Titanium isotopic anomalies in meteorites

High-precision analyses of Ti are reported for samples from a variety of meteorite classes. The expanded data base for Allende inclusions still shows Ti isotopic anomalies in every inclusion. All the coarse-grained inclusions give quite similar patterns, but fine-grained inclusions show more variable, and sometimes larger, anomalies. One inclusion, 3675A, was analyzed because others identified it as a possible “FUN” inclusion due to its mass-fractionated Mg. This designation is supported by the significantly more complex Ti isotopic pattern for 3675A compared to all our other Allende inclusions. Available data fail to suggest that any particular Allende mineral phase, including a chromite-carbon fraction from an acid residue, is especially rich in anomalous Ti. We also find anomalous Ti in a bulk sample of a Cl chondrite and in matrix separates from C2 chondrites. The excesses of ⁵⁰Ti are smaller than for Allende inclusions, and subtle differences in Ti isotopic patterns tentatively suggest that parent materials for C1-C2 matrix and Allende inclusions are not directly related. Analyses of chondrules from unequilibrated ordinary chondrites did not yield clear evidence for anomalous Ti, but some “larger than usual” deficits at $\text{50}\text{46}$ give encouragement for future work in this direction. Comparing the magnitude of isotopic shifts at ⁵⁰Ti and ¹⁶O for all these meteorite samples indicates that they are not correlated, but the data do not preclude a correlation between concentrations of “exotic” ⁵⁰Ti and ¹⁶O atoms.Whether or not Allende “FUN” inclusions are considered, at least 4 distinct isotopic components of Ti are required to account for the observed isotopic variations. The Ti data cannot be plausibly explained in terms of an early solar-system particle irradiation; instead, neutron-rich hydrostatic burning within a star is probably responsible for the dominant ⁵⁰Ti anomalies, while s-process mechanisms are viable sources for some of the more subtle Ti variations. We suggest that the Ti anomalies are linked to a diversity of nucleosynthetic sources and the highly refractory behavior of Ti. Therefore, some form of “chemical memory” from the ISM, rather than “late stage supernova injection”, is most likely responsible for the preservation of observed isotopic heterogeneities.     

Presolar grains from meteorites: Remnants from the early times of the solar system

This review provides an introduction to presolar grains - preserved stardust from the interstellar molecular cloud from which our solar system formed - found in primitive meteorites. We describe the search for the presolar components, the currently known presolar mineral populations, and the chemical and isotopic characteristics of the grains and dust-forming stars to identify the grains’ most probable stellar sources.     

A search for nickel isotopic anomalies in iron meteorites and chondrites

We report Ni isotopic data, for ^58,60-62Ni, on (1) FeNi metal and sulfides in different groups of iron meteorites, (2) sulfides and a whole rock sample of the St. Séverin chondrite, and (3) chondrules from the Chainpur chondrite. We have developed improved, Multiple-Collector, Positive ion Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometric (MC-PTIMS) techniques, with Ni⁺ ionization efficiency at 1‰, and chemical separation techniques for Ni which reduce mass interferences to the 1 ppm level, so that no mass interference corrections need be applied, except for ⁶⁴Ni (from ⁶⁴Zn, at the 0.1‰ level), for which we do not report results. We normalize the data to ⁶²Ni/⁵⁸Ni to correct for mass dependent isotope fractionation. No evidence was found for resolved radiogenic or general Ni isotope anomalies at the resolution levels of 0.2 and 0.5 εu (εu = 0.01%) for ⁶⁰Ni/⁵⁸Ni and ⁶¹Ni/⁵⁸Ni, respectively. From the ⁵⁶Fe/⁵⁸Ni ratios and ε(⁶⁰Ni/⁵⁸Ni) values, we calculate upper limits for the initial value of (⁶⁰Fe/⁵⁶Fe)₀ of (a) <2.7 × 10⁻⁷ for Chainpur chondrules, (b) <10⁻⁸ for the St. Séverin sulfide, and (c) <4 × 10⁻⁹ for sulfides from iron meteorites. We measured some of the same meteorites measured by other workers, who reported isotopic anomalies in Ni, using Multiple-Collector, Inductively-Coupled Mass Spectrometry. Our results do not support the previous reports of Ni isotopic anomalies in sulfide samples from Mundrabilla by Cook et al. [Cook D. L., Clayton R. N., Wadhwa M., Janney P. E., and Davis A. M. (2008). Nickel isotopic anomalies in troilite from iron meteorites. Geophy. Res. Lett. 35, L01203] and in sulfides from Toluca and Odessa by Quitté et al. [Quitté G., Meier M., Latkoczy C., Halliday A. N., and Gunther D., (2006). Nickel isotopes in iron meteorites-nucleosynthetic anomalies in sulfides with no effects in metals and no trace of ⁶⁰Fe. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 242, 16-25]. Hence, we find no need for specialized physical-chemical planetary processes for the preservation of different Ni isotope compositions, between FeNi metal and sulfides in the same iron meteorites, as proposed by the above reports nor for complex astrophysical scenarios to provide the very peculiar Ni isotope anomalies reported by these workers for sulfides.     

