49 research outputs found

    Fine-grained rims surrounding chondrules in the carbonate-poor lithology of the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite

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    第3回極域科学シンポジウム/第35回南極隕石シンポジウム 11月30日(金) 国立国語研究所 2階講

    Mid-infrared spectra of the shocked Murchison CM chondrite: comparison with astronomical observations of dust in debris disks

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    We present laboratory mid-infrared transmission/absorption spectra obtained from matrix of the hydrated Murchison CM meteorite experimentally shocked at peak pressures of 10-49 GPa, and compare them to astronomical observations of circumstellar dust in different stages of the formation of planetary systems. The laboratory spectra of the Murchison samples exhibit characteristic changes in the infrared features. A weakly shocked sample (shocked at 10 GPa) shows almost no changes from the unshocked sample dominated by hydrous silicate (serpentine). Moderately shocked samples (21-34 GPa) have typical serpentine features gradually replaced by bands of amorphous material and olivine with increasing shock pressure. A strongly shocked sample (36 GPa) shows major changes due to decomposition of the serpentine and due to devolatilization. A shock melted sample (49 GPa) shows features of olivine recrystallized from melted material. The infrared spectra of the shocked Murchison samples show similarities to astronomical spectra of dust in various young stellar objects and debris disks. The spectra of highly shocked Murchison samples (36 and 49 GPa) are similar to those of dust in the debris disks of HD113766 and HD69830, and the transitional disk of HD100546. The moderately shocked samples (21-34 GPa) exhibit spectra similar to those of dust in the debris disks of Beta Pictoris and BD+20307, and the transitional disk of GM Aur. An average of the spectra of all Murchison samples (0-49 GPa) has a similarity to the spectrum of the older proto-planetary disk of SU Auriga. In the gas-rich transitional and protoplanetary disks, the abundances of amorphous silicates and gases have widely been considered to be a primary property. However, our study suggests that impact processing may play a significant role in generating secondary amorphous silicates and gases in those disks. Infrared spectra of the shocked Murchison samples also show similarities to the dust fromcomets (C/2002 V1, C/2001 RX14, 9P/Tempel 1, and Hale Bopp), suggesting that the comets also contain shocked Murchison-like material

    Mid-infrared spectra of differentiated meteorites (achondrites): Comparison with astronomical observations of dust in protoplanetary and debris disks

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    Mid-infrared (5 micron to 25 micron) transmission/absorption spectra of differentiated meteorites (achondrites) were measured to permit comparison with astronomical observations of dust in different stages of evolution of young stellar objects. In contrast to primitive chondrites, achondrites underwent heavy metamorphism and/or extensive melting and represent more advanced stages of planetesimal evolution. Spectra were obtained from primitive achondrites (acapulcoite, winonaite, ureilite, and brachinite) and differentiated achondrites (eucrite, diogenite, aubrite, and mesosiderite silicates). The ureilite and brachinite show spectra dominated by olivine features, and the diogenite and aubrite by pyroxene features. The acapulcoite, winonaite, eucrite, and mesosiderite silicates exhibit more complex spectra, reflecting their multi-phase bulk mineralogy. Mixtures of spectra of the primitive achondrites and differentiated achondrites in various proportions show good similarities to the spectra of the few Myr old protoplanetary disks HD104237A and V410 Anon 13. A spectrum of the differentiated mesosiderite silicates is similar to the spectra of the mature debris disks HD172555 and HD165014. A mixture of spectra of the primitive ureilite and brachinite is similar to the spectrum of the debris disk HD113766. The results raise the possibility that materials produced in the early stage of planetesimal differentiation occur in the protoplanetary and debris disks

    Carbonates Found in Stardust Aerogel Tracks

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    Preliminary examination of particles collected from Comet Wild 2 suggest that this comet is chondritic and formed under multiple processes. The lack of any hydrated minerals strongly suggests that most, if not all of these processes were anhydrous [1,2,3]. However, carbonates were found in particles extracted from 4 different tracks in the aerogel. It is our belief that these carbonates have a terrestrial origin and are a contaminant in these samples

    Carbonate in Comets: A Comparison of Comets 1P/Halley, 9P/Temple 1, and 81P/Wild 2

