Origin of compact type A refractory inclusions from CV3 carbonaceous chondrites

Compact type A (CTA) inclusions are one of the major types of coarse-grained refractory inclusions found in carbonaceous chondrites. They have not been studied in a systematic fashion, leading to some uncertainties and unproven assumptions about their origin. To address this situation, we studied a total of eight CTAs from Allende, Efremovka and Axtell by scanning electron-microscopic and electron and ion-microprobe techniques. These inclusions are very melilite-rich, ranging from ∼60 vol% to nearly monomineralic. Also present are Mg–Al spinel (5–20%), perovskite (trace–∼3%) and, in some samples, Ti-rich (∼17 wt% TiO₂^tot) fassaite (trace–∼20%), and rhönite (≤1%). Melilite compositions are mostly between Åk₁₅ and Åk₄₀. Chondrite-normalized REE abundance patterns for melilite (flat at ∼10 × CI with positive Eu anomalies) and fassaite (slight HREE enrichment relative to LREE and negative Eu anomalies) are like those for their counterparts in once-molten type B inclusions. The patterns for rhönite have positive slopes from La through Lu and abundances <10 × CI for La and 35–60 × CI for Lu. Features of CTAs that suggest that they were once molten include: rounded inclusion shapes; positively correlated Sc and V abundances in fassaite; radially oriented melilite laths at inclusion rims; and the distribution of trace elements among the phases. Fractional crystallization models show that, with one exception, the REE contents of perovskite and fassaite arose by crystallization of these phases from late, residual liquids that would have resulted from prior crystallization of the observed proportions of melilite and spinel from liquids having the bulk compositions of the inclusions. One Allende CTA (TS32), however, has several features (irregular shape, reversely zoned melilite, fassaite REE contents) that are not readily explained by crystallization from a melt. This inclusion may have undergone little melting and may be dominated by relict grains.     

Extinct Be in Type A calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions from CV chondrites

We have found clear evidence of live ¹⁰Be in five normal Type A Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), one normal Type B CAI, and one FUN Type A CAI, all from CV3 chondrites. The (¹⁰Be/⁹Be)₀ ratios range from ∼0.36 × 10^-3 to ∼0.77 × 10^-3 and are similar to those found by previous workers. The (¹⁰Be/⁹Be)₀ ratios do not correlate in a temporal fashion with (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀, suggesting that ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al were produced by different mechanisms. An examination of possible sources for the short-lived radionuclides indicates that production of ¹⁰Be was almost certainly by particle irradiation, possibly within the solar system, and was probably accompanied by significant production of ⁴¹Ca and ⁵³Mn. In contrast, all of the ⁶⁰Fe, most of the ²⁶Al, and some of the ⁵³Mn were probably produced in stars and were imported into the solar system within presolar dust grains.     

Petrography and oxygen isotopic compositions in refractory inclusions from CO chondrites

Fine-grained Ca-Al-rich inclusions (FGIs) in Yamato-81020 (CO3.0) and Kainsaz (CO3.1-CO3.2) chondrites have been studied by secondary ion mass spectrometry. The FGIs from Yamato-81020 consist of aggregates of hibonite, spinel, melilite, anorthite, diopside and olivine grains with no petrographic evidence of alteration. In contrast, the FGIs from Kainsaz commonly contain alteration products such as nepheline. From replacement textures and chemical compositions of altered and unaltered FGIs, we conclude that the alteration products formed by decomposition of melilite and anorthite. All phases in the Yamato-81020 FGIs are enriched in ¹⁶O, with δ^{17, 18}O = ∼−40‰ except for one FGI that experienced melting. Oxygen isotopic compositions of melilite, anorthite, some spinel and diopside in Kainsaz FGIs changed from δ^{17, 18}O = ∼−40‰ toward 0‰ by aqueous alteration. Alteration products in FGIs are depleted in ¹⁶O relative to primary phases, with δ^{17, 18}O = ∼0‰. These results show that FGIs in CO chondrites commonly had ¹⁶O-rich compositions in the solar nebula. The original ¹⁶O-rich FGIs were modified to ¹⁶O-poor compositions during aqueous alteration in the parent body.     