Presolar spinel grains from the Murray and Murchison carbonaceous chondrites

With a new type of ion microprobe, the NanoSIMS, we determined the oxygen isotopic compositions of small (<1μm) oxide grains in chemical separates from two CM2 carbonaceous meteorites, Murray and Murchison. Among 628 grains from Murray separate CF (mean diameter 0.15 μm) we discovered 15 presolar spinel and 3 presolar corundum grains, among 753 grains from Murray separate CG (mean diameter 0.45 μm) 9 presolar spinel grains, and among 473 grains from Murchison separate KIE (mean diameter 0.5 μm) 2 presolar spinel and 4 presolar corundum grains. The abundance of presolar spinel is highest (2.4%) in the smallest size fraction. The total abundance in the whole meteorite is at least 1 ppm, which makes spinel the third-most abundant presolar grain species after nanodiamonds (if indeed a significant fraction of them are presolar) and silicon carbide. The O-isotopic distribution of the spinel grains is very similar to that of presolar corundum, the only statistically significant difference being that there is a larger fraction of corundum grains with large ¹⁷O excesses (¹⁷O/¹⁶O > 1.5 × 10⁻³), which indicates parent stars with masses between 1.8 and 4.5 M_⊙.     

Isotopic anomalies of noble gases in meteorites and their origins—III. LL-chondrites

Nine LL-chondrites were studied by a selective etching technique, to characterize the noblegas components in three mineral fractions: HF-HCl-solubles (silicates, metal, troilite, etc.; comprising ～ 99% of the meteorite), chromite and carbon (～ 0.3–0.7%) and Q (a poorly characterized mineral defined by its solubility in HNO₃, comprising ～ 0.05% of the meteorite but containing most of the Ar, Kr, Xe and a neon component of ${}^{20}\text{Ne}{}^{22}\text{Ne}\text{= 10.9 ± 0.8}$). The ${}^{20}\text{Ne}{}^{36}\text{Ar}$ ratio in Q falls wi petrologic type and rising ³⁶Ar content, as expected for condensation from a cooling solar nebula, but contrary to the trend expected for metamorphic losses. Chondrites of different petrologic types therefore cannot all be derived from the same volatile-rich ancestor, but must have formed over a range of temperatures, with correspondingly different intrinsic volatile contents.The CCFXe (carbonaceous chondrite fission) component varies systematically with petrologic type. The most primitive LL3s (Krymka, Bishunpur, Chainpur) contain substantial amounts of CCFXe in chromite-carbon, enriched relative to primordial Xe as shown by high ${}^{136}\text{Xe}{}^{132}\text{Xe}$ (0.359–0.459, vs 0.310 for primordial Xe). These are accompanied by He and by Ne with ${}^{20}\text{Ne}{}^{22}\text{Ne}\text{≈ 8.0}$ and by variable amounts of a xenon component enriched in the light isotopes. The chromite in these meteorites is compositionally peculiar, containing substantial amounts of Fe(III). These meteorites, as well as Parnallee (LL3) and Hamlet (LL4) also contain CCFXe in phase Q, heavily diluted by primordial $\text{Xe}\text{(}{}^{136}\text{Xe}{}^{132}\text{Xe}\text{= 0.317–0.329)}$. On the other hand, LL5s and 6s (Olivenza, St. Séverin, Manbhoom and Dhurmsala) contain no CCFXe in either mineral. This deficiency must be intrinsic rather than caused by metamorphic loss, because Q in these meteorites still contains substantial amounts of primordial Ne.If CCFXe comes from a supernova, then its distribution in LL-chondrites requires three presolar carrier minerals of the right solubility properties, containing three different xenon components in certain combinations. These minerals must be appropriately distributed over the petrologic types, together with locally produced Q containing primordial gases, and they must be isotopically normal, in contrast to the gases they contain. On the other hand, if CCFXe comes from fission of a volatile superheavy element, then its decrease from LL3 to LL6 can be attributed to progressively less complete condensation from the solar nebula. Ad hoc assumptions must of the host phase Q, its association with ferrichromite and the origin of the associated xenon component enriched in the light isotopes.Soluble minerals in LL3s and LL4s contain a previously unobserved, solar xenon component, which, however, is not derived from the solar wind. Three types of ‘primordial’ xenon thus occur side-by-side in different minerals of the same meteorite: strongly fractionated Xe in ferrichromite and carbon, lightly fractionated Xe in phase Q, and ‘solar’ Xe in solubles. Because the first two can apparently be derived from the third by mass fractionation, it seems likely that all were trapped from the same solar nebula reservoir, but with different degrees of mass fractionation.     

