Presolar grains in the CM2 chondrite Sutter's Mill

The Sutter's Mill (SM) carbonaceous chondrite is a regolith breccia, composed predominantly of CM2 clasts with varying degrees of aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism. An investigation of presolar grains in four Sutter's Mill sections, SM43, SM51, SM2‐4, and SM18, was carried out using NanoSIMS ion mapping technique. A total of 37 C‐anomalous grains and one O‐anomalous grain have been identified, indicating an abundance of 63 ppm for presolar C‐anomalous grains and 2 ppm for presolar oxides. Thirty‐one silicon carbide (SiC), five carbonaceous grains, and one Al‐oxide (Al₂O₃) were confirmed based on their elemental compositions determined by C‐N‐Si and O‐Si‐Mg‐Al isotopic measurements. The overall abundance of SiC grains in Sutter's Mill (55 ppm) is consistent with those in other CM chondrites. The absence of presolar silicates in Sutter's Mill suggests that they were destroyed by aqueous alteration on the parent asteroid. Furthermore, SM2‐4 shows heterogeneous distributions of presolar SiC grains (12–54 ppm) in different matrix areas, indicating that the fine‐grained matrix clasts come from different sources, with various thermal histories, in the solar nebula.     

Mid‐infrared study of stones from the Sutter's Mill meteorite

The Sutter's Mill meteorite fell in northern California on April 22, 2012. Several fragments of the meteorite were recovered, some of them shortly after the fall, others several days later after a heavy rainstorm. In this work, we analyzed several samples of four fragments―SM2, SM12, SM20, and SM30―from the Sutter's Mill meteorite with two infrared (IR) microscopes operating in the 4000–650 cm^?1 (2.5–15.4 μm) range. Spectra show absorption features associated with minerals such as olivines, phyllosilicates, carbonates, and possibly pyroxenes, as well as organics. Spectra of specific minerals vary from one particle to another within a given stone, and even within a single particle, indicating a nonuniform mineral composition. Infrared features associated with aliphatic CH₂ and CH₃ groups associated with organics are also seen in several spectra. However, the presence of organics in the samples studied is not clear because these features overlap with carbonate overtone bands. Finally, other samples collected within days after the rainstorm show evidence for bacterial terrestrial contamination, which indicates how quickly meteorites can be contaminated on such small scales.     

The Sutter's Mill meteorite: Thermoluminescence data on thermal and metamorphic history

A piece of the Sutter's Mill meteorite, fragment SM2‐1d, has been examined using thermoluminescence techniques to better understand its thermal and metamorphic history. The sample had very weak but easily measureable natural and induced thermoluminescence (TL) signals; the signal‐to‐noise ratio was better than 10. The natural TL was restricted to the high‐temperature regions of the glow curve suggesting that the meteorite had been heated to approximately 300 °C within the time it takes for the TL signal to recover from a heating event, probably within the last 10⁵ years. It is possible that this reflects heating during release from the parent body, close passage by the Sun, or heating during atmospheric passage. Of these three options, the least likely is the first, but the other possibilities are equally likely. It seems that temperatures of approximately 300 °C reached 5 or 6 mm into the meteorite, so that all but one of the small Sutter's Mill stones have been heated. The Dhajala normalized induced TL signal for SM2‐1d is comparable to that of type 3.0 chondrites and is unlike normal CM chondrites, the class it most closely resembles, which do not have detectable TL sensitivity. The shape of the induced TL curve is comparable to other low‐type ordinary, CV, and CO chondrites, in that it has a broad hummocky structure, but does not resemble any of them in detail. This suggests that Sutter's Mill is a unique, low‐petrographic–type (3.0) chondrite.     

