SOLAR GASES IN METEORITES: THE ORIGIN OF CHONDRITES AND C1 CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES

Because of their short cosmic ray exposure ages, chondritic meteorites are more likely to have been broken off from parent bodies in Earth-crossing orbits than from parent bodies in the asteroid belt. The radii of the objects now in the vicinity of the Earth (Apollo and Amor objects) are too small to be unfragmented asteroids of the theory for the origin of gas-rich meteorites of Anders. Because of the abundant evidence for very heavy shock and reheating among L- and H-chondrites, I conclude that the asteroidal origin for the ordinary chondrites is still the most likely. A cometary origin for the CI chondrites is examined. Regolith and megaregolith do not necessarily have to be formed by impacts on the cometary nucleus. The short-period comet Encke receives about 1/10 the solar-wind flux of a belt asteroid at 2.5 AU in its present orbit. The thickness of the megaregolith (C1 chondrites) is estimated between 0.1 and 0.3 km. Stirring of the megaregolith without substantial loss of dust from the comet might occur when the comet is transitional between “active” and “dead.” The consolidation of C1- “dust” into rock is somewhat problematic, but if liquid water and water vapor have played a role, then a crust rich in solar gases might form in the outer regions of a comet. A testable alternative explanation is suggested, namely that the solar gases in the C1 chondrites do not come from the Sun.     

SATURATION MAGNETIZATION MEASUREMENTS OF CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES

The saturation magnetization of some carbonaceous chondrites was studied using a Faraday balance. The Faraday balance was shown to be an accurate (± 3%), reliable technique for measuring saturation magnetization by comparison with vibrating-sample magnetometer measurements on the same samples. Hyman and Rowe (1983) previously used these saturation magnetization measurements to measure the magnetite content of the five CI chondrites. Here, we present measurements on the magnetite contents of some CM2, CV3 and a CV5 chondrites. The method was also used to measure the content of metallic nickel-iron in Ornans, 3.4 ± 0.3%. Of the CM2 chondrites examined, only Bells, Essebi and Haripura had magnetite contents over about 1% by weight. A number of CV chondrites have magnetite between 2.3 and 13%, with little or no metallic iron. Leoville and Vigarano contain both magnetite and metallic iron, complicating the saturation magnetization results. Arch and Allende have very little metallic iron or magnetite, probably < 1% of either. This technique measures only ferrimagnetic magnetite; superparamagnetic magnetite with particle size < 300Å is ignored.     

VEIN FORMATION IN THE C1 CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES

Veins in the C1 chondrites Orgueil, Alais, and Ivuna have been deposited during an extended period of impact brecciation and leaching. At least three generations of mineralization, dominated successively by carbonates, calcium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate, can be recognized. Vein minerals are derived locally by closed-system reactions between matrix phyllosilicates and an aqueous fluid, with the result that few, if any, primitive mineral phases still exist in the C1s     

ADELAIDE AND BENCH CRATER — MEMBERS OF A NEW SUBGROUP OF THE CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES

The composition and mineralogy of Bench Crater and a new carbonaceous chondrite (Adelaide) are compared. They, Kakangari and possibly certain carbonaceous xenoliths from other meteorites constitute a distinct chemical subgroup of the carbonaceous chondrites characterized primarily by a calcium-to-aluminium ratio (atomic) of about 0.5. It is proposed to call this group the Kakangari (CK) group     

TIBOOBURRA,A NEW AUSTRALIAN METEORITE FIND,AND OTHER CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES OF HIGH PETROLOGIC GRADE

