  The results of spectroscopic and structural studies of phase composition and
of defects in nanodiamonds from Efremovka (CV3) and Orgueil (CI) chondrites
indicate that nitrogen atomic environment in meteoritic nanodiamonds (MND) is
similar to that observed in synthetic counterparts produced by detonation and
by the Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD)-process. Most of the nitrogen in MND
appears to be confined to lattice imperfections, such as crystallite/twin
boundaries and other extended defects, while the concentration of nitrogen in
the MND lattice is low. It is suggested that the N-rich sub-population of MND
grains may have been formed with high growth rates in environments rich in
accessible N (i.e., N in atomic form or as weakly bonded compounds). For the
first time the silicon-vacancy complex (the "silicon" defect) is observed in
MND by photoluminescence spectroscopy.
