Al-Mg systematics of hibonite-bearing Ca,Al-rich inclusions from Ningqiang

Hibonite-bearing Ca,Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) usually occur in CM and CH chondrites and possess petrographic and isotopic characteristics distinctive from other typical CAIs. Despite their highly refractory nature, most hibonite-bearing CAIs have little or no ^(26)Mg excess (the decay product of ^(26)Al), but do show wide variations of Ca and Ti isotopic anomalies. A few spinel-hibonite spherules preserve evidence of live ^(26)Al with an inferred ^(26)Al/^(27)Al close to the canonical value. The bimodal distribution of ^(26)Al abundances in hibonite-bearing CAIs has inspired several interpretations regarding the origin of short-lived nuclides and the evolution of the solar nebula. Herein we show that hibonite-bearing CAIs from Ningqiang, an ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite, also provide evidence for a bimodal distribution of ^(26)Al. Two hibonite aggregates and two hibonite-pyroxene spherules show no ^(26)Mg excesses, corresponding to inferred ^(26)Al/^(27)Al < 8 × 10^(−6). Two hibonite-melilite spherules are indistinguishable from each other in terms of chemistry and mineralogy but have different Mg isotopic compositions. Hibonite and melilite in one of them display positive ^(26)Mg excesses (up to 25‰) that are correlated with Al/Mg with an inferred ^(26)Al/^(27)Al of (5.5 ± 0.6) × 10^(−5). The other one contains normal Mg isotopes with an inferred ^(26)Al/^(27)Al < 3.4 × 10^(−6). Hibonite in a hibonite-spinel fragment displays large ^(26)Mg excesses (up to 38‰) that correlate with Al/Mg, with an inferred ^(26)Al/^(27)Al of (4.5 ± 0.8) × 10^(−5). Prolonged formation duration and thermal alteration of hibonite-bearing CAIs seem to be inconsistent with petrological and isotopic observations of Ningqiang. Our results support the theory of formation of ^(26)Al-free/poor hibonite-bearing CAIs prior to the injection of ^(26)Al into the solar nebula from a nearby stellar source

Origin of a metamorphosed lithic clast in CM chondrite Grove Mountains 021536

A metamorphosed lithic clast was discovered in the CM chondrite Grove Mountains 021536, which was collected in the Antarctica by the Chinese Antarctic Research Exploration team. The lithic clast is composed mainly of Fe-rich olivine (Fo62) with minor diopside (Fs_(9.7–11.1)Wo_(48.3–51.6)), plagioclase (An_(43–46.5)), nepheline, merrillite, Al-rich chromite (21.8 wt% Al_2O_3; 4.43 wt% TiO_2), and pentlandite. Δ^(17)O values of olivine in the lithic clast vary from −3.9‰ to −0.8‰. Mineral compositions and oxygen isotopic compositions of olivine suggest that the lithic clast has an exotic source different from the CM chondrite parent body. The clast could be derived from strong thermal metamorphism of pre-existing chondrule that has experienced low-temperature anhydrous alteration. The lithic clast is similar in mineral assemblage and chemistry to a few clasts observed in oxidized CV3 chondrites (Mokoia and Yamato-86009) and might have been derived from the interior of the primitive CV asteroid. The apparent lack of hydration in the lithic clast indicates that the clast accreted into the CM chondrite after hydration of the CM components

Phosphate minerals in the H group of ordinary chondrites, and fluid activity recorded by apatite heterogeneity in the Zag H3-6 regolith breccia

