宇宙尖晶石与地球尖晶石的比较

本文就宇宙尖晶石的形态，化学组成，及产状特征作了概要性论述，对它的成因机制 作了介绍；并和地球尖晶石作比较，表明它们之 间的成因和形成条件的差异，突出了宇宙尖晶石的特点，即宇宙尖晶石为陨石物质在大气氧化过程中结晶而成，无例外的都有一个较高的氧化态和高镍含量。在地质纪录中宇宙尖晶石的发现具有双重意义，它既是地外物质的标志，又反映了增生事件独特的形成环境。     

Relict silicate inclusions in extraterrestrial chromite and their use in the classification of fossil chondritic material

Chromite is the only common meteoritic mineral surviving long-term exposure on Earth, however, the present study of relict chromite from numerous Ordovician (470 Ma) fossil meteorites and micrometeorites from Sweden, reveals that when encapsulated in chromite, other minerals can survive for hundreds of millions of years maintaining their primary composition. The most common minerals identified, in the form of small (<1-10 μm) anhedral inclusions, are olivine and pyroxene. In addition, sporadic merrillite and plagioclase were found.Analyses of recent meteorites, holding both inclusions in chromite and corresponding matrix minerals, show that for olivine and pyroxene inclusions, sub-solidus re-equilibration between inclusion and host chromite during entrapment has led to an increase in chromium in the former. In the case of olivine, the re-equilibration has also affected the fayalite (Fa) content, lowering it with an average of 14% in inclusions. For Ca-poor pyroxene the ferrosilite (Fs) content is more or less identical in inclusions and matrix. By these studies an analogue to the commonly applied classification system for ordinary chondritic matrix, based on Fa in olivine and Fs in Ca-poor pyroxene, can be established also for inclusions in chromite. All olivine and Ca-poor pyroxene inclusions (>1.5 μm) in chromite from the Ordovician fossil chondritic material plot within the L-chondrite field, which is in accordance with previous classifications. The concordance in classification together with the fact that inclusions are relatively common makes them an accurate and useful tool in the classification of extraterrestrial material that lacks matrix silicates, such as fossil meteorites and sediment-dispersed chromite grains originating primarily from decomposed micrometeorites but also from larger impacts.     

The contribution of sulphur dioxide from ablating micrometeorites to the atmospheres of Earth and Mars

Atmospheric composition is a key control on climate and the habitability of planetary surfaces. Ablation of infalling micrometeorites has been recognised as one way in which atmospheric chemistry can be changed, especially at times in solar system history when the infall rates of exogenous material were high. Despite its potential to influence climate and habitability, extraterrestrial sulphur dioxide is currently an unquantified contribution to the atmospheres of the terrestrial planets. We have used flash pyrolysis to simulate the atmospheric entry of micrometeorites and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to identify and quantify the sulphur dioxide produced from the carbonaceous meteorites Orgueil (CI1), ALH 88045 (CM1), Cold Bokkeveld (CM2), Murchison (CM2) and Mokoia (CV3). We have used this approach to understand the introduction of sulphur dioxide to the atmospheres of Earth and Mars from infalling micrometeorites. Sulphates, present in carbonaceous chondrites at a few wt.%, are resistant to thermal decomposition, limiting the yields of sulphur dioxide from unmelted micrometeorites. Infalling micrometeorites are a minor source of present-day sulphur dioxide on Earth and Mars, calculated to be up to around 2400 tonnes and about 350 tonnes, respectively. During the Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB), the much greater infall rates of micrometeoritic dust are calculated to be associated with average production rates of sulphur dioxide of around 20 Mt yr⁻¹ for the early Earth and 0.5 Mt yr⁻¹ for early Mars, for a LHB of 100 Myr. These rates of delivery of sulphur dioxide at high altitudes would have reduced the solar energy reaching the surfaces of these planets, via scattering of sunlight by stratospheric sulphate aerosols, and may have had detrimental effects on developing biospheres by promoting cooler climates and reducing the probability of liquid water on planetary surfaces.     

