Hiding in the howardites: Unequilibrated eucrite clasts as a guide to the formation of Vesta's crust

204 howardites in the National Meteorite Collection at the Smithsonian were examined for the presence of fine‐grained eucrite clasts, with the goal of better understanding the formation of the uppermost crust of asteroid 4Vesta. Eight clasts were identified and characterized in terms of their textures and mineral chemistry, and their degree of thermal metamorphism was assessed. The paucity of fine‐grained eucrites, both within the unbrecciated eucrites and as clasts within the howardites, suggests that they originate from small‐scale units on the surface of Vesta, most likely derived from partial melting. Six of the eight clasts described were found to be unequilibrated, meaning that they preserve their original crystallization trends. The vast majority of eucrites are at least partially equilibrated, making these samples quite rare and important for deciphering the petrogenesis of the vestan crust. Biomodal grain populations suggest that eucrite melts often began crystallizing pyroxene and plagioclase during their ascent to the surface, where they were subject to more rapid cooling, crystallization, and later metasomatism. Pyroxene compositions from this study and prior work indicate that the products of both primitive and evolved melts were present at the vestan surface after its formation. Two howardite thin sections contained multiple eucrite composition clasts with different crystallization and thermal histories; this mm‐scale diversity reflects the complexity of the current day vestan surface that has been observed by Dawn.     

Dust production of comet 21P/Giacobini‐Zinner using broadband photometry

Presented here are results from photometric analysis on broadband images taken of comet 21P/Giacobini‐Zinner from May 24, 2011 to October 24, 2011. As the parent body of the Draconids, a meteor shower known for outbursting, 21P was studied for its dust production activity, Afρ, focusing on how it changes with heliocentric distance. An expected increase in dust production with a decrease in heliocentric distance was observed. The comet went from heliocentric distance of 3.05 –1.77 AU during the observed time that corresponded to an apparent magnitude of 19.61 to 15.72 and Afρ of 16.48 cm to 284.17 cm. These values can be extrapolated to estimate a peak Afρ value at perihelion of 3824 cm. The images were obtained using a 0.5‐meter f/8.1 Ritchey‐Chrétien telescope located in Mayhill, New Mexico.     

Challenges in detecting olivine on the surface of 4 Vesta

Identifying and mapping olivine on asteroid 4 Vesta are important components to understanding differentiation on that body, which is one of the objectives of the Dawn mission. Harzburgitic diogenites are the main olivine‐bearing lithology in the howardite‐eucrite‐diogenite (HED) meteorites, a group of samples thought to originate from Vesta. Here, we examine all the Antarctic harzburgites and estimate that, on scales resolvable by Dawn, olivine abundances in putative harzburgite exposures on the surface of Vesta are likely at best in the 10–30% range, but probably lower due to impact mixing. We examine the visible/near‐infrared spectra of two harzburgitic diogenites representative of the 10–30% olivine range and demonstrate that they are spectrally indistinguishable from orthopyroxenitic diogenites, the dominant diogenitic lithology in the HED group. This suggests that the visible/near‐infrared spectrometer onboard Dawn (VIR) will be unable to resolve harzburgites from orthopyroxenites on the surface of Vesta, which may explain the current lack of identification of harzburgitic diogenite on Vesta.     

The coating hypothesis for ammonia ice particles in Jupiter: Laboratory experiments and optical modeling

We report laboratory experiments and modeling calculations investigating the effect of a hydrocarbon coating on ammonia ice spectral signatures. Observational evidence and thermochemical models indicate an abundance of ammonia ice clouds in Jupiter's atmosphere. However, spectrally identifiable ammonia ice clouds are found covering less than 1% of Jupiter's atmosphere, notably in areas of strong vertical transport, indicating a short lifetime for the signature of ammonia absorption on condensed ammonia particles [Baines, K.H., Carlson, R.W., Kamp, L.W., 2002. Icarus 159, 74-94]. Current literature has suggested coating of ammonia ice particles by a hydrocarbon haze as a possible explanation for this paradox. The work presented here supports the inference of a coating effect that can alter or suppress ammonia absorption features. In the experiments, thin films of ammonia ices are deposited in a cryogenic apparatus, coated with hydrocarbons, and characterized by reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy. We have observed the effects on the ammonia ice absorption features near 3 and 9 μm with coverage by thin layers of hydrocarbons. Modeling calculations of these multilayer thin films assist in the interpretation of the experimental results and reveal the important role of optical interference in altering the aforementioned ammonia spectral features. Mie and T-matrix scattering calculations demonstrate analogous effects for ammonia ice particles and investigate the relative effects of ammonia ice particle size, shape, and coating layer thickness on the ice particle spectral signatures.     