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    Comets are generally believed to have formed in a cold region, trapping in the cometary ices the original low-temperature condensate grains of our Solar System. These grains would have been preserved in cold-storage, at a temperature below the freezing point of CO2, for the last 4.5+ billion years. Carbonates are common in hydrous meteorites and hydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), where they are believed to have formed by parent-body aqueous processing. Since simple models of cometary evolution involve no aqueous processing, carbonates were generally presumed not to occur in comets. However, Toppani et al. [1] have performed experiments that indicate carbonate can be formed by non-equilibrium condensation in circumstellar environments where water is present as a vapor, not as a liquid. This suggests carbonate might have condensed in cold regions of the Solar Nebula, and might be present in comets

    A divergent heritage for complex organics in Isheyevo lithic clasts

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    Primitive meteorites are samples of asteroidal bodies that contain a high proportion of chemically complex organic matter (COM) including prebiotic molecules such as amino acids, which are thought to have been delivered to Earth via impacts during the early history of the Solar System. Thus, understanding the origin of COM, including their formation pathway(s) and environment(s), is critical to elucidate the origin of life on Earth as well as assessing the potential habitability of exoplanetary systems. The Isheyevo CH/CBb carbonaceous chondrite contains chondritic lithic clasts with variable enrichments in 15N believed to be of outer Solar System origin. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM-EELS) and in situ isotope analyses (SIMS and NanoSIMS), we report on the structure of the organic matter as well as the bulk H and N isotope composition of Isheyevo lithic clasts. These data are complemented by electron microprobe analyses of the clast mineral chemistry and bulk Mg and Cr isotopes obtained by inductively coupled plasma and thermal ionization mass spectrometry, respectively (MC-ICPMS and TIMS). Weakly hydrated (A) clasts largely consist of Mg-rich anhydrous silicates with local hydrated veins composed of phyllosilicates, magnetite and globular and diffuse organic matter. Extensively hydrated clasts (H) are thoroughly hydrated and contain Fe-sulfides, sometimes clustered with organic matter, as well as magnetite and carbonates embedded in a phyllosilicate matrix. The A-clasts are characterized by a more 15N-rich bulk nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N = 200–650‰) relative to H-clasts (δ15N = 50–180‰) and contain extremely 15N-rich domains with δ15N 15N-rich domains show that the lithic clast diffuse organic matter is typically more 15N-rich than globular organic matter. The correlated δ15N values and C/N ratios of nanoglobules require the existence of multiple organic components, in agreement with the H isotope data. The combined H and N isotope data suggest that the organic precursors of the lithic clasts are defined by an extremely 15N-poor (similar to solar) and D-rich component for H-clasts, and a moderately 15N-rich and D-rich component for A-clasts. In contrast, the composition of the putative fluids is inferred to include D-poor but moderately to extremely 15N-rich H- and N-bearing components. The variable 15N enrichments in H- and A-clasts are associated with structural differences in the N bonding environments of their diffuse organic matter, which are dominated by amine groups in H-clasts and nitrile functional groups in A-clasts. We suggest that the isotopically divergent organic precursors in Isheyevo clasts may be similar to organic moieties in carbonaceous chondrites (CI, CM, CR) and thermally recalcitrant organic compounds in ordinary chondrites, respectively. The altering fluids, which are inferred to cause the 15N enrichments observed in the clasts, may be the result of accretion of variable abundances of NH3 and HCN ices. Finally, using bulk Mg and Cr isotope composition of clasts, we speculate on the accretion regions of the various primitive chondrites and components and the origin of the Solar System’s N and H isotope variability

    Solar System Processes Underlying Planetary Formation, Geodynamics, and the Georeactor

