Evidence from polymict ureilite meteorites for a disrupted and re-accreted single ureilite parent asteroid gardened by several distinct impactors

Ureilites are ultramafic achondrites that exhibit heterogeneity in mg# and oxygen isotope ratios between different meteorites. Polymict ureilites represent near-surface material of the ureilite parent asteroid(s). Electron microprobe analyses of >500 olivine and pyroxene clasts in several polymict ureilites reveal a statistically identical range of compositions to that shown by unbrecciated ureilites, suggesting derivation from a single parent asteroid. Many ureilitic clasts have identical compositions to the anomalously high Mn/Mg olivines and pyroxenes from the Hughes 009 unbrecciated ureilite (here termed the “Hughes cluster”). Some polymict samples also contain lithic clasts derived from oxidized impactors. The presence of several common distinctive lithologies within polymict ureilites is additional evidence that ureilites were derived from a single parent asteroid. In situ oxygen three isotope analyses were made on individual ureilite minerals and lithic clasts, using a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) with precision typically better than 0.2–0.4‰ (2SD) for δ18O and δ17O. Oxygen isotope ratios of ureilitic clasts fall on a narrow trend along the CCAM line, covering the range for unbrecciated ureilites, and show a good anti-correlation with mineral mg#. SIMS analysis identifies one ferroan lithic clast as an R-chondrite, while a second ferroan clast is unlike any known meteorite. An exotic enstatite grain is derived from an enstatite chondrite or aubrite, and another pyroxene grain with Δ17O of −0.4 ± 0.2‰ is unrelated to any known meteorite type. Ureilitic olivine clasts with mg#s 85 which include the melt-inclusion-bearing “Hughes cluster” ureilites. Thus melt was present in regions of the parent ureilite asteroid with a bulk mg# > 85 when the asteroid was disrupted by impact, giving rise to two types of ureilites: common ferroan ones that were residual after melting and less common magnesian ones that were still partially molten when disruption occurred. One or more daughter asteroids re-accreted from the remnants of the mantle of the proto-ureilite asteroid. Polymict ureilite meteorites represent regolith that subsequently formed on the surface of a daughter asteroid, including impact-derived material from at least six different meteoritic sources

New constraints on metamorphic history of Adirondack diopsides (New York, USA): Al and d 18 O profiles

International audienc

The Delivery of Water During Terrestrial Planet Formation

The planetary building blocks that formed in the terrestrial planet region were likely very dry, yet water is comparatively abundant on Earth. We review the various mechanisms proposed for the origin of water on the terrestrial planets. Various in-situ mechanisms have been suggested, which allow for the incorporation of water into the local planetesimals in the terrestrial planet region or into the planets themselves from local sources, although all of those mechanisms have difficulties. Comets have also been proposed as a source, although there may be problems fitting isotopic constraints, and the delivery efficiency is very low, such that it may be difficult to deliver even a single Earth ocean of water this way. The most promising route for water delivery is the accretion of material from beyond the snow line, similar to carbonaceous chondrites, that is scattered into the terrestrial planet region as the planets are growing. Two main scenarios are discussed in detail. First is the classical scenario in which the giant planets begin roughly in their final locations and the disk of planetesimals and embryos in the terrestrial planet region extends all the way into the outer asteroid belt region. Second is the Grand Tack scenario, where early inward and outward migration of the giant planets implants material from beyond the snow line into the asteroid belt and terrestrial planet region, where it can be accreted by the growing planets. Sufficient water is delivered to the terrestrial planets in both scenarios. While the Grand Tack scenario provides a better fit to most constraints, namely the small mass of Mars, planets may form too fast in the nominal case discussed here. This discrepancy may be reduced as a wider range of initial conditions is explored. Finally, we discuss several more recent models that may have important implications for water delivery to the terrestrial planets