Phosphate minerals in ordinary chondrites provide a record of fluids that were present during metamorphic heating of the chondrite parent asteroids. We have carried out a petrographic study of the phosphate minerals, merrillite and apatite, in metamorphosed H group ordinary chondrites of petrologic type 4–6, to understand development of phosphate minerals and associated fluid evolution during metamorphism. In unbrecciated chondrites, apatite is Cl rich and shows textural evolution from fine-grained apatite-merrillite assemblages in type 4 toward larger, uniform grains in type 6. The Cl/F ratio in apatite shows a similar degree of heterogeneity in all petrologic types, and no systematic change in compositions with metamorphic grade, which suggests that compositions in each meteorite are dictated by localized conditions, possibly because of a limited fluid/rock ratio. The development of phosphate minerals in H chondrites is similar to that of L and LL chondrites, despite the fact that feldspar equilibration resulting from albitization is complete in H4 chondrites but not in L4 or LL4 chondrites. This suggests that albitization took place during an earlier period of the metamorphic history than that recorded by preserved apatite compositions, and chemical equilibrium was not achieved throughout the H chondrite parent body or bodies during the late stages of metamorphism. A relict igneous clast in the H5 chondrite, Oro Grande has apatite rims on relict phenocrysts of (possibly) diopside that have equilibrated with the host chondrite. Apatite in the Zag H3–6 regolith breccia records a complex fluid history, which is likely related to the presence of halite in this meteorite. The porous dark H4 matrix of Zag, where halite is observed, has a high apatite/merrillite ratio, and apatite is extremely Cl rich. One light H6 clast contains similarly Cl-rich apatite. In a second light H6 clast, apatite compositions are very heterogeneous and more F-rich. Apatites in both H4 matrix and H6 clasts have very low H_2O contents. Heterogeneous apatite compositions in Zag record multiple stages of regolith processing and shock at the surface of the H chondrite parent body, and apatite records either the passage of fluids of variable compositions resulting from different impact-related processes, or the passage of a single fluid whose composition evolved as it interacted with the chondrite regolith. Unraveling the history of apatite can potentially help to interpret the internal structure of chondrite parent bodies, with implications for physical and mechanical properties of chondritic asteroids. The behavior of halogens recorded by apatite is important for understanding the behavior of volatile elements in general: if impact-melt materials close to the surface of a chondritic asteroid are readily degassed, the volatile inventories of terrestrial planets could be considerably more depleted than the CI carbonaceous chondrite abundances that are commonly assumed

SIMS Analysis of OH and D/H of Apatites from Eucrites

Eucrites, a member of the howardite-eucritediogenite (HED) group, are basaltic meteorites that are believed to come from the asteroid Vesta [e.g., 1]. A recent study of water concentration and hydrogen isotope of eucrite apatite [2] suggested an early accretion of water from a carbonaceous chondrite– like source on Earth, Vesta and other planetary bodies in the inner solar system. In this study, we present results of OH and D/H analyses of apatites from more eucrite samples

Petrogenesis of the Northwest Africa 4898 high-Al mare basalt

Northwest Africa (NWA) 4898 is the only low-Ti, high-Al basaltic lunar meteorite yet recognized. It predominantly consists of pyroxene (53.8 vol%) and plagioclase (38.6 vol%). Pyroxene has a wide range of compositions (En_(12–62)Fs_(25–62)Wo_(11–36)), which display a continuous trend from Mg-rich cores toward Ca-rich mantles and then to Fe-rich rims. Plagioclase has relatively restricted compositions (An_(87–96)Or_(0–1)Ab_(4–13)), and was transformed to maskelynite. The REE zoning of all silicate minerals was not significantly modified by shock metamorphism and weathering. Relatively large (up to 1 mm) olivine phenocrysts have homogenous inner parts with Fo ~74 and sharply decrease to 64 within the thin out rims (~30 μm in width). Four types of inclusions with a variety of textures and modal mineralogy were identified in olivine phenocrysts. The contrasting morphologies of these inclusions and the chemical zoning of olivine phenocrysts suggest NWA 4898 underwent at least two stages of crystallization. The aluminous chromite in NWA 4898 reveals that its high alumina character was inherited from the parental magma, rather than by fractional crystallization. The mineral chemistry and major element compositions of NWA 4898 are different from those of 12038 and Luna 16 basalts, but resemble those of Apollo 14 high-Al basalts. However, the trace element compositions demonstrate that NWA 4898 and Apollo 14 high-Al basalts could not have been derived from the same mantle source. REE compositions of its parental magma indicate that NWA 4898 probably originated from a unique depleted mantle source that has not been sampled yet. Unlike Apollo 14 high-Al basalts, which assimilated KREEPy materials during their formation, NWA 4898 could have formed by closed-system fractional crystallization

Isotopic Compositions of Cometary Matter Returned by Stardust

Hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotopic compositions are heterogeneous among comet 81P/Wild 2 particle fragments; however, extreme isotopic anomalies are rare, indicating that the comet is not a pristine aggregate of presolar materials. Nonterrestrial nitrogen and neon isotope ratios suggest that indigenous organic matter and highly volatile materials were successfully collected. Except for a single ^(17)O-enriched circumstellar stardust grain, silicate and oxide minerals have oxygen isotopic compositions consistent with solar system origin. One refractory grain is ^(16)O-enriched, like refractory inclusions in meteorites, suggesting that Wild 2 contains material formed at high temperature in the inner solar system and transported to the Kuiper belt before comet accretion

Rare-Earth Minerals in Martian Meteorite NWA 7034/7533: Evidence for Fluid-Rock Interaction in the Martian Crust

Monazite, chevkinite-perrierite and xenotime are common rare-earth minerals in terrestrial rocks and important repositories for the rare-earth-elements (REE). Liu and Ma [1-2] reported finding monazite, chevkinite-perrierite and xenotime in NWA 7034/7533, the ‘Black Beauty’ meteorite. Here, we provide a more detailed textural and compositional analysis of these minerals; our results suggest an origin via fluid-rock interaction