Irradiation history and atmospheric ablation of meteorites: Results from cosmic ray track studies

The dominant component of nuclear tracks observed in meteoritic minerals poor in uranium is produced by cosmic ray very heavy (vh:Z>20) nuclei. Studies of cosmic ray tracks and other cosmogenic effects in meteorites give us information on the irradiation history of these meteorites and enable us to estimate the extent of ablation during their atmospheric transit, and hence their pre-atmospheric masses. In a specific type of meteorite, known asgas-rich meteorite, one finds individual grains and xenoliths that have received solar flare and galactic cosmic ray irradiation prior to the formation of these meteorites. Detailed studies of these exotic components give insight into the accretionary processes occurring in the early history of the solar system. Some of the important results obtained from such studies and their implications to meteoritics are summarized.     

Hydrogen isotopic composition of water from fossil micrometeorites in howardites

We have measured the hydrogen isotopic composition (D/H ratios) of the water from 13 carbonaceous chondritic microclasts (CCMs, size <1 mm) trapped in two howardites (Kapoeta and Yamato-793497) early in the evolution of Solar System. The division into tochilinite-rich; magnetite-rich, olivine-poor; magnetite-rich, olivine-rich CCM types is corroborated by the hydrogen isotopic compositions. Both mineralogy and hydrogen isotopic compositions demonstrate that tochilinite-rich CCMs represent CM2 chondritic matter. In contrast, there is no good match between the isotopic and mineralogical properties of the magnetite-rich CCMs and the known groups of carbonaceous chondrites, suggesting that magnetite-rich CCMs represent a new kind of chondritic matter, not yet sampled in meteorite collections. This demonstrates that the view of the asteroid belt revealed by the collection of meteorites is incomplete. The study of (micro)clasts offers a unique opportunity to better decipher the nature and relative abundance of asteroids.The average hydrogen isotopic composition of water belonging to CCMs, D/H = (152.0 ± 4.8) × 10⁻⁶ (1σ_m), is similar to that of Antarctic micrometeorites (AMMs), D/H = (161.2 ± 3.8) × 10⁻⁶ (1σ_m). The similarity, in terms of mineralogy and hydrogen isotopic composition, between CCMs and AMMs demonstrates that the composition of the micrometeorites has not been modified over the whole history of the Solar System. It indicates that the composition of the micrometeorite flux onto Earth has been, and is, dominated by a mixture of CM2-like; magnetite-rich, olivine-poor; magnetite-rich, olivine-rich carbonaceous chondritic matter exemplified by CCMs found in howardites. Because CCMs have not suffered atmospheric entry, they provide an abundant source of pristine micrometeorites.The average D/H ratio of the whole population of CCMs is identical within errors to that of the Earth (149 ± 3 × 10⁻⁶). The match between the CCMs D/H ratio and that of the Earth is especially remarkable because 1) three different populations of CCMs are needed to make the D/H ratio of the Earth; 2) there is no single carbonaceous chondrite group for which a similar match exists. This observation suggests that CCMs population might be representative of the late veneer agent(s) that delivered water to the Earth.     

Enrichment of Rh,Ru, Ir and Os in Cr spinels from oxidized magmas: Evidence from the Ambae volcano,Vanuatu