Mineralogy and petrography of C asteroid regolith: The Sutter's Mill CM meteorite

Based upon our characterization of three separate stones by electron and X‐ray beam analyses, computed X‐ray microtomography, Raman microspectrometry, and visible‐IR spectrometry, Sutter's Mill is a unique regolith breccia consisting mainly of various CM lithologies. Most samples resemble existing available CM2 chondrites, consisting of chondrules and calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusion (CAI) set within phyllosilicate‐dominated matrix (mainly serpentine), pyrrhotite, pentlandite, tochilinite, and variable amounts of Ca‐Mg‐Fe carbonates. Some lithologies have witnessed sufficient thermal metamorphism to transform phyllosilicates into fine‐grained olivine, tochilinite into troilite, and destroy carbonates. One finely comminuted lithology contains xenolithic materials (enstatite, Fe‐Cr phosphides) suggesting impact of a reduced asteroid (E or M class) onto the main Sutter's Mill parent asteroid, which was probably a C class asteroid. One can use Sutter's Mill to help predict what will be found on the surfaces of C class asteroids such as Ceres and the target asteroids of the OSIRIS‐REx and Hayabusa 2 sample return missions (which will visit predominantly primitive asteroids). C class asteroid regolith may well contain a mixture of hydrated and thermally dehydrated indigenous materials as well as a significant admixture of exogenous material would be essential to the successful interpretation of mineralogical and bulk compositional data.     

Rapid effects of terrestrial alteration on highly siderophile elements in the Sutter's Mill meteorite

The ¹⁸⁷Re-¹⁸⁷Os isotopic systematics of many bulk chondrites plot well beyond analytical uncertainties of a primordial isochron. Limited variations in ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os, coupled with large variations in Re/Os ratios among chondrites, suggest that this apparently open-system behavior is a result of the comparatively recent gain or loss of Re and/or Os. In order to assess whether or not rapid alteration in the terrestrial environment could be responsible for open-system behavior in chondrites, four pieces of the Sutter's Mill meteorite were examined for Os isotopic systematics and abundances of highly siderophile elements. Pieces SM1 and SM2 were collected prior to a rain event, within 2 days of the fall. Pieces SM51 and SM53 were collected after a rain event. There are significant but minor relative and absolute variations in the abundances of the highly siderophile elements, as well as ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os among the four pieces. Rhenium-Os isotopic data for SM1 and SM2 plot within analytical uncertainties of a primordial isochron, while powders made from SM51 and SM53 do not. These results suggest that interactions with rain caused some redistribution of Re, and to a lesser extent Os, within small pieces of the meteorite. Thus, Re-Os isotopic systematics of <dm-size pieces of chondrites must be considered susceptible to modification after only a short time on the surface, where exposed to rain.     

Diamond xenolith and matrix organic matter in the Sutter's Mill meteorite measured by C‐XANES

The Sutter's Mill (SM) meteorite fell in El Dorado County, California, on April 22, 2012. This meteorite is a regolith breccia composed of CM chondrite material and at least one xenolithic phase: oldhamite. The meteorite studied here, SM2 (subsample 5), was one of three meteorites collected before it rained extensively on the debris site, thus preserving the original asteroid regolith mineralogy. Two relatively large (10 μm sized) possible diamond grains were observed in SM2‐5 surrounded by fine‐grained matrix. In the present work, we analyzed a focused ion beam (FIB) milled thin section that transected a region containing these two potential diamond grains as well as the surrounding fine‐grained matrix employing carbon and nitrogen X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (C‐XANES and N‐XANES) spectroscopy using a scanning transmission X‐ray microscope (STXM) (Beamline 5.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory). The STXM analysis revealed that the matrix of SM2‐5 contains C‐rich grains, possibly organic nanoglobules. A single carbonate grain was also detected. The C‐XANES spectrum of the matrix is similar to that of insoluble organic matter (IOM) found in other CM chondrites. However, no significant nitrogen‐bearing functional groups were observed with N‐XANES. One of the possible diamond grains contains a Ca‐bearing inclusion that is not carbonate. C‐XANES features of the diamond‐edges suggest that the diamond might have formed by the CVD process, or in a high‐temperature and ‐pressure environment in the interior of a much larger parent body.     

Detection and rapid recovery of the Sutter's Mill meteorite fall as a model for future recoveries worldwide