Petrologic insights from the spectra of the unbrecciated eucrites: Implications for Vesta and basaltic asteroids

Abstract– We investigate the relationship between the petrology and visible–near infrared spectra of the unbrecciated eucrites and synthetic pyroxene–plagioclase mixtures to determine how spectra obtained by the Dawn mission could distinguish between several models that have been suggested for the petrogenesis of Vesta’s crust (e.g., partial melting and magma ocean). Here, we study the spectra of petrologically characterized unbrecciated eucrites to establish spectral observables, which can be used to yield mineral abundances and compositions consistent with petrologic observations. No information about plagioclase could be extracted from the eucrite spectra. In contrast, pyroxene dominates the spectra of the eucrites and absorption band modeling provides a good estimate of the relative proportions of low‐ and high‐Ca pyroxene present. Cr is a compatible element in eucrite pyroxene and is enriched in samples from primitive melts. An absorption at 0.6 μm resulting from Cr³⁺ in the pyroxene structure can be used to distinguish these primitive eucrites. The spectral differences present among the eucrites may allow Dawn to distinguish between the two main competing models proposed for the petrogenesis of Vesta (magma ocean and partial melting). These models predict different crustal structures and scales of heterogeneity, which can be observed spectrally. The formation of eucrite Allan Hills (ALH) A81001, which is primitive (Cr‐rich) and relatively unmetamorphosed, is hard to explain in the magma ocean model. It could only have been formed as a quench crust. If the magma ocean model is correct, then ALHA81001‐like material should be abundant on the surface of Vesta and the Vestoids.     

Can a Time Fractional‐Derivative Model Capture Scale‐Dependent Dispersion in Saturated Soils?

Time nonlocal transport models such as the time fractional advection‐dispersion equation (t‐fADE) were proposed to capture well‐documented non‐Fickian dynamics for conservative solutes transport in heterogeneous media, with the underlying assumption that the time nonlocality (which means that the current concentration change is affected by previous concentration load) embedded in the physical models can release the effective dispersion coefficient from scale dependency. This assumption, however, has never been systematically examined using real data. This study fills this historical knowledge gap by capturing non‐Fickian transport (likely due to solute retention) documented in the literature (Huang et al. 1995) and observed in our laboratory from small to intermediate spatial scale using the promising, tempered t‐fADE model. Fitting exercises show that the effective dispersion coefficient in the t‐fADE, although differing subtly from the dispersion coefficient in the standard advection‐dispersion equation, increases nonlinearly with the travel distance (varying from 0.5 to 12 m) for both heterogeneous and macroscopically homogeneous sand columns. Further analysis reveals that, while solute retention in relatively immobile zones can be efficiently captured by the time nonlocal parameters in the t‐fADE, the motion‐independent solute movement in the mobile zone is affected by the spatial evolution of local velocities in the host medium, resulting in a scale‐dependent dispersion coefficient. The same result may be found for the other standard time nonlocal transport models that separate solute retention and jumps (i.e., displacement). Therefore, the t‐fADE with a constant dispersion coefficient cannot capture scale‐dependent dispersion in saturated porous media, challenging the application for stochastic hydrogeology methods in quantifying real‐world, preasymptotic transport. Hence improvements on time nonlocal models using, for example, the novel subordination approach are necessary to incorporate the spatial evolution of local velocities without adding cumbersome parameters.     

Magmatic Differentiation at an Island-arc Caldera: Okmok Volcano, Aleutian Islands, Alaska

Okmok volcano is situated on oceanic crust in the central Aleutianarc and experienced large (15 km³) caldera-forming eruptionsat 12 000 years BP and 2050 years BP. Each caldera-forming eruptionbegan with a small Plinian rhyodacite event followed by theemplacement of a dominantly andesitic ash-flow unit, whereaseffusive inter- and post-caldera lavas have been more basaltic.Phenocryst assemblages are composed of olivine + pyroxene +plagioclase ± Fe–Ti oxides and indicate crystallizationat 1000–1100°C at 0·1–0·2 GPain the presence of 0–4% H₂O. The erupted products followa tholeiitic evolutionary trend and calculated liquid compositionsrange from 52 to 68 wt % SiO₂ with 0·8–3·3wt % K₂O. Major and trace element models suggest that the moreevolved magmas were produced by 50–60% in situ fractionalcrystallization around the margins of the shallow magma chamber.Oxygen and strontium isotope data (¹⁸O 4·4–4·9,⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr 0·7032–0·7034) indicate interactionwith a hydrothermally altered crustal component, which led toelevated thorium isotope ratios in some caldera-forming magmas.This compromises the use of uranium–thorium disequilibria[(²³⁰Th/ ²³⁸U) = 0·849–0·964] to constrainthe time scales of magma differentiation but instead suggeststhat the age of the hydrothermal system is 100 ka. Modellingof the diffusion of strontium in plagioclase indicates thatmany evolved crystal rims formed less than 200 years prior toeruption. This addition of rim material probably reflects theremobilization of crystals from the chamber margins followingreplenishment. Basaltic recharge led to the expansion of themagma chamber, which was responsible for the most recent caldera-formingevent. KEY WORDS: Okmok; caldera; U-series isotopes; Sr-diffusion; time scales; Aleutian arc     