Windows to early solar system processes: Refractory inclusions in the CV and CM chondrites

The refractory element-enriched inclusions found in the carbonaceous meteorites give cosmochemists a fascinating glimpse at processes which occurred near the birth of the solar system. Although many complications must still be unravelled, the weight of the available evidence indicates that many of these objects condensed directly from the solar nebula, and have remained relatively unaltered up to the present. Their mineralogical and chemical compositions therefore reflect conditions at the time of their formation. The most thoroughly studied of the inclusions are those from the Allende CV meteorite. These, in general, have mineral assemblages similar to those which would be predicted for nebular condensation. The mineralogical agreement is not strict, however, and also the bulk chemical compositions sometimes deviate markedly from expected trends. More work is required to understand these differences. A range of isotopic anomalies in many elements has been found, in these inclusions. Some of these suggest an extra-solar system origin for a part of the material in the inclusions. Although much less work has been done on the inclusions in the CM meteorites, current data indicate that they will prove to be at least as valuable as those from Allende. Chemical data show that some inclusions in the Murchison meteorite are more refractory than the most refractory Allende inclusions. Isotopic anomalies, including²⁵Mg excesses and oxygen-16 enriched oxygen, indicate that, in spite of chemical and mineralogical differences, the Murchison and Allende inclusions contain common isotopic components, and are probably contemporaneous.     

Siderophile elements in chondrules of CV chondrites

New bulk compositional data for 34 Allende chondrules are presented. Whole chondrules were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The new data set is evaluated together with older INAA data on Allende chondrules and recent INAA data on Mokoia chondrules. The Ni/Co ratios of 200 chondrules are close to the CI- or solar ratio. The chondritic Ni/Co ratios require an unfractionated chondritic metal source and set a limit to the fraction of metal lost from molten chondrules. The bulk chondrule Fe/Ni and Fe/Co ratios are more variable but on average chondritic. Iridium and other refractory metals have extremely variable concentrations in chondrules. High Ir chondrules have chondritic Ir/Sc ratios. They are dominated by CAI (Ca,Al-rich inclusion) components. Low Ir chondrules have approximately chondritic Ir/Ni ratios reflecting mixing with chondritic metal. In low Ir chondrules Ir correlates and in high Ir chondrules Ir does not correlate with Ni or Co. A large fraction of Ir may have entered chondrules in variable amounts as tiny grains of refractory metal alloys.Most Allende chondrules have Ir/Sc ratios below bulk meteorite ratios. Matrix must have a complementary high Ir/Sc ratio, as bulk Allende has approximately chondritic Ir/Sc ratio. Similarly, the high average Ir/Ni ratios of Allende chondrules must be balanced by low Ir/Ni ratios in matrix to obtain the bulk Allende Ir/Ni ratio, which is close to the average solar system ratio.More recent data on single chondrules from Allende by ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) and ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Optical Emission Spectrometry) show the same trends as the INAA data discussed here.     

Oxygen isotopic evolution of amoeboid olivine aggregates in the reduced CV3 chondrites Efremovka, Vigarano, and Leoville