Absolute isotopic abundances of Ti in meteorites

The absolute isotope abundance of Ti has been determined in Ca-Al-rich inclusions from the Allende and Leoville meteorites and in samples of whole meteorites. The absolute Ti isotope abundances differ by a significant mass dependent isotope fractionation transformation from the previously reported abundances, which were normalized for fractionation using ${}^{46}\text{Ti}{}^{48}\text{Ti}$. Therefore, the absolute compositions define distinct nucleosynthetic components from those previously identified or reflect the existence of significant mass dependent isotope fractionation in nature. We provide a general formalism for determining the possible isotope compositions of the exotic Ti from the measured composition, for different values of isotope fractionation in nature and for different mixing ratios of the exotic and normal components. The absolute Ti and Ca isotopic compositions still support the correlation of ⁵⁰Ti and ⁴⁸Ca effects in the FUN inclusions and imply contributions from neutron-rich equilibrium or quasi-equilibrium nucleosynthesis. The present identification of endemic effects at ⁴⁶Ti, for the absolute composition, implies a shortfall of an explosive-oxygen component or reflects significant isotope fractionation. Additional nucleosynthetic components are required by ⁴⁷Ti and ⁴⁹Ti effects. Components are also defined in which ⁴⁸Ti is enhanced.Bulk samples of carbonaceous meteorites (C2 and C3 types) show distinct excesses at ⁵⁰Ti but no nonlinear effects at the other Ti isotopes. Other chondrites, including Orgueil (Cl), show no nonlinear effects. Relative to terrestrial Ti, a small isotope fractionation is found for only an enstatite chondrite. The Ti absolute compositions in Ca-Al-rich inclusions show significant isotope fractionation effects corresponding to an enhancement in the heavier isotopes relative to the lighter isotopes as compared to Ti in a TiO₂ standard and in chondrites. The absence of a correlation of Ti isotope fractionation effects with those for Ca and Mg is indicative of multiple processes of condensation, volatilization and recondensation; however, the mechanisms causing the isotope fractionation are not well understood.     

Confirmation of mass-independent Ni isotopic variability in iron meteorites

We report high-precision analyses of internally-normalised Ni isotope ratios in 12 bulk iron meteorites. Our measurements of ⁶⁰Ni/⁶¹Ni, ⁶²Ni/⁶¹Ni and ⁶⁴Ni/⁶¹Ni normalised to ⁵⁸Ni/⁶¹Ni and expressed in parts per ten thousand (?) relative to NIST SRM 986 as and , vary by 0.146, 0.228 and 0.687, respectively. The precision on a typical analysis is 0.03?, 0.05? and 0.08? for , and , respectively, which is comparable to our sample reproducibility. We show that this ‘mass-independent’ Ni isotope variability cannot be ascribed to interferences, inaccurate correction of instrumental or natural mass-dependent fractionation, fractionation controlled by nuclear field shift effects, nor the influence of cosmic ray spallation. These results thus document the presence of mass-independent Ni isotopic heterogeneity in bulk meteoritic samples, as previously proposed by Regelous et al. (2008) (EPSL 272, 330-338), but our new analyses are more precise and include determination of ⁶⁴Ni. Intriguingly, we find that terrestrial materials do not yield homogenous internally-normalised Ni isotope compositions, which, as pointed out by Young et al. (2002) (GCA 66, 1095-1104), may be the expected result of using the exponential (kinetic) law and atomic masses to normalise all fractionation processes. The certified Ni isotope reference material NIST SRM 986 defines zero in this study, while appropriate ratios for the bulk silicate Earth are given by the peridotites JP-1 and DTS-2 and, relative to NIST SRM 986, yield deviations in , and of −0.006?, 0.036? and 0.119?, respectively. There is a strong positive correlation between and in iron meteorites analyses, with a slope of 3.03 ± 0.71. The variations of Ni isotope anomalies in iron meteorites are consistent with heterogeneous distribution of a nucleosynthetic component from a type Ia supernova into the proto-solar nebula.     

