Isotopic composition of presolar spinel grain OC2: Constraining intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch models

We analyze the O, Mg, Al, Cr and Fe compositions predicted by detailed models of AGB stars of different masses and metallicities and discuss them in the light of the precise measurements of the composition of a single extraordinary presolar spinel grain, named OC2. Large excesses of the heavy Mg isotopes are present in this grain and thus an origin from an intermediate-mass (IM) asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star was previously proposed for it. Our IM-AGB models with temperatures at the base of the convective envelope ≃ 80 - 85 million degrees produce a good match to the composition of OC2 within the uncertainties related to reaction rates. This solution is possible if, in particular, we take the lower limit and the upper limit for the 16O(p,γ )17F and the 17O(p,α) 14N reaction rates, respectively

Extreme 54Cr-rich nano-oxides in the CI chondrite Orgueil -Implication for a late supernova injection into the Solar System

Systematic variations in 54Cr/52Cr ratios between meteorite classes (Qin et al., 2010a; Trinquier et al., 2007) point to large scale spatial and/or temporal isotopic heterogeneity in the solar protoplanetary disk. Two explanations for these variations have been proposed, with important implications for the formation of the Solar System: heterogeneous seeding of the disk with dust from a supernova, or energetic-particle irradiation of dust in the disk. The key to differentiating between them is identification of the carrier(s) of the 54Cr anomalies. Here we report the results of our recent NanoSIMS imaging search for the 54Cr-rich carrier in the acid-resistant residue of the CI chondrite Orgueil. A total of 10 regions with extreme 54Cr-excesses ({\delta}54Cr values up to 1500 %) were found. Comparison between SEM, Auger and NanoSIMS analyses showed that these 54Cr-rich regions are associated with one or more sub-micron (typically less than 200 nm) Cr oxide grains, most likely spinels. Because the size of the NanoSIMS primary O- ion beam is larger than the typical grain size on the sample mount, the measured anomalies are lower limits, and we estimate that the actual 54Cr enrichments in three grains are at least 11 times Solar and in one of these may be as high as 50 times Solar. Such compositions strongly favor a Type II supernova origin. The variability in bulk 54Cr/52Cr between meteorite classes argues for a heterogeneous distribution of the 54Cr carrier in the solar protoplanetary disk following a late supernova injection event. Such a scenario is also supported by the O-isotopic distribution and variable abundances in different planetary materials of other presolar oxide and silicate grains from supernovae

The composition of the protosolar disk and the formation conditions for comets

Conditions in the protosolar nebula have left their mark in the composition of cometary volatiles, thought to be some of the most pristine material in the solar system. Cometary compositions represent the end point of processing that began in the parent molecular cloud core and continued through the collapse of that core to form the protosun and the solar nebula, and finally during the evolution of the solar nebula itself as the cometary bodies were accreting. Disentangling the effects of the various epochs on the final composition of a comet is complicated. But comets are not the only source of information about the solar nebula. Protostellar disks around young stars similar to the protosun provide a way of investigating the evolution of disks similar to the solar nebula while they are in the process of evolving to form their own solar systems. In this way we can learn about the physical and chemical conditions under which comets formed, and about the types of dynamical processing that shaped the solar system we see today. This paper summarizes some recent contributions to our understanding of both cometary volatiles and the composition, structure and evolution of protostellar disks.Comment: To appear in Space Science Reviews. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11214-015-0167-

The Role of Radioactivities in Astrophysics

I present both a history of radioactivity in astrophysics and an introduction to the major applications of radioactive abundances to astronomy

Dust in Supernovae and Supernova Remnants I : Formation Scenarios

Supernovae are considered as prime sources of dust in space. Observations of local supernovae over the past couple of decades have detected the presence of dust in supernova ejecta. The reddening of the high redshift quasars also indicate the presence of large masses of dust in early galaxies. Considering the top heavy IMF in the early galaxies, supernovae are assumed to be the major contributor to these large amounts of dust. However, the composition and morphology of dust grains formed in a supernova ejecta is yet to be understood with clarity. Moreover, the dust masses inferred from observations in mid-infrared and submillimeter wavelength regimes differ by two orders of magnitude or more. Therefore, the mechanism responsible for the synthesis of molecules and dust in such environments plays a crucial role in studying the evolution of cosmic dust in galaxies. This review summarises our current knowledge of dust formation in supernova ejecta and tries to quantify the role of supernovae as dust producers in a galaxy.Peer reviewe