Amoeboid olivine aggregates (AOAs) from the reduced CV chondrites Efremovka, Vigarano, and Leoville consist of forsteritic olivine, FeNi-metal and a refractory component composed of spinel, Al-diopside, ±anorthite. Secondary ferrous olivine and alkali-rich minerals (nepheline and sodalite), commonly observed in the oxidized CVs, are rare. Mineralogy and chemical compositions of AOAs are similar to those predicted by equilibrium thermodynamic condensation models, suggesting that AOAs formed primarily by gas-solid condensation over a narrow temperature range, slightly below the temperatures over which most Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) formed. AOAs in the reduced CVs preserve a 1^st-generation ¹⁶O-rich signal (δ^17,18O ∼ −40‰) similar to that observed in many CAIs, suggesting that these refractory objects originated from a common source in the solar nebula. In fact AOAs and many fine-grained CAIs may have formed by the same processes, but at slightly different temperatures, and can be considered a single class of refractory objects.Alteration of the AOAs is manifested by differing extents of ¹⁶O-depletion in original AOA minerals, FeO-enrichment in olivine, and formation of interstitial very fine grained Na-bearing phases. From the six AOAs and one fine-grained, melilite-pyroxene-rich CAI examined in this study, five distinct patterns of alteration were identified. (1) One unaltered AOA from Vigarano is characterized by ¹⁶O-rich forsterite without FeO-rich rims and interstitial Na-bearing phases. (2) Weak alteration in the melilite-pyroxene-rich CAI is characterized by incomplete ¹⁶O-depletion in some melilite and precipitation of Na-bearing phases near the CAI rim. (3) Oxygen isotopic composition and mineralogy are correlated in two AOAs from Leoville with ¹⁶O-rich olivine, ¹⁶O-poor anorthite and a range of intermediate compositions in Al-diopside. This pattern is consistent with model diffusion between original grains and a ¹⁶O-poor reservoir during a relatively short-term (<60 yr), high-temperature (900-1100°C) event. (4) Original forsterite has been enriched in FeO, but remained ¹⁶O-rich in one AOA from Vigarano. This result is consistent with the slower rate of diffusion of O than Fe and Mg in olivine. At least some interstitial phases are ¹⁶O-rich, and Na-bearing phases are abundant in this AOA. (5) In contrast, oxygen isotopic composition and Fo-content are correlated in two AOAs from Efremovka. The olivine in these AOAs tends to have forsteritic ¹⁶O-rich cores and FeO-rich ¹⁶O-depleted rims. The general correlation between oxygen isotopic composition and Fo-content is difficult to model by diffusion, and may have formed instead by aqueous dissolution and precipitation along the margins of preexisting olivine grains.Independent evidence for aqueous alteration of the Efremovka AOAs is provided by OH-rich signals detected during ion beam sputtering of some of the ¹⁶O-poor olivine. Elevated ¹⁶OH-count rates and order of magnitude increases in ¹⁶OH detected during single analyses reflect trapping of an aqueous phase in ¹⁶O-depleted olivine. An elevated ¹⁶OH signal was also detected in one analysis of relatively ¹⁶O-poor melilite in the melilite-pyroxene CAI from Vigarano, suggesting that this object also was altered by aqueous fluid.     

Chemical and oxygen isotopic compositions of accretionary rim and matrix olivine in CV chondrites: Constraints on the evolution of nebular dust

A correlation of petrography, mineral chemistry and in situ oxygen isotopic compositions of fine-grained olivine from the matrix and of fine- and coarse-grained olivine from accretionary rims around Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) and chondrules in CV chondrites is used here to constrain the processes that occurred in the solar nebula and on the CV parent asteroid. The accretionary rims around Leoville, Vigarano, and Allende CAIs exhibit a layered structure: the inner layer consists of coarse-grained, forsteritic and ¹⁶O-rich olivine (Fa_1-40 and Δ¹⁷O = −24‰ to −5‰; the higher values are always found in the outer part of the layer and only in the most porous meteorites), whereas the middle and the outer layers contain finer-grained olivines that are more fayalitic and ¹⁶O-depleted (Fa_15-50 and Δ¹⁷O = −18‰ to +1‰). The CV matrices and accretionary rims around chondrules have olivine grains of textures, chemical and isotopic compositions similar to those in the outer layers of accretionary rims around CAIs. There is a correlation between local sample porosity and olivine chemical and isotopic compositions: the more compact regions (the inner accretionary rim layer) have the most MgO- and ¹⁶O-rich compositions, whereas the more porous regions (outer rim layers around CAIs, accretionary rims around chondrules, and matrices) have the most MgO- and ¹⁶O-poor compositions. In addition, there is a negative correlation of olivine grain size with fayalite contents and Δ¹⁷O values. However, not all fine-grained olivines are FeO-rich and ¹⁶O-poor; some small (<1 μm in Leoville and 5-10 μm in Vigarano and Allende) ferrous (Fa_>20) olivine grains in the outer layers of the CAI accretionary rims and in the matrix show significant enrichments in ¹⁶O (Δ¹⁷O = −20‰ to −10‰). We infer that the inner layer of the accretionary rims around CAIs and, at least, some olivine grains in the finer portions of accretionary rims and CV matrices formed in an ¹⁶O-rich gaseous reservoir, probably in the CAI-forming region. Grains in the outer layers of the CAI accretionary rims and in the rims around chondrules as well as matrix may have also originated as ¹⁶O-rich olivine. However, these olivines must have exchanged O isotopes to variable extents in the presence of an ¹⁶O-poor reservoir, possibly the nebular gas in the chondrule-forming region(s) and/or fluids in the parent body. The observed trend in isotopic compositions may arise from mixtures of ¹⁶O-rich forsterites with grain overgrowths or newly formed grains of ¹⁶O-poor fayalitic olivines formed during parent body metamorphism. However, the observed correlations of chemical and isotopic compositions of olivine with grain size and local porosity of the host meteorite suggest that olivine accreted as a single population of ¹⁶O-rich forsterite and subsequently exchanged Fe-Mg and O isotopes in situ in the presence of aqueous solutions (i.e., fluid-assisted thermal metamorphism).     