Experimental studies, performed under oxidized conditions (fO₂ > QFM + 2, where QFM is quartz–fayalite–magnetite oxygen buffer), have shown that Rh, Ru, Ir and Os are strongly compatible with Cr spinel, whereas empirical studies of Cr spinels from ultramafic–mafic rocks suggest that the experimental results may overestimate the partition coefficients. We report laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of platinum-group elements (PGE), Au and Re abundances in Cr spinels from the Ambae volcano, Vanuatu (fO₂ = QFM + 2.5), the Jimberlana layered intrusion, western Australia, and the Bushveld complex, South Africa (fO₂ ～ QFM). The results show that Rh and IPGEs (Iridium-group PGE; Ru, Ir, Os) partition strongly into the Cr spinels that crystallized from the oxidized Ambae lavas whereas most of the Cr spinels from the more reduced Jimberlana layered intrusion and the Bushveld complex contain no detectable PGE, Au or Re, with exception of ～10 ppb of Ir in some Jimberlana Cr spinels. In the Ambae Cr spinels, Rh, Ru and, to lesser extent Os, are positively correlated with Fe³⁺, Ni and V. The homogeneous distribution of Rh and IPGEs in LA-ICP-MS time-resolved spectra indicates that these elements are in solid solution in Cr spinels. Pt–Fe alloys occur as inclusions within the Ambae Cr spinels, which indicate that the Ambae melt was saturated with Pt.Our results show that partitioning of Rh, Ru and Ir into Cr spinels increases with increasing oxygen fugacity, which suggests that the high concentrations of these elements in the Ambae Cr spinels are due to the high oxygen fugacity of the host magma. Therefore, Cr spinels may play an important role in controlling the concentrations of Rh and IPGEs during fractional crystallization of oxidized ultramafic–mafic magmas and during partial melting of oxidized arc mantle.     

Ordinary chondrite-related giant (>800 μm) cosmic spherules from the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

In order to identify the parent bodies of cosmic spherules (melted micrometeorites) with porphyritic olivine (PO) and cryptocrystalline (CC) textures, we measured the oxygen isotopic composition of 15 giant (>800 μm) cosmic spherules recovered in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica, with IR-laser fluorination/mass spectrometry, and we conducted a characterization of their petrographic and magnetic properties. Samples include 6, 8 and 1 spherules of PO, CC and barred olivine (BO) textural types, respectively. Eleven spherules (∼70% of the total: 4/6 PO and 6/8 CC, and the BO spherule) are related to ordinary chondrites based on oxygen isotopic compositions. Olivines in ordinary chondrite-related spherules have compositions Fa_8.5-11.8, they are Ni-poor to Ni-rich (0.04-1.12 wt.%), and tend to be richer in CaO than other spherules (0.10-0.17 wt.%). Ordinary-chondrite related spherules also have high magnetite contents (∼2-12 wt.%). One PO and one CC spherules are related to previously identified ¹⁷O-enriched cosmic spherules for which the parent body is unknown. One CC spherule has an oxygen isotopic signature relating it to CM/CR carbonaceous chondrites. The majority of PO/CC cosmic spherules derive from ordinary chondrites; this result exemplifies how the texture of cosmic spherules is not only controlled by atmospheric entry heating conditions but also depends on the parent body, whether be it through orbital parameters (entry angle and velocity), or chemistry, mineralogy, or grain size of the precursor.     

Ablation spherules in the Sikhote Alin meteorite and their genesis

Practically all of the examined spherules extracted in 1948?C1949 from soil at the crater field of the 1947 Sikhote Alin meteorite shower are ablation spherules produced during this meteorite fall. The spherules can classified into two textural types: (i) fine-grained, which consist of Ni-bearing magnetite (3?C6 wt % NiO) dendrites, sometimes with minor amounts of interstitial P- and Fe-rich material, and (ii) coarse-grained, which also consist of Ni-bearing magnetite dendrites or grains, sometimes with wuestite, an interstitial material, which resembles that in type (i) or has a silicate composition. The texture, mineralogy, and chemistry (presence of P and Si) of these spherules differ from those of iron cosmic spherules (type I) that occur in the background flux of micrometeorites. The spherules are thought to were produced by the ablation of meteoritic material at elevations of about 12 km (in the region where disintegration starts) and below, at maximum temperatures of 1600?C2180°C and oxygen fugacity of 10^?14 to 10^?1 atm. Conceivably, the ablated material was enriched in silicates compared to the fallen material.     