The Sutter's Mill C‐type meteorite fall occurred on 22 April 2012 in and around the town of Coloma, California. The exact location of the meteorite fall was determined within hours of the event using a combination of eyewitness reports, weather radar imagery, and seismometry data. Recovery of the first meteorites occurred within 2 days and continued for months afterward. The recovery effort included local citizens, scientists, and meteorite hunters, and featured coordination efforts by local scientific institutions. Scientific analysis of the collected meteorites revealed characteristics that were available for study only because the rapid collection of samples had minimized terrestrial contamination/alteration. This combination of factors—rapid and accurate location of the event, participation in the meteorite search by the public, and coordinated scientific investigation of recovered samples—is a model that was widely beneficial and should be emulated in future meteorite falls. The tools necessary to recreate the Sutter's Mill recovery are available, but are currently underutilized in much of the world. Weather radar networks, scientific institutions with interest in meteoritics, and the interested public are available globally. Therefore, it is possible to repeat the Sutter's Mill recovery model for future meteorite falls around the world, each for relatively little cost with a dedicated researcher. Doing so will significantly increase the number of fresh meteorite falls available for study, provide meteorite material that can serve as the nuclei of new meteorite collections, and will improve the public visibility of meteoritics research.     

Infrared spectroscopy of interstellar nanodiamonds from the Orgueil meteorite

Abstract— We present results from an ongoing study of the infrared (IR) and optical properties of nanodiamonds, an objective of which is to identify spectral features in the laboratory that could also be used telescopically to trace the presence of these particles in the interstellar medium (ISM). Fourier transform mid-and far-infrared spectra of nanodiamond residue extracted from the Orgueil (CI) chondrite were acquired. All of the mid-IR bands initially present were found to diminish, with the exception of a band at ～1100 cm^?1, following additional oxidation of the diamonds. The ～1100 cm^?1 band can be predominantly attributed to adsorbed species, especially an ether-type linkage, while the “oxidisable” features seem to be associated with less stable, surface-bonded species and residual carbonaceous material. We obtained three far-IR features but are uncertain about the origin of those at 475 and 188 cm^?1. We did not obtain a feature at ～120 cm^?1 reported by another group but do not discount the possibility that the band at 188 cm^?1 could be related to it. The weak absorption band at 475 cm^?1 (21 μm) is especially interesting because it may be strong in emission from hot nanodiamonds and, therefore, related to the unidentified infrared feature (UIF) observed at this wavelength in the spectra of some C-rich protoplanetary nebulae.     

Exposure history of the Sutter's Mill carbonaceous chondrite

The Sutter's Mill (SM) carbonaceous chondrite fell in California on April 22, 2012. The cosmogenic radionuclide data indicate that Sutter's Mill was exposed to cosmic rays for 0.082 ± 0.008 Myr, which is one of the shortest ages for C chondrites, but overlaps with a small cluster at approximately 0.1 Myr. The age is significantly longer than proposed ages that were obtained from cosmogenic noble gas concentrations, which have large uncertainties due to trapped noble gas corrections. The presence of neutron‐capture ⁶⁰Co and ³⁶Cl in SM indicates a minimum preatmospheric radius of approximately 50 cm, and is consistent with a radius of 1–2 m, as derived from the fireball observations. Although a large preatmospheric size was proposed, one fragment (SM18) contains solar cosmic ray–produced short‐lived radionuclides, such as ⁵⁶Co and ⁵¹Cr. This implies that this specimen was less than 2 cm from the preatmospheric surface of Sutter's Mill. Although this conclusion seems surprising, it is consistent with the observation that the meteoroid fragmented high in the atmosphere. The presence of SCR‐produced nuclides is consistent with the high SCR fluxes observed during the last few months before the meteorite's fall, when its orbit was less than 1 AU from the Sun.     

Infrared imaging and spectroscopy with arrays at the University of Montreal

The Montreal Infrared Camera (MONICA) consists of a LN₂ cryostat enclosing a NICMOS3 array, re-imaging optics and a filter wheel mechanism containing broad-band and circular variable filters. A polarimetry mode with a warm half wave plate and a cold polarizer/filter combination is also supported. At the CFHT 0.5 (FWHM) images are routinely obtained with limiting magnitudes of 22.8 at J and 21.7 at K (S/N=3 in 1hr).The Spectrometre Infrarouge de Montréal (SIMON) is a versatile grating spectrometer with spectral resolutions ranging from 300 to 5000. Presently under construction, this spectrometer will initially contain a 512×512 HgCdTe array. Use of reflective optics will allow a future upgrade to a similar format InSb array, extending the wavelength coverage to 5m. SIMON will also have an imaging mode to facilitate the centering of objects within interchangeable slits.     

