Do nebular fractionations, evaporative losses, or both, influence chondrule compositions?

We have made observations and performed heating experiments to determine the relative importance of several processes which may have influenced the compositions of chondrules. As heating destroys nuclei, the number density of olivine and pyroxene crystals gives an indication of the extent of melting. We determined number densities of Semarkona type I chondrules and converted them to nominal grain size, for use as a measure of intensity of heating. Bulk compositions of the chondrules show correlations with nominal grain size. Na, K, Fe, Ni, P and S decrease as grain size (degree of melting) increases, and we interpret this as evidence of evaporative loss. The evidence is less clear for Mn, Cr and Si. SiO_2/MgO ratios show very large variations even in fine-grained type I chondrules containing FeS, and we interpret those variations as due to nebular fractionations affecting precursors. Experiments show that Na and S losses increase with higher temperatures and lower cooling rates. It is hard to preserve any sulfide at all, without flash heating. Na, however, can be retained at close to chondritic levels (as in type II chondrules) with flash heating and high cooling rate, provided also that the oxygen fugacity is high. Type II chondrules can retain much more Na than type I under identical thermal conditions, because of higher fO_2 (either due to non-nebular gas or possibly internal buffering by FeO content) and melt structure (higher SiO_2/MgO). Gas reduction experiments show that type II compositions can be converted to IB by Fe loss, but evaporative loss of SiO_2 (so as to approach IA composition) is not achieved without prolonged isothermal heating. Precursors of type I and II chondrules were probably close to chondritic in composition, but with higher Fa in the type II case. They consisted of olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase, Fe (Ni) S and carbon compounds, probably with insignificant metal. Sulfur loss generated much chondrule metal in ordinary chondrites. C is a possible alternative to gas reduction to explain dusty relict grains and the lower olivine Fa in the more melted type I chondrules. We agree with J. N. GROSSMAN and J. T. WASSON (Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 47,759,1983) that variations in Mg/Si are due to nebular fractionations and with S. HUANG et al. (Icarus, 122,316,1996) that variations in Na and Fe in type I chondrules are mainly due to evaporative losses

Formation of oxygen isotope reservoirs by mixing chondritic components

Published versio

An accretionary origin for ordinary chondrite groups

Accepted versio

Mineralogy and Petrography of a Spectacular Refractory Inclusion that Underwent Chondrule Formation

We report the discovery and petrographic characterization of a meteoritic Ca-Al-rich inclusion, which periphery was transformed into a chondrule during melting in the solar nebula

Metamorphic grade of organic matter in six unequilibrated ordinary chondrites

The thermal metamorphism grade of organic matter (OM) trapped in 6 unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOCs) (Semarkona [LL 3.0], Bishunpur [L/LL 3.1], Krymka [LL 3.1], Chainpur [LL 3.4], Inman [L/LL 3.4], and Tieschitz [H/L 3.6]) has been investigated with Raman spectroscopy in the region of the first-order carbon bands. The carbonaceous chondrite Renazzo (CR2) was also investigated and used as a reference object for comparison, owing to the fact that previous studies pointed to the OM in this meteorite as being the most pristine among all chondrites. The results show that the OM thermal metamorphic grade: 1) follows the hierarchy Renazzo << Semarkona << other UOCs; 2) is well correlated to the petrographic type of the studied objects; and 3) is also well correlated with the isotopic enrichment delta-15N. These results are strikingly consistent with earlier cosmochemical studies, in particular, the scenario proposed by Alexander et al. (1998). Thermal metamorphism in the parent body appears as the main evolution process of OM in UOCs, demonstrating that nebular heating was extremely weak and that OM burial results in the destabilization of an initial isotopic composition with high delta-D and delta-15N. Furthermore, the clear discrimination between Renazzo, Semarkona, and other UOCs shows: 1) Semarkona is a very peculiar UOC--by far the most pristine; and 2) Raman spectroscopy is a valid and valuable tool for deriving petrographic sub-types (especially the low ones) that should be used in the future to complement current techniques. We compare our results with other current techniques, namely, induced thermo-luminescence and opaques petrography. Other results have been obtained. First, humic coals are not strictly valid standard materials for meteoritic OM but are helpful in the study of evolutionary trends due to thermal metamorphism. Second, terrestrial weathering has a huge effect on OM structure, particularly in Inman, which is a find. Finally, the earlier statement that fine-grained chondrule rims and matrix in Semarkona could be the source of smectite-rich IDPs is not valid, given the different degree of structural order of their OM.The Meteoritics & Planetary Science archives are made available by the Meteoritical Society and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202

Determination of the petrologic type of CV3 chondrites by Raman spectroscopy of included organic matter.

International audienc

Metamorphic History of Pristine Chondrites as Revealed by Organic Matter: A New Petrologic Classification

International audienc

Metamorphic Grade of Antarctic Meteorites

International audienc