Modal mineralogy of CV3 chondrites by X-ray diffraction (PSD-XRD)

Using position sensitive detector X-ray diffraction (PSD-XRD) we determine a complete modal mineralogy for all phases present in abundances greater than 1 wt% in Vigarano, Efremovka, Mokoia, Grosnaja, Kaba and Allende. Reduced CV3 samples are comprised of (vol%): olivine (83-85%); enstatite (6.5-8.1%); anorthite (1.1-1.2%); magnetite (1.4-1.8%); sulphide (2.4-5.1%); Fe, Ni metal (2-2.2%). The oxidized samples are comprised of: olivine (76.3-83.9%); enstatite (4.8-7.8%); anorthite (1.1-1.7%); magnetite (0.3-6.1%); sulphide (2.9-8.1%); Fe, Ni metal (0.2-1.1%); Fe-oxide (0-2.7%) and phyllosilicate (1.9-4.2%). When our modal data is used to calculate a bulk chemistry that is compared to literature data a near 1:1 correlation is observed. PSD-XRD data indicates that olivine compositions may span almost the entire Fe-Mg solid solution series in all CV samples and that these contain a component (4-13%) of fine-grained olivine that is more Fe-rich (>Fa₆₀) than is typically reported. Modal mineralogy shows that there are mineralogic differences between CV3 samples classified as oxidized and reduced but that these sub-classes are most clearly distinguished by the relative abundance of metal and Ni content of sulphide, rather than abundance of magnetite. The most significant difference in modal mineralogy observed is the relative absence of phyllosilicate in reduced CV that essentially escaped aqueous alteration.Fayalite, ferrous olivine and magnetite are typically considered secondary alteration products. The abundances of these minerals overlap in oxidized and reduced samples and correlate positively supporting common conditions of formation in a relatively oxidizing environment. The abundances of fayalite, ferrous olivine and magnetite show no relationship to petrographic type and if these abundances were used as a proxy for alteration, Allende would be the least altered CV - contrary to all previous data. The implication is that thermal metamorphism on the parent body was de-coupled from formation of Fe-rich secondary minerals. Low temperature fluid-assisted metamorphism can also not easily explain the origin of fayalite, ferrous olivine and magnetite, since the reduced CVs appear to be largely unaffected by this process. Parent body models require an anhydrous low-temperature mechanism of secondary alteration. The alternative is that these phases formed prior to accretion of the final CV parent body.     