The deuterium enrichment of individual amino acids in carbonaceous meteorites: A case for the presolar distribution of biomolecule precursors

The δD values of over 40 amino acids and two pyridine carboxylic acids of the Murchison and Murray meteorites have been obtained by compound-specific isotopic analyses. For compounds with no known terrestrial distribution, these values range from approximately +330‰ (for cyclic leucine) to +3600‰ (for 2-amino-2,3-dimethylbutyric acid). The latter value is the highest ever recorded for a soluble organic compound in meteorites and nears deuterium to hydrogen ratios observed remotely in interstellar molecules. Deuterium content varies significantly between molecular species and is markedly higher for amino acids having a branched alkyl chain. The δD value of Murray l-isovaline, with an enantiomeric excess of ∼ 6% in the meteorite, was within experimental error of that determined for the combined dl-isovaline enantiomers. Overall, the hydrogen isotope composition of meteoritic amino acids is relatively simple and their δD values appear to vary more with the structure of their carbon chains than with the number and relative distribution of their functionalities or ¹³C content. The magnitude and extent of deuterium enrichment shared by many and varied amino acids in meteorites indicate that cosmic regimes such as those found in the interstellar medium were capable of producing, if not all the amino acids directly, at least a suite of their direct precursors that was abundant, varied, and considerably saturated.     

Chromiferous spinels of the elephant's head dike

Analysis by optical, X-ray diffraction and microprobe methods, of essentially unzoned, disseminated spinels within cumulus picrites and olivine gabbros reveals an unbroken range of compositions from aluminian chromite (34% Cr₂O₃) to chromian magnetite (4% Cr₂O₃). TiO₂ contents vary between 0.5 and 7.7%. Exsolution of ilmenite indicates originally higher TiO₂ contents. Quenched contact-facies rocks with abundant olivine phenocrysts contain strongly zoned spinels in which a titaniferous chromian magnetite rim (16% Cr₂O₃, 10% TiO₂) encloses cores of weakly titanian chromite (40% Cr₂O₃). Platy dendrites of exsolved spinel occur in abundance within cumulus olivines. The evidence suggests that crystallization of the disseminated spinels occurred under the influence of an increase in oxygen fugacity towards the interior of the intrusion, and that the compositional diversity has stemmed from the homogenization of originally zoned grains mantled to varying degrees by high-Ti, low-Cr rims.     

New insights into the carrier phase(s) of extraterrestrial He in geologically old sediments

To better understand the composition, characteristics of helium diffusion, and size distribution of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) responsible for the long-term retention of extraterrestrial ³He, we carried out leaching, stepped heating, and sieving experiments on pelagic clays that varied in age from 0.5 Ma to ∼90 Myr. The leaching experiments suggest that the host phase(s) of ³He in geologically old sediments are neither organic matter nor refractory phases, such as diamond, graphite, Al₂O₃, and SiC, but are consistent with extraterrestrial silicates, Fe-Ni sulfides, and possibly magnetite. Stepped heating experiments demonstrate that the ³He release profiles from the magnetic and non-magnetic components of the pelagic clays are remarkably similar. Because helium diffusion is likely to be controlled by mineral chemistry and structure, the stepped heating results suggest a single carrier that may be magnetite, or more probably a phase associated with magnetite. Furthermore, the stepped outgassing experiments indicate that about 20% of the ³He will be lost through diffusion at seafloor temperatures after 50 Myrs, while sedimentary rocks exposed on the Earth’s surface for the same amount of time would lose up to 60%. The absolute magnitude of the ³He loss is, however, likely to depend upon the ³He concentration profile within the IDPs, which is not well known. Contrary to previous suggestions that micrometeorites in the size range of 50-100 μm in diameter are responsible for the extraterrestrial ³He in geologically old sediments [Stuart, F.M., Harrop, P.J., Knott, S., Turner, G., 1999. Laser extraction of helium isotopes from Antarctic micrometeorites: source of He and implications for the flux of extraterrestrial ³He flux to earth. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta63, 2653-2665], our sieving experiment demonstrates that at most 20% of the ³He is carried by particles greater than 50 μm in diameter. The size-distribution of the ³He-bearing particles implies that extraterrestrial ³He in sediments record the IDP flux rather than the micrometeorite flux.     