Origin of rapidly solidified metal-troilite grains in chondrites and iron meteorites

Inclusions of troilite and metallic Fe,Ni 0.2–4 mm in size with a dendritic or cellular texture were observed in 12 ordinary chondrites. Cooling rates in the interval 1400?950°C calculated from the spacing of secondary dendrite arms or cell widths and published experimental data range from 10^?7 to 10⁴°C/sec. In 8 of these chondrites, which are breccias containing some normal slow-cooled metal grains, the inclusions solidified before they were incorporated into the breccias. Their cooling rates of 1–300 °C/sec indicate cooling by radiation, or by conduction in contact with cold silicate or hot silicate volumes only 6–40 mm in size. This is quantitative evidence that these inclusions and their associated clasts were melted on the surface of a parent body (by impact), and were not formed at depth from an internally derived melt. In Ramsdorf, Rose City and Shaw, which show extensive reheating to ? 1000°C, Fe-FeS textures in melted areas are coarser and indicate cooling rates of 10^?1 to 10^?4°C/sec during solidification. This metal may have solidified inside hot silicate volumes that were 10–300 cm in size. As Shaw and Rose City are breccias of unmelted and melted material, their melted metal did not necessarily cool through 1000°C within a few m of the surface. Shock-melted, fine-grained, irregular intergrowths of metal and troilite formed in situ in many irons and some chondrites by rapid solidification at cooling rates of ? 10⁵°C/sec. Their kamacite and taenite compositions may result from annealing at ~250°C of metallic glass or exceedingly fine-grained quench products.     

Molecular and compound-specific isotopic characterization of monocarboxylic acids in carbonaceous meteorites

Low molecular weight monocarboxylic acids are the most abundant water soluble organic compounds in the Murchison and many other CM type carbonaceous chondrites. In this study, we examined the monocarboxylic acids in Murchison and EET96029.20 carbonaceous meteorites using a new sample preparation and introduction technique for gas chromatograph recently developed for volatile, water-soluble organic compounds: solid phase micro-extraction (SPME). We identified more than 50 monocarboxylic acids from Murchison compared with the 18 compounds reported previously. Formic acid, a known interstellar molecule, has been fully analyzed in these carbonaceous meteorites, with its δD value suggesting an interstellar origin. We determined both carbon and hydrogen isotopic ratios of individual monocarboxylic acids in Murchison, to better define the origins and genetic relationships of these compounds. The compound-specific isotopic data reveal a large enrichment in ¹³C (δ¹³C up to + 32.5‰) and particularly D (δD up to + 2024‰). The branched acids are substantially enriched in both ¹³C and D relative to the straight chain acids, with those branched acids containing a quaternary carbon showing the greatest isotopic enrichment. The isotopic difference may be attributed to variations in the different synthetic regimes or terrestrial input of straight chain acids.     

Isotopic anomalies in meteorites and their origins—V. Search for fission fragment recoils in Allende sulfides

Three troilite- and pentlandite-rich samples from the Allende C3 chondrite were analyzed for Xe (and in one case Ne and Ar) by mass spectrometry, in 13–22 temperature steps. All samples released a small ‘CCFXe’ component (enriched in the heavy isotopes Xe^{134, 136}) at the relatively low temperature of 700–800°C, ahead of adsorbed atmospheric Xe (~900°C), radiogenic Xe¹²⁹ (1000°C), and primordial Xe (1250°C). Though such a labile component suggests implanted fission recoils, the simultaneous release of Ne, Ar, and Xe^{124, 126} shows that it instead comes from carbon and perhaps chromite, two major host phases of CCFXe. Apparently small amounts of these phases are occluded in sulfides, and decompose by chemical reaction upon heating. Thus the experiment fails to resolve the nature of CCFXe.A marked enrichment of Xe¹²⁴, without corresponding enrichments in Xe¹²⁶ or Xe^131–136, was observed in the 550–650° and 1400–1500° fractions. Though requiring confirmation, it supports earlier evidence for the complexity and variability of the light xenon component, contrary to claims that it is an integral part of CCFXe.     