Chemical and petrographic constraints on the origin of chondrules and inclusions in carbonaceous chondrites

Bulk chemical compositions of the various petrographie types of chondrules and inclusions in Type 3 carbonaceous chondrites (excluding those affected by metamorphism) have been determined by microprobe defocused beam analysis. Inclusion compositions follow approximately the theoretical compositional trajectory for equilibrium condensation. Analyses of chondrules occurring in the same meteorites have higher silica contents and show only slight overlap with inclusion compositions. Dust fusion is apparently an inadequate mechanism for producing the wide chemical variations observed among chondrules. Impact melting models require sampling of complex target rocks which are unknown as components of meteorites; this mechanism also demands efficient mechanical processing of chondrules before accretion. A genetic relationship between chondrules and inclusions in carbonaceous chondrites is suggested by the compositional continuum between these objects. A condensation sequence which dips into the liquid stability field at lower temperatures is advocated for the production of both inclusions and chondrules. Textural relationships between intergrown chondrules and inclusions support such a sequence. This model suggests that the assembled components (inclusions and chondrules) of carbonaceous chondrites are related by a common process.     

Chemical compositions of refractory inclusions in the Murchison C2 chondrite

Samples from ten refractory inclusions in Murchison, some of which are splits of inclusions whose mineralogical and petrographic characteristics are known, have been analysed for thirty-six elements by neutron activation. Six inclusions have group II or group III patterns or variants of such patterns. Two inclusions, BB-5 and MUCH-1, have large negative Yb anomalies unaccompanied by correspondingly large negative Eu anomalies. It is possible that the latter condensed originally with group III patterns and preferentially took up Eu in later exchange processes under reducing conditions. One inclusion, SH-2, has heavy REE enrichment factors that increase with the refractoriness of the REE, indicating the presence of an extremely high-temperature, or ultrarefractory, REE condensate, but it also has a heavy REE/light REE ratio that indicates mixing of that component with a lower-temperature REE condensate. The frequency of highly fractionated REE patterns and absence of group I patterns suggest that refractory inclusions in Murchison stopped equilibrating with the nebular gas at higher temperatures than most Allende coarse-grained inclusions. The lower Ir/Os and Ru/Re ratios of some Murchison inclusions compared to those of Allende coarse-grained inclusions indicate that condensate alloys that contributed noble metals to the former also stopped equilibrating with the nebular gas at higher temperatures than those that contributed noble metals to the latter. Murchison inclusions tend to be lower in non-refractory elements than Allende coarse-grained inclusions, suggesting that, on average, the former underwent less severe secondary alteration than the latter.     

Unusually abundant refractory inclusions from Sahara 97159 (EH3): a comparative study with other groups of chondrites

Sixty-eight refractory inclusions and fragments were found in two polished thin sections of the Sahara 97159 EH3 chondrite, indicative of the highest abundance of refractory inclusions (22/cm², or 0.06 vol.%) in enstatite chondrites studied to date. All of the inclusions are intensely altered, mainly producing feldspathoids and albite, CaO depletion and minor Ti-rich compounds, such as Ti-sulfides. The alteration assemblages and FeO-poor spinel suggest that the reactions took place under reducing and SiO₂-rich conditions. This is consistent with the redox state of the host enstatite chondrite. The presence of Ti sulfides and low FeO alteration phases distinguishes alteration of E chondrite refractory inclusions from that of carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites.Most of the inclusions are referred to as Type A-like (35) and spinel-rich (26), respectively. Assuming melilite has been altered, these inclusions could be analogues of individual concentrically zoned objects of fluffy melilite-spinel-rich (Type A) and spinel-pyroxene-rich inclusions from carbonaceous chondrites such as the Ningqiang (CV anomalous) and Y 81020 (CO3) chondrites. Two inclusions consist mainly of Ca-pyroxene, fine-grained alteration products (feldspathoids and albite) and spinel. They are probably altered fragments of Ca-pyroxene-plagioclase-rich (Type C) inclusions, assuming all plagioclase has been altered to produce the fine-grained groundmass. Five other inclusions are hibonite and/or corundum bearing, similar to those reported in carbonaceous chondrites. Abundance ratios of various types of the inclusions from Sahara 97159 are similar to those from Ningqiang and Y 81020.Most of the observations, including mineral assemblages, mineral chemistry, texture, bulk compositions, O isotopic compositions and REE patterns, of the Sahara inclusions suggest a common reservoir of refractory inclusions in enstatite, ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites. The apparent differences, such as absence of melilite and anorthite, rare Wark-Lovering rim and small size, can be explained by intense alteration due to large change of postformation environment of these inclusions, size sorting and collision during transfer. Hence, these differences are not inconsistent with the common reservoir model. Refractory inclusions in non-carbonaceous chondrites may put additional constraints on origins of refractory inclusions, and provide hints for a spatial relationship of their host meteorites.     