Helium isotopes in ferromanganese crusts from the central Pacific Ocean

Helium isotopes have been measured in samples of two ferromanganese crusts (VA13/2 and CD29-2) from the central Pacific Ocean. With the exception of the deepest part of crust CD29-2 the data can be explained by a mixture of implanted solar- and galactic cosmic ray-produced (GCR) He, in extraterrestrial grains, and radiogenic He in wind-borne continental dust grains. ⁴He concentrations are invariant and require retention of less than 12% of the in situ He produced since crust formation. Loss has occurred by recoil and diffusion. High ⁴He in CD29-2 samples older than 42 Ma are correlated with phosphatization and can be explained by retention of up to 12% of the in situ-produced ⁴He. ³He/⁴He of VA13/2 samples varies from 18.5 to 1852 R_a due almost entirely to variation in the extraterrestrial He contribution. The highest ³He/⁴He is comparable to the highest values measured in interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and micrometeorites (MMs). Helium concentrations are orders of magnitude lower than in oceanic sediments reflecting the low trapping efficiency for in-falling terrestrial and extraterrestrial grains of Fe-Mn crusts. The extraterrestrial ³He concentration of the crusts rules out whole, undegassed 4-40 μm diameter IDPs as the host. Instead it requires that the extraterrestrial He inventory is carried by numerous particles with significantly lower He concentrations, and occasional high concentration GCR-He-bearing particles.     

Sorption of noble gases by solids,with reference to meteorites. III. Sulfides,spinels, and other substances; on the origin of planetary gases

To simulate trapping of noble gases by meteorites, we reacted 15 FeCr or FeCrNi alloy samples with CO, H₂O or H₂S at 350–720 K, in the presence of noble gases. The reaction products, including (Fe,Cr)₂O₃, FeCr₂S₄, FeS, C, and Fe₃C, were analyzed by mass spectrometry, usually after chemical separation by selective solvents. Three carbon samples were prepared by catalytic decomposition of CO or by dehydration of carbohydrates with H₂SO₄.The spinel and carbon samples were similar to those of earlier studies (Yang et al., 1982 and Yang and Anders, 1982), with only minor effects attributable to the presence of Ni. All samples sorted substantial amounts of noble gases, with distribution coefficients of 10^?1–10^?2 cm³ STP/g atm for Xe. On the basis of release temperature three gas components were distinguished: a generally dominant physisorbed component (20–80% of total), and two more strongly bound, chemisorbed and trapped components. Judging from the elemental pattern, the adsorbed components were acquired at the highest noble gas partial pressure encountered by the sample—atmosphere or synthesis vessel.Sulfides, particularly daubréelite, showed three distinctive trends relative to chromite or magnetite: the high-T component was larger, 30–70% of the total; $\text{Ne}\text{Xe}$ ratios were higher, by up to 10², possibly due to preferential diffusion of Ne during synthesis. In one synthesis, at relatively high P, the gases were sorbed with only minimal elemental fractionation, presumably by occlusion.Most of the features of primordial noble gases can be explained in terms of the data and concepts presented in the three papers of this series. The elemental fractionation pattern of Ar, Kr, Xe in meteorites, terrestrial rocks, and planets resembles the adsorption pattern on the solids studied: carbon, spinels, Sulfides, etc. The variation in $\text{Ne}\text{Ar}$ ratio may be explained by preferential diffusion of Ne. The high release temperature of meteoritic noble gases may be explained by transformation of physisorbed to chemisorbed gas, as observed in some experiments. The ready loss of meteoritic heavy gases on surficial oxidation (“Phase Q”) is consistent with adsorption, as is the high abundance. Extrapolation of the limited laboratory data suggests that the observed amounts of noble gases could have been adsorbed from a solar gas at 160–170 K and 10^?6–10^?5 atm, i.e. in the early contraction stages of the solar nebula. The principal unsolved problem is the origin of isotopically anomalous, apparently mass-fractionated noble gases in the Earth's atmosphere and in meteoritic carbon and chromite.     