Isotopic anomalies of noble gases in meteorites and their origins—VII. C3V carbonaceous chondrites

Noble gases were measured in bulk samples of the C3V chondrites Grosnaja, Vigarano, and Leoville, and in HF,HCl-insoluble residues before and after etching with HNO₃. The residues were characterized by INAA and SEM. Gas components were determined, directly or by subtraction, for the following fractions: HF,HCl-solubles (?98% of the meteorite), ‘sphase Q’, a poorly characterized trace mineral that is insoluble in HCl-HF but soluble in HNO₃, and an insoluble residue, consisting of ferrichromite, carbonaceous matter, and spinel.Bulk meteorites show some correlation of the noble-gas pattern with McSween's subclasses: two ‘oxidized’ C3V's—Allende (LEWIS et al, 1975) and Grosnaja— have lower Ar/Xe but higher Ne/Xe ratios than the ‘reduced’ C3V's—Vigarano and Leoville—which are transitional to LL3's and C3O chondrites in both respects. An HCl-soluble mineral of high Ar/Xr ratio seems to be responsible. In other respects, the 3 C3V's of this study resemble Allende, with only moderate differences. Phase Q contains most of the Ar, Kr, Xe, but only small amounts of Ne; the etched residues contain planetary Ne ($\text{Ne}{}^{20}\text{Ne}{}^{22}\text{? 8.5}$) and the controversial CCFXe component, enriched in the heavy Xe isotopes ($\text{Xe136}\text{Xe132 ? 0.4–0.5}$). The CCFXe is accompanied by an ‘L-Xe’ component that is enriched in the light Xe isotopes. The proportion of the two is virtually constant in C3V's. as in all other C-chondrites. in contrast to the ~ 2-fold variation in ordinary chondrites.C3V's have systematically higher $\text{Xe}{}^{136}\text{Xe}{}^{132}$ ratios, and hence higher ratios of CCFXe to planetary Xe, than do other chondrite classes. This may reflect some peculiarity in their formation conditions, favoring uptake of CCFXe.     

The isotopic composition of titanium in the Allende and Leoville meteorites

We describe the analytical techniques developed for the precise measurement of the titanium isotope abundances using a TiO⁺ ion beam. Terrestrial, lunar, and bulk meteorite samples yield identical results. Using a normalization to ${}^{46}\text{Ti}{}^{48}\text{Ti}$ for mass dependent isotope fractionation, we obtain the normal Ti composition: ${}^{46}\text{Ti}{}^{48}\text{Ti}\text{= 0.108548}$; ${}^{47}\text{Ti}{}^{48}\text{Ti}\text{= 0.099315 ± 0.000005}$; ${}^{49}\text{Ti}{}^{48}\text{Ti}\text{= 0.074463 ± 0.000004}$; ${}^{50}\text{Ti}{}^{48}\text{Ti}\text{= 0.072418 ± 0.000004}$ (2σ grand mean), taking ${}^{18}\text{O}{}^{16}\text{O}\text{= 0.002045}$ and ${}^{17}\text{O}{}^{16}\text{O}\text{= 0.00037}$. Measurements on thirteen coarse-grained and fine-grained Ca-Al-Ti-rich inclusions from the Allende and Leoville meteorites show the presence of widespread, significant, nonlinear isotope anomalies in the Ti isotopes which were not used for normalization. The data require the addition of at least three exotic components. The distinct correlation of non-linear effects for the most neutron-rich isotopes of Ca and Ti and the absence of substantial effects at ⁴⁶Ca in the FUN samples EK-1-4-1 and C-1 indicate that the effects reflect neutron-rich equilibrium or quasi-equilibrium nucleosynthetic processes in the outer layers of a supernova core. The results on Ca and Ti in conjunction with the isotopic effects on other elements (Mg, Sr, Ba, Nd, Sm) show that the samples represent mixtures of different nucleosynthetic components from distinctive processes (‘e’, ‘r’, ‘p’) which do not appear to be related to processes in the same stellar sites.     