An extremely heavy chlorine reservoir in the Moon: Insights from the apatite in lunar meteorites

Chlorine, an extremely hydrophilic volatile element, provides important information regarding the origin of intrinsic volatiles in the Moon. Lunar apatite was found to have a wider spread of δ^(37)Cl (from −1 to +40‰ versus standard mean ocean chloride) than most terrestrial and chondritic ones (0 ± 0.5‰). However, the provenance of the elevated lunar δ^(37)Cl is still enigmatic. Here we report new isotopic data for H and Cl in apatite from three lunar meteorites and discuss possible mechanisms for Cl isotopic fractionation of the Moon. The apatite grain in Dhofar 458 has an average δ^(37)Cl value of +76‰, indicative of an extremely heavy Cl reservoir in the Moon. Volatile loss associated with the Moon-forming Giant Impact and the formation of lunar magma ocean could account for the large Cl isotopic fractionation of the Moon. The observed H_2O contents (220–5200 ppm), δD (−100 to +550‰) and δ^(37)Cl values (+3.8 − +81.1‰) in lunar apatite could be understood if late accretion of hydrous components were added to the Moon after the fractionation of Cl isotopes. The heterogeneous distribution of lunar Cl isotopes is probably resulted from complex lunar formation and differentiation processes

Fine-grained precursors dominate the micrometeorite flux

We optically classified 5682 micrometeorites (MMs) from the 2000 South Pole collection into textural classes, imaged 2458 of these MMs with a scanning electron microscope, and made 200 elemental and eight isotopic measurements on those with unusual textures or relict phases. As textures provide information on both degree of heating and composition of MMs, we developed textural sequences that illustrate how fine-grained, coarse-grained, and single mineral MMs change with increased heating. We used this information to determine the percentage of matrix dominated to mineral dominated precursor materials (precursors) that produced the MMs. We find that at least 75% of the MMs in the collection derived from fine-grained precursors with compositions similar to CI and CM meteorites and consistent with dynamical models that indicate 85% of the mass influx of small particles to Earth comes from Jupiter family comets. A lower limit for ordinary chondrites is estimated at 2–8% based on MMs that contain Na-bearing plagioclase relicts. Less than 1% of the MMs have achondritic compositions, CAI components, or recognizable chondrules. Single mineral MMs often have magnetite zones around their peripheries. We measured their isotopic compositions to determine if the magnetite zones demarcate the volume affected by atmospheric exchange during entry heating. Because we see little gradient in isotopic composition in the olivines, we conclude that the magnetites are a visual marker that allows us to select and analyze areas not affected by atmospheric exchange. Similar magnetite zones are seen in some olivine and pyroxene relict grains contained within MMs

Water, fluorine, and sulfur concentrations in the lunar mantle

The concentrations of volatile elements in the moon have important implications for the formation of the earth–moon system. There is currently a debate regarding the water content of the lunar mantle: Authors studying H_2O in lunar pyroclastic glass beads and in olivine-hosted melt inclusions in such pyroclastic samples and in plagioclase crystals in lunar highland anorthosites infer hundreds of ppm H_2O in the lunar mantle. In contrast, authors studying Zn/Fe ratios infer that the H_2O concentration in the lunar mantle is ≤1 ppm, and they argue that the glassy lunar basalts are a local anomaly. We contribute to a resolution of the debate by a broader examination of the concentrations of H_2O and other volatile components in olivine-hosted melt inclusions in a wider range of lunar mare basalts, including crystalline melt inclusions that are homogenized by melting in the laboratory. We find that F, Cl, and S concentrations in various lunar melt inclusions (including those in glassy lunar basalts) are similar to one another, and previously studied glassy lunar basalts are not a local anomaly in terms of these volatile concentrations. Furthermore, we estimate the pre-degassing H_2O/Ce, F/Nd, and S/Dy ratios of mare basaltic magmas to be at least 64, 4.0 and 100 respectively. These ratios are lower than those of primitive earth mantle by a factor of 3, 5, and 4 respectively. The depletion factors of these volatile elements relative to the earth's primitive mantle do not correlate strongly with volatility or bonding energy, and indeed they are roughly constant and similar to those of other volatile elements such as Li, Cs, Rb and K. This approximate constancy of volatile depletion in the moon relative to the earth can be explained by assuming that both the earth and the moon acquired volatiles from a similar source or by a similar mechanism but the earth was more efficient in acquiring the volatiles. We estimate the H_2O, F and S concentrations in the primitive lunar mantle source to be at least 110, 5.3, and 70 ppm, respectively – similar to or slightly lower than those in terrestrial MORB mantle