Occurrence, Mineral Chemistry, and Metamorphism of Precambrian Carbonate Rocks in a Portion of the Grenville Province

Marble occurs abundantly in a 31,000 km² segment of the southernGrenville Province of the Canadian Precambrian Shield, whereit is associated with quartzite, biotite-garnet gneiss, andamphibolite to form the Grenville Group. An 1800 km² area onthe western margin of this segment, north of the Ottawa river,displays a great variety of carbonate rocks, which may be dividedinto two groups: (I) major marble, with calcite, dolomite, graphite, phlogopite,Ca amphibole, Ca pyroxene, forsterite, humite group minerals, (II) minor marble, with pink calcite, phlogopite, Ca amphibole,Ca pyroxene, K feldspar, scapolite, sphene. Rocks of the first group are associated with plagioclase gneissand amphibolite, and are metamorphosed limestone, little affectedby metasomatism; rocks of the second group, which are less common,are associated with potassium feldspar gneiss and heterogeneousgranitic and syenitic rocks, and are inferred to be metasomaticrocks. Numerous mineral reactions have taken place in the carbonaterocks during metamorphism. The calcite-dolomite reaction, whichgoverns the Mg content of calcite, indicates a metamorphic temperatureof about 650 °C. Forsterite was possibly produced from low-Alamphibole, and forsterite + spinel from high-Al amphibole. Thecrystallization of some silicate minerals in the minor marbleunits, and the enrichment in the contained calcite in Fe andSr are attributed to metasomatic reactions. Metamorphic ion-exchangereactions involving carbonates produced the following distributioncoefficients: Sr in calcite/Sr in dolomite = 2.5 Mn in calcite/Mn in dolomite = 0.89 Fe in calcite/Fe in dolomite = 0.29 from which inferences may be drawn concerning the distributionof these elements between the Ca and Mg sites within dolomiteduring metamorphic crystallization. Ion-exchange reactions involvingsilicates produced the following distribution of Mn: humite group Ca pyroxene.Ca amphibole phlogopite where the numbers are distribution coefficients. An equilibriumdistribution of Fe between silicates and calcite in the minormarble was evidently not attained during metasomatic crystallization.Numerous retrograde reactions have taken place, including thealteration of pyroxene to amphibole, forsterite to serpentine,and the exsolution of dolomite from calcite. Forsterite in marble, and orthopyroxene in the associated gneissesand amphibolites crystallized sporadically in the Laurentianhighlands, but not in the lowlands of the Ottawa rift valley,where peak metamorphic temperatures may have been slightly lower.In the highlands, reactions to produce forsterite and orthopyroxenewere initiated in response to a local increase in temperature,local peculiarities in the chemical composition of amphibole,which produced these minerals, or a local decrease in the activityof CO₂ and H₂O in the grain-boundary phase.     

Influence of bed clusters and size gradation on operational time distribution for non‐uniform bed‐load transport

The operational time distribution (OTD) defines the time for bed‐load sediment spent in motion, which is needed to characterize the random nature of sediment transport. This study explores the influence of bed clusters and size gradation on OTD for non‐uniform bed‐loads. First, both static and mobile bed armouring experiments were conducted in laboratorial flumes to monitor the transport of mixed sand/gravel sediments. Only in the mobile armouring experiment did apparent bed clusters develop, because of stable feeding and a longer transport period. Second, a generalized subordinated advection (GSA) model was applied to quantify the observed dynamics of tracer particles. Results show that for the static armour layer (without sediment feed), the best‐fit OTD assigns more weight to the large displacement of small particles, likely because of the size‐selective entrainment process. The capacity coefficient in the GSA model, which affects the width of the OTD, is space dependent only for small particles whose dynamics can be significantly affected by larger particles and whose distribution is more likely to be space dependent in a mixed sand and gravel system. However, the OTD for the mobile armour layer (with sediment recirculation) exhibited longer tails for larger particles. This is because the trailing edge of larger particles is more resistant to erosion, and their leading front may not be easily trapped by self‐organized bed clusters. The strong interaction between particle–bed may cause the capacity coefficient to be space‐dependent for bed‐load transport along mobile armour layers. Therefore, the combined laboratory experiments and stochastic model analysis show that the OTD may be affected more by particle–bed interactions (such as clusters) than by particle–particle interactions (e.g. hiding and exposing), and that the GSA model can quantify mixed‐size sand/gravel transport along river beds within either static or mobile armour layers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.