Tibooburra, a new meteorite find from western New South Wales, belongs to the Vigarano subgroup of the carbonaceous chondrites and, on the basis of its opaque mineralogy, appears to be oxidised. Petrological evidence suggests that, like the Allende meteorite, Tibooburra is a CV3 chondrite which has experienced greater metamorphic effects than other CV3 meteorites. Tibooburra has a bulk composition intermediate between the CO and less altered CV chondrites. This transitional nature is exhibited by several elements and is convincingly displayed by the multivariate techniques of cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Tibooburra thus resembles several other CV chondrites, such as Coolidge and Karoonda, which have been strongly metamorphosed. This group of meteorites is believed to have accreted early in the history of the Vigarano parent body and, as a result, contain greater quantities of high temperature Ca-Al-rich inclusions but less low temperature matrix and volatile phases than other CV chondrites. Furthermore, in these meteorites both the matrix and magnesium silicate phases appear to be more iron rich than those in later accreted meteorites. Subsequently, these deeper seated meteorites have undergone more pronounced thermal metamorphism than those located in shallower portions of the parent body.     

SIZE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS OF FLUID DROP CHONDRULES IN ORDINARY CHONDRITES

The size frequency distributions of fluid drop chondrules in 11 ordinary chondrites (five H3, one H4, four L3, one LL3) have been determined by optical measurements in petrographic thin sections. The extreme range of median size of the fluid drop chondrules in individual meteorites is only slightly greater than lφ unit, and the grain size frequency distributions are approximately log normal. Chondrule size frequency distributions generally are fine skewed, platykurtic, and indicate moderate sorting. The size frequency distributions of fluid drop chondrules in ordinary chondrites are distinctly coarser than similar chondrules measured previously in CM2 and C03 carbonaceous chondrites.     

NOBLE GASES IN THE BELLS (C2) AND SHARPS (H3) CHONDRITES

Bells and Sharps have some mineralogical and chemical peculiarities that make their classification uncertain. For Bells, the⁴⁰ Ar content at 890 × 10^?8 cm³ STP/g is greater than the highest C1 chondrite value (Ivuna; 640), but close to the mean value for C2's (880). The²¹ Ne-exposure age of 0.38 ± 0.07 Ma is very short, and coincides with the distinctive cluster of five C2's (0.17 to 0.76 Ma). Very likely Bells belongs to the same cluster, in which case it comes from the C2 parent body. Hence the C2 parent body seems to contain transitional C1-C2 material, like Bells, within a few km of the region of C2 chondrites proper. Thus the radiogenic and especially the cosmogenic gases link Bells to the C2 group. For Sharps, the elemental concentrations of primordial Ar, Kr and Xe (127, 0.76 and 0.59, all 10^?8 cc/g) are ～ 3 x higher than for any other H3 chondrite. While Sharps is classified as 3.4 based on five indicators of metamorphism, the very high concentration of remaining two parameters of the Sears et al. (1980) scheme — C and primordial³⁶ Ar — (together with the high concentration of the volatile trace elements Bi, In and Tl) implies a classification of 3.0 for its volatile element content. The²¹ Ne-exposure age is 25.5 ± 2.5 Ma, placing Sharps in the second largest peak of the H-chondrite distribution. The nominal K-Ar and U, Th-He ages are 4.6 ± 0.2 and 4.2 ± 1.5 Ga, suggesting that Sharps has remained at low temperatures since its beginnings.     

CHEMICAL VARIATIONS AMONG L-GROUP CHONDRITES,II. CHEMICAL DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN L3 AND LL3 CHONDRITES

New chemical analyses of the Krymka and Manych chondrites and a review of data for other low-iron type 3 chondrites show that the ratio of metallic to total iron varies widely in LL3 chondrites and is an imperfect basis for distinguishing between these meteorites and L3 chondrites. More reliable chemical criteria — total Fe/Mg and Ni/Mg ratios, and Fe-S relationships — indicate that Krymka, Manych, Carraweena and Bishunpur are LL3 chondrites rather than samples of an iron-poor subgroup of the L-group.     