The amino acid composition of the Sutter's Mill CM2 carbonaceous chondrite

We determined the abundances and enantiomeric compositions of amino acids in Sutter's Mill fragment #2 (designated SM2) recovered prior to heavy rains that fell April 25–26, 2012, and two other meteorite fragments, SM12 and SM51, that were recovered postrain. We also determined the abundance, enantiomeric, and isotopic compositions of amino acids in soil from the recovery site of fragment SM51. The three meteorite stones experienced terrestrial amino acid contamination, as evidenced by the low d/l ratios of several proteinogenic amino acids. The d/l ratios were higher in SM2 than in SM12 and SM51, consistent with rain introducing additional l‐ amino acid contaminants to SM12 and SM51. Higher percentages of glycine, β‐alanine, and γ‐amino‐n‐butyric acid were observed in free form in SM2 and SM51 compared with the soil, suggesting that these free amino acids may be indigenous. Trace levels of d +l‐ β‐aminoisobutyric acid (β‐AIB) observed in all three meteorites are not easily explained as terrestrial contamination, as β‐AIB is rare on Earth and was not detected in the soil. Bulk carbon and nitrogen and isotopic ratios of the SM samples and the soil also indicate terrestrial contamination, as does compound‐specific isotopic analysis of the amino acids in the soil. The amino acid abundances in SM2, the most pristine SM meteorite analyzed here, are approximately 20‐fold lower than in the Murchison CM2 carbonaceous chondrite. This may be due to thermal metamorphism in the Sutter's Mill parent body at temperatures greater than observed for other aqueously altered CM2 meteorites.     

Infrared spectra of polyoxymethylene grains

The optical constantsn andk for polyoxymethylene (POM) have been calculated in the spectral range between 7 and 13 , using transmission measurements and the Kramers-Kronig dispersion relations. These constants may be of use in making detailed comparisons of observational data such as the interstellar 10 band.     

High‐mass resolution molecular imaging of organic compounds on the surface of Murchison meteorite

High‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) imaging by desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) coupled with Orbitrap MS using methanol (MeOH) spray was performed on a fragment of the Murchison (CM2) meteorite in this study. Homologues of C_nH_2n–1N₂⁺ (n = 7–9) and C_nH_2nNO⁺ (n = 9–14) were detected on the sample surface by the imaging. A high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/HRMS analysis of MeOH extracts from the sample surface after DESI/HRMS imaging indicated that the C_nH_2n–1N₂⁺ homologues corresponds to alkylimidazole, and that a few isomers of the C_nH_2nNO⁺ homologues present in the sample. The alkylimidazoles and C_nH_2nNO⁺ homologues displayed different spatial distributions on the surface of the Murchison fragment, indicating chromatographic separation effects during aqueous alteration. Moreover, the distribution pattern of compounds is also different among homologues. This is probably also resulting from the separation of isomers by similar chromatographic effects, or different synthetic pathways. Alkylimidazoles and the C_nH_2nNO⁺ homologues are mainly distributed in the matrix region of the Murchison by mineralogical observations, which is consistent with previous reports. Altered minerals (e.g., Fe‐oxide, Fe‐sulfide, and carbonates) occurred in this region. However, no clear relationship was found between these minerals and the organic compounds detected by DESI/HRMS imaging. Although this result might be due to scale differences between the spatial resolution of DESI/HRMS imaging and the grain size in the matrix of the Murchison, our results would indicate that alkylimidazoles and the C_nH_2nNO⁺ homologues in the Murchison fragment were mainly synthesized by different processes from hydrothermal alteration on the parent body.     

High resolution spectroscopy with CSHELL

CSHELL, the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility Cryogenic Echelle Spectrograph was designed to fill a need for high sensitivity, high resolution, long slit near-infrared spectroscopy. Scientific programs in the areas of comets, planetary atmospheres, young stellar objects, the interstellar medium, and galactic dynamics have been pursued with CSHELL and are described herein. The future of the instrument is also discussed.     