Phase relations in the carbon-saturated C–Mg–Fe–Si–O system and C and Si solubility in liquid Fe at high pressure and temperature: implications for planetary interiors

The phase and melting relations of the C-saturated C–Mg–Fe–Si–O system were investigated at high pressure and temperature to understand the role of carbon in the structure of the Earth, terrestrial planets, and carbon-enriched extraterrestrial planets. The phase relations were studied using two types of experiments at 4 GPa: analyses of recovered samples and in situ X-ray diffractions. Our experiments revealed that the composition of metallic iron melts changes from a C-rich composition with up to about 5 wt.% C under oxidizing conditions (ΔIW = ?1.7 to ?1.2, where ΔIW is the deviation of the oxygen fugacity (fO₂) from an iron-wüstite (IW) buffer) to a C-depleted composition with 21 wt.% Si under reducing conditions (ΔIW < ?3.3) at 4 GPa and 1,873 K. SiC grains also coexisted with the Fe–Si melt under the most reducing conditions. The solubility of C in liquid Fe increased with increasing fO₂, whereas the solubility of Si decreased with increasing fO₂. The carbon-bearing phases were graphite, Fe₃C, SiC, and Fe alloy melt (Fe–C or Fe–Si–C melts) under the redox conditions applied at 4 GPa, but carbonate was not observed under our experimental conditions. The phase relations observed in this study can be applicable to the Earth and other planets. In hypothetical reducing carbon planets (ΔIW < ?6.2), graphite/diamond and/or SiC exist in the mantle, whereas the core would be an Fe–Si alloy containing very small amount of C even in the carbon-enriched planets. The mutually exclusive nature of C and Si may be important also for considering the light elements of the Earth’s core.     

月壤颗粒微观环带的太空风化成因

太空风化是迄今31亿年以来影响月球表面物质演化过程的主要因素,主要包括陨石、微陨石的轰击,太阳风粒子的注入,太阳/银河宇宙射线的辐射以及周期性的加热作用等。通过深入剖析太阳风粒子的注入与溅射、微陨石轰击的蒸发与沉积、宇宙射线辐射的辐射损伤等过程的作用机理,探讨了不同太空风化过程对矿物颗粒环带厚度、化学组成、晶体结构等特征的影响,认为微陨石轰击与太阳风注入是形成月壤颗粒微观环带的主导因素,宇宙射线辐射与周期性加热的影响可忽略不计。进一步结合非晶质环带、富内含物环带、多环环带以及小泡环带等月壤颗粒主要环带的基本特征,在总结和对比分析各类型环带的厚度、结构以及化学组成特征基础上,对不同类型环带的成因进行初步推断,认为非晶质环带、小泡环带以及多环环带的内层环带具有太阳风作用特征,而富内含物环带、多环环带的外层环带则具有微陨石轰击的成因特征。根据目前单纯依靠环带的化学组成分析解释环带成因存在的不足,指出了通过补充分析矿物晶体结构在模拟太空风化实验过程中的变化特征来研究环带成因的新思路。     

Melt inclusions in detrital spinel from the SE Alps (Italy–Slovenia): a new approach to provenance studies of sedimentary basins

