing amorphous silicates of composition Mg(x)Ca(1-x)SiO3. Using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction on Beamline I11 at the Diamond Light Source, together with a newly-commissioned gas cell, real-time powder diffraction scans have been taken of a range of silicates exposed to CO2 under non-ambient conditions. The SXPD is complemented by other techniques including Raman and Infrared Spectroscopy and SEM imaging. 
S. J. Day (Keele University), S. P. Thompson, A. Evans and J. E.   Parker
astro-ph.EP astro-ph.SR