Sutter's Mill dicarboxylic acids as possible tracers of parent‐body alteration processes

Dicarboxylic acids were searched for in three Sutter's Mill (SM) fragments (SM2 collected prerain, SM12, and SM41) and found to occur almost exclusively as linear species of 3‐ to 14‐carbon long. Between these, concentrations were low, with measured quantities typically less than 10 nmole g^?1 of meteorite and a maximum of 6.8 nmole g^?1 of meteorite for suberic acid in SM12. The SM acids' molecular distribution is consistent with a nonbiological origin and differs from those of CMs, such as Murchison or Murray, and of some stones of the C2‐ungrouped Tagish Lake meteorite, where they are abundant and varied. Powder X‐ray diffraction of SM12 and SM41 show them to be dominated by clays/amorphous material, with lesser amounts of Fe‐sulfides, magnetite, and calcite. Thermal gravimetric (TG) analysis shows mass losses up to 1000 °C of 11.4% (SM12) and 9.4% (SM41). These losses are low compared with other clay‐rich carbonaceous chondrites, such as Murchison (14.5%) and Orgueil (21.1%). The TG data are indicative of partially dehydrated clays, in accordance with published work on SM2, for which mineralogical studies suggest asteroidal heating to around 500 °C. In view of these compositional traits and mineralogical features, it is suggested that the dicarboxylic acids observed in the SM fragments we analyzed likely represent a combination of molecular species original to the meteorite as well as secondary products formed during parent‐body alteration processes, such as asteroidal heating.     

Infrared spectra of small interstellar grains

It is shown that surface stresses in small particles will lead to a broadening and weakening of strong resonances in the infrared spectrum of interstellar dust.     

Sub-arcsecond 10 micron imaging of newly-formed stars

We describe initial results of a program to image massive newly-formed stars with sub-arc second spatial resolution. We discuss high-precision diffraction-limited size measurements at =10 m made using the 3 m Lick telescope. The point-spread function has FWHM 0.7; deconvolution yields a spatial resolution of 0.35. We find that the core component of one such object, LkH 101, is unresolved at these scales, and we are able to set a 95%-confidence upper limit of 270 AU for the diameter of the circumstellar dust shell. This places the dust at the same radial scale as a strong ionized stellar wind region seen at radio wavelengths. Our observations, when combined with published spectral observations, rule out an optically thick circumstellar disk but allow a radially thin, anisotropic distribution of dust, or alternatively an isotropic distribution of dust with a narrow range of large grain sizes.     

Fe57 Mossbauer spectroscopy of the Leoville meteorite

The Mossbauer spectra has been measured for the Leoville meteorite. Experimental results identify it as a type III carbonaceous meteorite. The spectrum shows the principle iron components to be olivine, magnetite, metallic iron, troilite and phyllosilicate material.     

High resolution near-IR imaging with arrays

The availability of large format, low noise detector arrays has opened the 1 to 20 m region for sub-arcsecond imaging. Using recent results in the investigation of Galactic star forming regions, the Galactic center and external galaxies as examples, we discuss the various techniques that have been employed. These range from image selection and image sharpening, over speckle techniques and adaptive optics to lunar occultation. These examples demonstrate that sub-arcsecond imaging and spatial interferometry in the near- and mid-infrared has a great future potential.     

Comprehensive imaging and Raman spectroscopy of carbonate globules from Martian meteorite ALH 84001 and a terrestrial analogue from Svalbard

Abstract— We report a comprehensive imaging study including confocal microRaman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and 3‐D extended focal imaging light microscopy of carbonate globules throughout a depth profile of the Martian meteorite Allan Hills (ALH) 84001 and similar objects in mantle peridotite xenoliths from the Bockfjorden volcanic complex (BVC), Svalbard. Carbonate and iron oxide zoning in ALH 84001 is similar to that seen in BVC globules. Hematite appears to be present in all ALH 84001 carbonate‐bearing assemblages except within a magnesite outer rim found in some globules. Macromolecular carbon (MMC) was found in intimate association with magnetite in both ALH 84001 and BVC carbonates. The MMC synthesis mechanism appears similar to established reactions within the Fe‐C‐O system. By inference to a terrestrial analogue of mantle origin (BVC), these results appear to represent the first measurements of the products of an abiotic MMC synthesis mechanism in Martian samples. Furthermore, the ubiquitous but heterogeneous distribution of hematite throughout carbonate globules in ALH 84001 may be partly responsible for some of the wide range in measured oxygen isotopes reported in previous studies. Using BVC carbonates as a suitable analogue, we postulate that a low temperature hydrothermal model of ALH 84001 globule formation is most likely, although alteration (decarbonation) of a subset of globules possibly occurred during a later impact event.