The isotopic and elemental abundance of ytterbium in meteorites and terrestrial samples

The isotopic composition of ytterbium in meteoritic and terrestrial materials was measured using a solid source mass spectrometer. Isotopic abundances of meteoritic and terrestrial Yb agree within experimental errors. The relative isotope abundances for reagent Yb are 0.00429, 0.0964, 0.4512, 0.6887, 0.5075 and 0.3997 for the ¹⁶⁸Yb, ¹⁷⁰Yb, ¹⁷¹Yb, ¹⁷²Yb, ¹⁷³Yb and ¹⁷⁶Yb relative to ¹⁷⁴Yb respectively. Apart from linear mass fractionation, these data are in agreement with other published data. The concentration of Yb in 21 stony meteorites was determined using the isotope dilution method. In general, the agreement between this work and other published data is excellent.     

Carbon abundance and isotopic studies of Shergotty and other shergottite meteorites

Consortium samples of the Shergotty meteorite have been measured for C abundance and isotopic composition by stepped combustion and the results compared to different samples of the same meteorite and the other known shergottites. Clearly, the shergottite meteorites have a complex C chemistry and contain components of both low and high thermal stability. Two components labile at low temperature can be tentatively identified, one which is enriched in ¹³C and may be related to the carbonate thought to be produced by pre-terrestrial weathering in Nakhla. The other, which is isotopically light, is presently of unknown origin but we speculate that it may be related to shock effects. At high temperatures, two of the samples examined show evidence for a component of CO₂ trapped from the martian atmosphere, possibly indicating that shock-produced glass is heterogeneously distributed throughout the shergottite group. This interpretation is corroborated by N isotope measurements made on one of the specimens. All samples appear to contain evidence of a high temperature magmatic component of C.     

The isotopic compositions and concentrations of lead in some chondritic stone meteorites

Microgram quantities of lead were volatilized from the chondrites Richardton, Holbrook, Beardsley and Plainview and purified for mass spectrometric analysis. Aliquots of approximately 1 μg were surface-ionized by use of the boric acid technique. The isotopic compositions found range from highly radiogenic lead in the case of Richardton to leads in the other three chondrites which are substantially less radiogenic than average lead in the crust of the earth. p]From our recent concentration determinations by the isotopic dilution method, it seems that the amount of lead in Beardsley is about 0·13 p.p.m. and that in Richardton about 0·06 p.p.m. The leads in these meteorites are consistent within a factor of approximately two with the lead-lead ages and the independently measured uranium and thorium concentrations. The lead—lead age for Richardton is the same as that found by (1955) for Nuevo Laredo, being 4·6 Æ. The lead concentration measured for Forest City is 0·09 p.p.m., while that for Holbrook is 0·28 p.p.m. Holbrook is quite anomalous in containing 2·5 times the amount of radiogenic lead that can be explained by the accumulation of decay products in situ with a primeval lead which had the isotopic composition of the lead from the troilite in the Canyon Diablo and Henbury iron meteorites. p]The total amount of lead on the surface of a meteorite appears to be comparable to the total amount inside. The isotopic composition of this surface lead indicates that it is principally terrestrial lead.     

Isotopic anomalies of noble gases in meteorites and their origins—IV. C3 (Ornans) carbonaceous chondrites

The C3O chondrites Kainsaz, Lancé and Ornans were studied by an acid dissolution technique, to characterize the noble-gas components in 3 mineral fractions: HF, HCl-solubles (99% of the meteorite), chromite and carbon (0.3–0.9%), and ‘phase Q’, a poorly characterized trace mineral (0.05–0.4%) containing most of the Ar, Kr, Xe. For all fractions, gas contents decline in the order Kainsaz > Lancé > Ornans; this trend parallels volatile contents but not heterogeneity of olivine composition or degree of metamorphism and seems to reflect progressively higher condensation temperatures from the solar nebula.Solubles contain nearly unfractionated Xe, and show ${}^{136}\text{Ar}{}^{132}\text{Xe}$ ratios up to 850. Hence the high $\text{Ar}\text{Xe}$ ratios (200–400) of bulk C3O chondrites must be due to an HF-soluble mineral (possibly magnetite). Phase Q contains ordinary planetary gases and a Ne component of ${}^{20}\text{Ne}{}^{22}\text{Ne}\text{= 10.3 ± 0.4.}$Chromite and carbon contain Ne of ${}^{20}\text{Ne}{}^{22}\text{Ne}\text{= 8.6 ± 0.1}$ and ‘CCF’ xenon (a peculiar component of possibly fissiogenic origin, enriched in the heavy isotopes but accompanied by a component enriched in the light isotopes).In all primitive chondrites, both the amount and the chemical separability of CCFXe parallel the abundance of promordial noble gases and other volatiles, such as C, N, Tl, Bi and In. The close correlation of CCFXe with various properties of undoubtedly local origin (volatile content, petrologic type, presence of ferrichromite and carbon, etc.) is more consistent with a local than with an extrasolar origin of this component. A volatile superheavy element seems to be the most plausible source, but the evidence is not conclusive.     