Undiliuted Isotopic Measurements of Meteoritic Nano-Oxides Through Atom Probe Tomography

We present results for the first atom probe tomography study of a meteoritic chromite

Shock recovery experiments for simulating short duration parent body heating

International audienceHere we report on shock recovery experiments (5-50 GPa) conducted on two chondrites, Murchison (CM/2.6) and EET 90628 (LL/3.0), and on a tholin sample. We show that those shocks modify the chemical and D/H compositions of Insoluble Organic Matter, as well as its sp2 structure. Comparison with heated C2 chondrites reveal several similarities, but differences as well that question further the actual process that happened on the parent body. Experiments on the tholin sample show that carbonization happens as soon as 5 GPa, but the fast decrease of the D/H composition upon increasing pressure makes it unlikely Ultra Carbonaceous Antarctic Micro-Meteorites were formed through this process

NanoSIMS isotopic analysis of small presolar grains : search for Si3N4 grains from AGB stars and Al and Ti isotopic compositions of rare presolar SiC grains

We report isotopic ratio measurements of small SiC and Si3N4grains, with special emphasis on presolar SiC grains of type Z, and new nucleosynthesis models for 26Al/27Al and the Ti isotopic ratios in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. With the NanoSIMS we analyzed 310 SiC grains from Murchison (carbonaceous CM2 chondrite) separate KJB (diameters 0.25-0.45 μm) and 153 SiC grains from KJG (diameters 1.8-3.7 μm), 154 SiC and 23 Si3N4 grains from Indarch (enstatite EH4 chondrite) separate IH6 (diameters 0.25-0.65 μm) for their C and N isotopic compositions, 549 SiC and 142 Si3N4 grains from IH6 for their C and Si isotopic compositions, 13 SiC grains from Murchison and 66 from Indarch for their Al-Mg compositions, and eight SiC grains from Murchison and 10 from Indarch for their Ti isotopic compositions. One of the original objectives of this effort was to compare isotopic analyses with the NanoSIMS with analyses previously obtained with the Cameca IMS 3f ion microprobe. Many of the Si3N4 grains from Indarch have isotopic anomalies but most of these apparently originate from adjacent SiC grains. Only one Si3N4 grain, with 13C and 14N excesses, has a likely AGB origin. The C, N, and Si isotopic data show that the percentage of SiC grains of type Y and Z increase with decreasing grain size (from ∼1% for grains >2 μm to ∼5-7% for grains of 0.5 μm), providing an opportunity for isotopic analyses in these rare grains. Our measurements expand the number of Al-Mg analyses on SiC Z grains from 4 to 23 and the number of Ti analyses on Z grains from 2 to 11. Inferred26Al/27Al ratios of Z grains are in the range found in mainstream and Y grains and do not exceed those predicted by models of AGB nucleosynthesis. Cool bottom processing (CBP) has been invoked to explain the low 12C/13C ratios of Z grains, but this process apparently does not lead to increased 26Al production in the parent stars of these grains. This finding is in contrast to presolar oxide grains where CBP is needed to explain their high 26Al/27Al ratios. The low 46,47,49 Tι/48Τi ratios found in Z grains and their correlation with low 29Si/28Si ratios extend the trend seen in mainstream grains and confirm an origin in low-metallicity AGB stars. The relatively large excesses in 30Si and 50Ti in Z grains are predicted by our models to be the result of increased production of these isotopes by neutron-capture nucleosynthesis in low-metallicity AGB stars. However, the predicted excesses in 50Ti (and 49Ti) are much larger than those found. Even lowering the strength of the 13C pocket cannot solve this discrepancy in a consistent way