Detrital spinel is a widespread heavy mineral in sandstones from the Maastrichtian–Middle Eocene sedimentary basins in the SE Alps. Chemistry of detrital spinels from the Claut/Clauzetto and Julian Basins (N Italy and NW Slovenia) is used to constrain petrological and geochemical affinities and tectonic provenance of the source rocks. In addition, we have analysed melt inclusion compositions in the detrital volcanic spinels to better constrain the nature of their parental magmas. This is the first study of melt inclusions in detrital spinels. Two principal compositional groups of detrital spinels are recognised based on their TiO₂ and Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺; one derived from peridotites, the other from basaltic volcanics. Peridotitic spinels are more abundant and have TiO₂ < 0.2 wt% and high Cr/Cr + Al (40–90), characteristic of suprasubduction zone harzburgites. Significant chemical variations among volcanic spinels (TiO₂ up to 3 wt%, Al₂O₃ 12–44 wt%) suggest multiple sources, with geochemically distinct characteristics, including MORB-type and backarc basin basalts, subduction-related magmas and tholeiites produced during early continental rifting. Compositions of homogenised melt inclusions in spinels with TiO₂ > 0.2 better distinguish the differences between the compositions of their host spinels and help to further clarify the geodynamic provenance of extrusive source rocks. Several compositional groups of melt inclusions have been recognised and represent diverse magmatism of marginal basins, including MORB- and subduction-related geochemical types, as well as magmas characteristic of early continental rifting. These results, combined with the data on regional ophiolitic complexes and tectonic reconstructions favour the Internal Dinarides of Yugoslavia as a possible source area for the SE Alps sediments. Received: 20 January 2000 / Accepted: 25 April 2000     

Cosmic ray effects in the solar system objects

Long term characteristics of solar and galactic cosmic rays, as revealed by the study of their nuclear effects in lunar, meteoritic and terrestrial samples are summarised. The data so far available on radioisotopes, noble gases and tracks, though limited, are consistent with nearly constant fluxes and composition during different epochs over billions of years; one exception is¹⁴C activity in the earths atmosphere over the past few hundred years, suggesting a variation in the solar activity. Other small or brief variations, which cannot be ruled out as yet, require better estimation of depth and size dependence of nuclear effects in rocks before they can be attributed to cosmic rays.     

Petrography,chemical composition,and Raman spectra of chrome spinel: Constraints on the diamond potential of the No. 30 pipe kimberlite in Wafangdian,North China Craton

Conventional diamond exploration seldom searches directly for diamonds in rock and soil samples. Instead, it focuses on the search for indicator minerals like chrome spinel, which can be used to evaluate diamond potential. Chrome spinels are preserved as pristine minerals in the early Paleozoic (∼465 Ma), hydrothermally altered, Group I No. 30 pipe kimberlite that intruded the Neoproterozoic Qingbaikou strata in Wafangdian, North China Craton (NCC). The characteristics of the chrome spinels were investigated by petrographic observation (BSE imaging), quantitative chemical analysis (EPMA), and Raman spectral analysis. The results show that the chrome spinels are mostly sub-rounded with extremely few grains being subhedral, and these spinels are macrocrystic, more than 500 µm in size. The chrome spinels also have compositional zones: the cores are classified as magnesiochromite as they have distinctly chromium-rich (Cr₂O₃ up to 66.56 wt%) and titanium-poor (TiO₂ < 1 wt%) compositions; and the rims are classified as magnetite as they have chromium-poor and iron-rich composition. In the cores of chrome spinels, compositional variations are controlled by Al³⁺-Cr³⁺ isomorphism, which results in a strong Raman spectra peak (A_1g mode) varying from 690 cm⁻¹ to 702.9 cm⁻¹. In the rims of chrome spinel, compositional variations result in the A_1g peak varying from 660 cm⁻¹ to 672 cm⁻¹. The morphology and chemical compositions indicate that the chrome spinels are mantle xenocrysts. The cores of the spinel are remnants of primary mantle xenocrysts that have been resorbed, and the rims were formed during kimberlite magmatism. The compositions of the cores are used to evaluate the diamond potential of this kimberlite through comparison with the compositions of chrome spinels from the Changmazhuang and No. 50 pipe kimberlites in the NCC. In MgO, Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ versus Cr₂O₃ plots, the chrome spinels from the Changmazhuang and No. 50 pipe kimberlites are mostly located in the diamond stability field. However, only a small proportion of chrome spinels from No. 30 pipe kimberlite have same behavior, which indicates that the diamond potential of the former two kimberlites is greater than that of the No. 30 pipe kimberlite. This is also supported by compositional zones in the spinel grains: there is with an increase in Fe³⁺ in the rims, which suggests that the chrome spinels experienced highly oxidizing conditions. Oxidizing conditions may have been imparted by fluids/melts that have a great influence on diamond destruction. Here, we suggest that chrome spinel compositions can be a useful tool for identifying the target for diamond potential in the North China Craton.     