SIZE-DISTRIBUTIONS OF CHONDRULE TYPES IN THE INMAN AND ALLAN HILLS A77011 L3 CHONDRITES

A petrographc study of 9 thin sections of Inman (L3) and 18 thin sections of ALHA77011 (L3) served to determine the size-distributions of different chondrule textural types. Inman chondrules are significantly larger than those in ALHA77011, but in each chondrite, there is no statistically significant difference between the size-distributions of barred olivine and radial pyroxene plus cryptocrystalline chondrules. In ALHA77011, barred olivine chondrules outnumber radial pyroxene plus cryptocrystalline chondrules, whereas in Inman, the reverse is true. Because compound and cratered chondrules were formed by the collision of similarly-sized objects, the dustball precursors of chondrules must have been size-sorted prior to chondrule formation. The region of dustball size-sorting in the solar nebula must have been very large, similarly affecting the physically-separated precursors of different chondrule types. Size-sorting was probably accomplished by aerodynamic particle-gas interactions. Zones of dustball melting (i.e., chondrule formation) were relatively small, generally affecting only dustballs of one compositional type and relatively uniform size. Different chondrule types were then mixed together in somewhat variable ratios. Within the region where chondrites of a particular compositional group agglomerated, there were sub-reservoirs that contained (roughly) uniformly large or uniformly small chondrules with different mixtures of textural types.     

PHOSPHATE-SULFIDE ASSEMBLAGES AND Al/Ca RATIOS IN TYPE-3 CHONDRITES

Phosphate-sulfide assemblages are common constituents in type-3 carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites. CV3 chondrites contain assemblages of pentlandite-merrillite and troilite-merrillite as well as isolated grains of Ca-pyroxene; CO3 chondrites contain troilite-merrillite (± schreibersite) as well as isolated grains of plagioclase; and, H-L-LL3 chondrites contain troilite-merrillite (± metal), troilite-chlorapatite, and metal-chlorapatite. The phosphate-bearing assemblages probably formed in the following manner: (1) metal grains with significant P formed in the nebula at high temperatures; (2) Schreibersite exsolved and crystallized at metal grain boundaries during cooling; (3) some metal grains were sulfurized at lower temperatures by H₂S; (4) the metal-schreibersite and sulfide-schreibersite assemblages accreted rims of finegrained silicates; and, (5) the Schreibersite reacted with Ca, O and Cl from these silicates to form merrillite and chlorapatite. The reported bulk compositions of chondritic constituents have ***CI-normalized Al/Ca ratios >1, whereas whole-rock ratios are unfractionated. Even though the phosphate-bearing assemblages and isolated grains of Ca-bearing silicates are ubiquitous in type-3 chondrites, they are insufficiently abundant to lower the Al/Ca ratios of the major chondritic components to those of the whole-rocks. It seems probable that some of the analytical data are incorrect; bulk compositions determined by microprobe may yield erroneously high Al/Ca ratios if samples are analyzed with a broader electron beam than used for analyzing the standards. We recommend analyzing standards and samples with the same size beam.     

DISTRIBUTION OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS AND URANIUM IN VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF ORDINARY CHONDRITES

Rare earth elements (REE) and uranium were studied for their distributions in various component phases of four ordinary chondrites, Kesen (H4), Richardton (H5), Bruderheim (L6), and Saint Séverin (LL6). A selective dissolution method was applied for the phase fractionation. The REE were analysed by neutron activation analysis, and U was determined by neutron-induced fission tracks. The present study revealed that both REE and U are highly enriched in the Ca-phosphate minerals with different enrichment factors, implying chemical fractionation between them. The phosphates seem to be responsible for more than 80% of the light REE in all chondrites. On the other hand, only 20–40% of the total U resides in the Ca-phosphates. This difference in enrichments might have been caused through the levels of metamorphic activity on the meteoritic parent bodies.     

