Brownleeite is a mineral that occurs in interstellar matter. It is a manganese silicide. The mineral is named after Prof. Donald E. Brownlee because he has made a major contribution to NASA interstellar research. Discovery
A team of NASA researchers led by Keiko Nakamura Messenger in Johnson (USA) discovered the mineral. The investigation began with the collection of dust particles left in April 2008 by comet 26P / Grigg-Skjellerup in the vicinity of the Earth. The dust particles were collected with a high-speed ER-2 aircraft.
The next step was to analyze the substance. The particles were so small that in 2005 a strong electron microscope was installed in Johnson. In 2008 the chemical composition and structure of the particles could be determined. The particles consisted of different minerals where Brownleeite is one of them.
The International Mineralogical Association (IMA) has accepted Brownleeite as a new mineral. It has been added to the 4,324 minerals already discovered.
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