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    Only three processes, operant during the formation of the Solar System, are responsible for the diversity of matter in the Solar System and are directly responsible for planetary internal-structures, including planetocentric nuclear fission reactors, and for dynamical processes, including and especially, geodynamics. These processes are: (i) Low-pressure, low-temperature condensation from solar matter in the remote reaches of the Solar System or in the interstellar medium; (ii) High-pressure, high-temperature condensation from solar matter associated with planetary-formation by raining out from the interiors of giant-gaseous protoplanets, and; (iii) Stripping of the primordial volatile components from the inner portion of the Solar System by super-intense solar wind associated with T-Tauri phase mass-ejections, presumably during the thermonuclear ignition of the Sun. As described herein, these processes lead logically, in a causally related manner, to a coherent vision of planetary formation with profound implications including, but not limited to, (a) Earth formation as a giant gaseous Jupiter-like planet with vast amounts of stored energy of protoplanetary compression in its rock-plus-alloy kernel; (b) Removal of approximately 300 Earth-masses of primordial gases from the Earth, which began Earth's decompression process, making available the stored energy of protoplanetary compression for driving geodynamic processes, which I have described by the new whole-Earth decompression dynamics and which is responsible for emplacing heat at the mantle-crust-interface at the base of the crust through the process I have described, called mantle decompression thermal-tsunami; and, (c)Uranium accumulations at the planetary centers capable of self-sustained nuclear fission chain reactions.Comment: Invited paper for the Special Issue of Earth, Moon and Planets entitled Neutrino Geophysics Added final corrections for publicatio

    Characterising the CI and CI-like carbonaceous chondrites using thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy

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    The CI and CI-like chondrites provide a record of aqueous alteration in the early solar system. However, the CI-like chondrites differ in having also experienced a late stage period of thermal metamorphism. In order to constrain the nature and extent of the aqueous and thermal alteration, we have investigated the bulk mineralogy and abundance of H2O in the CI and CI-like chondrites using thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The CI chondrites Ivuna and Orgueil show significant mass loss (28.5–31.8 wt.%) upon heating to 1000 °C due to dehydration and dehydroxylation of abundant phyllosilicates and Fe-(oxy)hydroxides and the decomposition of Fe-sulphides, carbonates and organics. Infrared spectra for Ivuna and Orgueil have a prominent 3-μm feature due to bound −OH/H2O in phyllosilicates and Fe-(oxy)hydroxides and only a minor 11-μm feature from anhydrous silicates. These characteristics are consistent with previous studies indicating that the CI chondrites underwent near-complete aqueous alteration. Similarities in the total abundance of H2O and 3 μm/11 μm ratio suggest that there is no difference in the relative degree of hydration experienced by Ivuna and Orgueil. In contrast, the CI-like chondrites Y-82162 and Y-980115 show lower mass loss (13.8–18.8 wt.%) and contain >50 % less H2O than the CI chondrites. The 3-μm feature is almost absent from spectra of Y-82162 and Y-980115 but the 11-μm feature is intense. The CI-like chondrites experienced thermal metamorphism at temperatures >500 °C that initially caused dehydration and dehydroxylation of phyllosilicates before partial recrystallization back into anhydrous silicates. The surfaces of many C-type asteroids were probably heated through impact metamorphism and/or solar radiation, so thermally altered carbonaceous chondrites are likely good analogues for samples that will be returned by the Hayabusa-2 and OSIRIS-REx missions

    Earliest rock fabric formed in the Solar System preserved in a chondrule rim

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    Rock fabrics – the preferred orientation of grains – provide a window into the history of rock formation, deformation and compaction. Chondritic meteorites are among the oldest materials in the Solar System1 and their fabrics should record a range of processes occurring in the nebula and in asteroids, but due to abundant fine-grained material these samples have largely resisted traditional in situ fabric analysis. Here we use high resolution electron backscatter diffraction to map the orientation of sub-micrometre grains in the Allende CV carbonaceous chondrite: the matrix material that is interstitial to the mm-sized spherical chondrules that give chondrites their name, and fine-grained rims which surround those chondrules. Although Allende matrix exhibits a bulk uniaxial fabric relating to a significant compressive event in the parent asteroid, we find that fine-grained rims preserve a spherically symmetric fabric centred on the chondrule. We define a method that quantitatively relates fabric intensity to net compression, and reconstruct an initial porosity for the rims of 70-80% - a value very close to model estimates for the earliest uncompacted aggregates2,3. We conclude that the chondrule rim textures formed in a nebula setting and may therefore be the first rock fabric to have formed in the Solar System
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