PETROGRAPHY AND CHEMISTRY OF THE FAUCETT METEORITE,BUCHANAN COUNTY,MISSOURI

Nine, possibly ten, stones from northwestern Missouri are known as the Faucett meteorite. These stones are finds, but may be fragments of a large fireball seen in the area in 1907. The meteorite is an olivine-bronzite chondrite (H4) containing approximately 31% chondrules and 69% matrix. Modal analysis gives: olivine 43%, orthopyroxene 28.3%, oligoclase 5.9%, glass 1.2%, metallic grains (both nickel-iron and troilite) 19.7%, other minerals and unidentified grains 2.0%. The chemical analysis is typical of modern analyses of H-group chondrites with a total iron value of 26.59 weight percent.     

87Rb-87Sr DATING OF L CHONDRITES: EFFECTS OF SHOCK AND BRECCIATION

We have analysed whole rock L chondrites and separate minerals from the L3 chondrite Mezö Madaras for ⁸⁷Rb-⁸⁷Sr dating. Contrary to other groups of chondrites, whole rocks do not define a straight line in the (⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) diagram. Whereas unshocked meteorites of old K-Ar age plot on the isochron defined by the other chondrites, shocked objects, with younger K-Ar ages, plot above it. Exceptions to this correlation are Bjürbole for the first type and Homestead and Peace River for the second type. Our preferred interpretation is that this displacement in the (⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) diagram corresponds to Rb volatilization induced by reheating. Hand-picked and heavy liquid separates from Mezö Madaras scatter in the same diagram. In addition to possible Rb loss from feldspar, evidences are found for migration of Rb and Sr between olivine and feldspar, glass or clinopyroxene. We interpret this as the consequence of a short though important heating at the time of brecciation.     

HIGH POSSIL AND STRATHMORE—A STUDY OF TWO L6 CHONDRITES

High Possil and Strathmore are the first (1804) and last (1917) meteorite falls, respectively, of the three recorded in Scotland. Olivine compositions and total Fe contents in High Possil (Fa_25.2; 21.35 wt %) and Strathmore (Fa_25.3; 20.6 wt %) confirm their classification as L-group chondrites (Mason, 1963), and the presence of abundant plagioclase feldspar shows that both chondrites belong to petrologic type 6. Both chondrites display thermal and mechanical alteration attributable to moderate shock-loading appropriate to facies c (High Possil) and c-d (Strathmore) (Dodd and Jarosewich, 1979). Incipient shock-melting of metal and troilite in both chondrites is the first described from Lc chondrites, and differences in the responses of metallic and silicate minerals to shock-loading are discussed.     

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MAJOR ELEMENTS AND HEAVY TRACE METALS IN CHONDRITES PARAMBÙ AND MARILIA

The chemical composition of the newly observed fallen chondrites Parambù, 1967, and Marilia, 1971, was determined. Wet chemical methods were used for major elements analyses and the abundances of heavy trace elements from tungsten to uranium were determined by spark source mass spectrometry. The chemical composition confirmed the classification of Marilia as an H-group chondrite by Avanzo et al. (1973): Parambù was classified as an LL-group chondrite.     

几个BL Lac天体的质量及辐射区域的确定

根据吸积盘的理论,本文对几个已观测到大振幅、短时标光变的BL Lac天体的质量及辐射区域进行了估计。结果表明,观测与吸积盘理论是吻合的。     

CHEMICAL VARIATIONS AMONG L-CHONDRITES—IV. ANALYSES,WITH PETROGRAPHIC NOTES,OF 13 L-GROUP AND 3 LL-GROUP CHONDRITES

We review our procedures for selecting, preparing and analyzing meteorite samples, present new analyses of 16 ordinary chondrites, and discuss variations of Fe, S and Si in the L-group. A tendency for Fe/Mg, S/Mg and Si/Mg to be low in L chondrites of fades d to f testifies that post-metamorphic shock melting played a significant role in the chemical diversification of the L-group. However, these ratios also vary widely and sympathetically in melt-free chondrites, indicating that much of the L-group's chemical variation arose prior to thermal metamorphism and is in that sense primary. If all L-chondrites come from one parent body, type-correlated chemical trends suggest: 1) that the body had a traditional “onion skin” structure, with metamorphic intensity increasing with depth; and 2) that it formed from material that became more homogeneous, slightly poorer in iron, and significantly richer in sulfur as accretion proceeded.     