铁陨石及中铁陨石的稀有气体同位素丰度和放射性核素活度

测定了两个铁陨石及两个中铁陨石的稀有气体同位素丰度和＾１０Ｂｅ、＾２６Ａｌ和＾３６Ｃｌ的放射性核素活度。在所研究的４个陨石中,东乌珠穆沁旗（类型Ⅰ）、渭源（类型Ⅲ）中铁陨石及宁波铁陨石（ⅣＡ）是在中国回收的,另一个无结构铁陨石Ｒａｆｒｕｔｉ是于１８８６年在瑞士发现的。根据＾１０Ｂｅ－＾２１Ｎｅ、＾２６Ａｌ－＾２１Ｎｅ和＾３６Ｃｌ－＾３６Ａｒ计算了两个铁陨石的产率及宇宙射线暴露年龄。其中Ｒａｆｒｕｔ     

Thermoluminescence of meteorites and their terrestrial ages

A new technique is described in which the natural thermoluminescence (TL) in chondritic meteorites is normalized to the TL sensitivity of each meteorite. The relationship between the normalized TL level and a meteorite's terrestrial age is examined. The average normalized TL level measured in 45 ordinary chondrites of known terrestrial age decreases with increasing terrestrial age. There is a factor of ten variation in the TL levels of fresh falls which is primarily due to differences in orbital temperatures (Melcher, 1981). Nevertheless, it is possible to distinguish between recent falls and meteorites greater than a few hundred years old if they have been stored at the same temperature. The decay characteristics of the TL are studied by means of initial rise experiments and isothermal decay experiments at elevated temperatures. The TL levels of 11 Antarctic meteorites are compared with the results of ¹⁴C, ²⁶Al and ³⁶Cl studies of the terrestrial ages of these objects. There is a rough correlation between the low temperature TL levels and the radionuclide activities. Since the TL method is quick and requires as little as 10mg of material, it is most valuable as a rapid screening process to select samples appropriate for study by other techniques.     

The concentration and isotopic composition of hydrogen,carbon and nitrogen in carbonaceous meteorites

Concentrations and isotopic compositions were determined for H₂, N₂ and C extracted by stepwise pyrolysis from powdered meteorites, from residues of meteorites partially dissolved with aqueous HF, and from residues of meteorites reacted with HF-HCl solutions. The meteorites treated were the carbonaceous chondrites, Orgueil, Murray, Murchison, Renazzo and Cold Bokkeveld. Data determined for whole rock samples are in approximate agreement with previously published data. Acidification of the meteorites removed the inorganic sources of H₂, so that H₂ in the HF-HCl acid residues came primarily from insoluble organic matter, which makes up 70–80% fraction of the total carbon in carbonaceous meteorites. The δD in the organic matter differs markedly from previously determined values in organic matter in meteorites. The δD values of organic matter from acid residues of C1 and C2 carbonaceous chondrites range from +650 to + 1150%. The acid residues of the Renazzo meteorite, whose total H₂ has a δD of +930‰, gave a δD value of +2500‰. Oxidation of the HF-HCl residue with H₂O₂ solution removes the high δD and the low δ¹⁵N components. The δ¹³C values range between ?10 and ?21 and δ¹⁵N values range between +40 and ?11. The δ¹⁵N of Renazzo is unusual; its values range between +150 and ?190.There is good correlation between δD and the concentration of H₂ in the acid residues, but no correlation exists between δD, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in them. A simple model is proposed to explain the high δD values, and the relationships between δD values and the concentration of H₂. This model depends on the irradiation of gaseous molecules facilitating reaction between ionic molecules, and indicates that an increase in the rate of polymerization and accumulation of organic matter on grains would produce an increase in the deuterium concentration in organic matter.