Oxygen isotope measurements of individual unmelted Antarctic micrometeorites

We present oxygen isotope measurements of 28 unmelted Antarctic micrometeorites measuring 150-250 μm (long axis) collected in the South Pole water well. The micrometeorites were all unmelted and classified as either fine-grained, scoriaceous, coarse-grained or composite (a mix of two other classes). Spot analyses were made of each micrometeorite type using an ion microprobe. The oxygen isotope values were measured relative to standard mean ocean water (SMOW) and range from δ¹⁸O = 3‰ to 60‰ and δ¹⁷O = −1‰ to 32‰, falling along the terrestrial fractionation line (TFL) within 2σ errors. Several analytical spots (comprising multiple phases) were made on each particle. Variability in the oxygen isotope ratios was observed among micrometeorite types, between micrometeorites of the same type and between analytical spots on a single micrometeorite indicating that micrometeorites are isotopically heterogeneous. In general, the lowest isotope values are associated with the coarse-grained micrometeorites whereas most of the fine-grained and scoriaceous micrometeorites have an average δ¹⁸O ? 22‰, suggesting that the matrix in micrometeorites is isotopically heavier than the anhydrous silicate phases. The oxygen isotope values for the coarse-grained micrometeorites, composed mainly of anhydrous phases, do not lie along the carbonaceous chondrite anhydrous mineral (CCAM) line, as observed for olivines, pyroxenes and some kinds of chondrules in carbonaceous chondrites, suggesting that coarse-grained MMs are not related to chondrules, as previously thought. Our measurements span the same range as values found for melted micrometeorites in other studies. Although four of the micrometeorites have oxygen isotope values lying along the TFL, close to the region where the bulk CI carbonaceous chondrites are found, 21 particles have very enriched ¹⁷O and ¹⁸O values that have not been reported in previous analyses of chondrite matrix material, suggesting that they could be a new type of Solar System object. The parent bodies of the micrometeorites with higher ¹⁸O values may be thermal metamorphosed carbonaceous asteroids that have not been found as meteorites either because they are friable asteroids that produce small particles rather than rocks upon collision with other bodies, or because the rocks they produce are too friable to survive atmospheric entry.     

On nature of bimodal release of noble gases during pyrolysis of the meteoritic nanodiamonds

Analysis of noble gas proportions and their release kinetics during stepped pyrolysis and oxidation of meteoritic nanodiamonds, as well as their core-shell structure led to the following conclusions: (1) Noble gases of HL component with anomalous isotopic composition were presumably formed prior to implantation in the nanodiamonds owing to mixing of nucleosynthetic products of p- and r- process associated with explosion of type-II supernova with noble gases having “normal” isotopic composition; (2) isotopically normal P3 noble gases in the nanodiamonds grains are confined to the nondiamond (for instance, graphite-like) phase in the surface layer. The “layer” structure of nanodiamonds grains resulted from heating up to 800–900°C. Observed increase in contents of P3 noble gases with increasing grain sizes of meteoritic nanodiamonds is caused by the dependence of the degree of graphitization of the superfical layer at given temperature on the grain size and surface defect density; (3) bimodal release of noble gases during pyrolysis of the meteoritic nanodiamonds from weakly metamorphosed meteorites was caused by P3 and HL components, which are comparable in abundance but sharply differ in their release temperature.