RELATIVE ABUNDANCES OF CHONDRULE PRIMARY TEXTURAL TYPES IN ORDINARY CHONDRITES AND THEIR BEARING ON CONDITIONS OF CHONDRULE FORMATION

A petrographic survey of > 1600 chondrules in thin-sections of 12 different mildly to highly unequilibrated H-, L-, and LL-chondrites, as well as morphological and textural study of 141 whole chondrules separated from 11 of the same chondrites, was used to determine the relative abundances of definable chondrule primary textural types. Percentage abundances of various chondrule types are remarkably similar in all chondrites studied and are ～ 47–52 porphyritic olivine-pyroxene (POP), 15–27 porphyritic olivine (PO), 9–11 porphyritic pyroxene (PP), 3–4 barred olivine (BO), 7–9 radial pyroxene (RP), 2–5 granular olivine-pyroxene (GOP), 3–5 cryptocrystalline (C), and ≤ 1 metallic (M). Neither chondrule size nor shape is strongly correlated with textural type. Compound and cratered chondrules, which are interpreted as products of collisions between plastic chondrules, comprise ～ 2–28% of nonporphyritic (RP, GOP, C) but only ～ 2–9% of porphyritic (POP, PO, PP, BO) chondrules, leading to a model-dependent implication that nonporphyritic chondrules evolved at number densities (chondrules per unit volume of space) which were 10² to 10⁴ times greater than those which prevailed during porphyritic chondrule formation (total range of ～ 1 to ～ 10⁶ m^?3). Distinctive “rims” of fine-grained sulfides and/or silicates occur on both porphyritic and nonporphyritic types and appear to post-date chondrule formation. Apparently, either the same process(es) contributed chondrules to all unequilibrated ordinary chondrites or, if genetically different, the various chondrule types were well mixed before incorporation into chondrites. Melting of pre-existing materials is the mechanism favored for chondrule formation.     

MINERALOGY,PETROGRAPHY AND CHEMISTRY OF THE CHONDRITE,KAMIOMI, SASHIMA-GUN,IBARAKI-KEN,JAPAN

The Kamiomi, Sashima-gun (Iwai-shi), Ibaraki-ken, Japan, chondrite (observed to fall in spring, during the period 1913–6), consists of olivine, orthopyroxene, nickel-iron and troilite with minor amount of plagioclase, clinopyroxene, apatite and chromite. The average molar composition of olivine (Fa₁₉) and orthopyroxene (Fs₁₇) indicates that Kamiomi is a typical olivine bronzite chondrite. From the well-recrystallized texture, the presence of poorly-definable chondrules, homogeneous composition of olivine and absence of glass, this chondrite could be classified in petrologic type 5. The bulk chemical composition, especially, total Fe (27.33%) and metallic Fe (17.00%) as well as Fe_total/SiO₂(0.72), Fe_metal/Fe_total (0–633) and SiO₂/MgO (1.59) support the above conclusion. Coexistence of heavily-shocked olivine grains in the matrix composed of olivines and pyroxenes which suffered from light to moderate shock effect suggest that impacting phenomena, small-scaled but locally strong, occurred on the Kamiomi parent body.     

INTERPLANETARY DUST AND CARBONACEOUS METEORITES: CONSTRAINTS ON POROSITY, MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF METEORS FROM RUBBLE-PILE PLANETESIMALS

This paper discusses measured textures, porosity, chemical compositions and the minerals of interplanetary dust and meteorites from primitive planetesimals and how this information can be used to explain some of the observed physical and chemical properties of meteor phenomena.