Dark inclusions in CO3 chondrites: new indicators of parent-body processes

A petrographic and scanning electron microscopic study of the four CO3 chondrites Kainsaz, Ornans, Lancé, and Warrenton reveals for the first time that dark inclusions (DIs) occur in all the meteorites. DIs are mostly smaller in size than those reported from CV3 chondrites. They show evidence suggesting that they were formed by aqueous alteration and subsequent dehydration of a chondritic precursor and so probably have a formation history similar to that of DIs in CV3 chondrites. DIs in the CO3 chondrites consist mostly of fine-grained, Fe-rich olivine and can be divided into two types on the basis of texture. Type I DIs contain rounded, porous aggregates of fine grains in a fine-grained matrix and have textures suggesting that they are fragments of chondrule pseudomorphs. Veins filled with Fe-rich olivine are common in type I DIs, providing evidence that they experienced aqueous alteration on the parent body. Type II DIs lack rounded porous aggregates and have a matrix-like, featureless texture. Bulk chemical compositions of DIs and mineralogical characteristics of olivine grains in DIs suggest that these two types of DIs have a close genetic relationship.The DIs are probably clasts that have undergone aqueous alteration and subsequent dehydration at a location different from the present location in the meteorites. The major element compositions, the mineralogy of metallic phases, and the widely dispersed nature of the DIs suggest that their precursor was CO chondrite material. The CO parent body has been commonly regarded to have been dry, homogeneous, and unprocessed. However, the DIs suggest that the CO parent body was a heterogeneous conglomerate consisting of water-bearing regions and water-free regions and that during asteroidal heating, the water-bearing regions were aqueously altered and subsequently dehydrated. Brecciation may also have been active in the parent body.The DIs and the matrices are similarly affected by thermal metamorphism in their own host CO3 chondrites (petrologic subtypes 3.1 to 3.6), but the degree of the secondary processing (aqueous alteration and subsequent dehydration) of the DIs has no apparent correlation with the petrologic grades of the host chondrites. These observations suggest that the DIs had been incorporated into the host chondrites before the thermal metamorphism took place and that the secondary processes that affected the DIs largely occurred before the thermal metamorphism.     

Chemical and physical studies of type 3 chondrites—V: The enstatite chondrites

We report instrumental neutron activation analysis determinations of 19 major, minor and trace elements in three enstatite chondrites. Based on these, and literature data on the bulk and mineral composition of enstatite chondrites, we discuss the history of the type 3 or unequilibrated enstatite chondrites, and their relationship with the other enstatite chondrites. The type 3 enstatite chondrites have E chondrite lithophile element abundances and their siderophile element abundances place them with the EH chondrites, well resolved from the EL chondrites. Moderately volatile chalcophile elements are at the low end of the EH range and Cr appears to be intermediate between EH and EL. We suggest that the type 3 enstatite chondrites are EH chondrites which have suffered small depletions of certain chalcophile elements through the loss of shock-produced sulfurous liquids. The oxygen isotope differences between type 3 and other enstatite chondrites is consistent with equilibration with the nebula gas ~30° higher than the others, or with the loss of a plagioclase-rich liquid. The mineral chemistry of the type 3 chondrites is consistent with either low temperature equilibration, or, in some instances, with shock effects.     

Chemical fractionations in meteorites—IX. C3 chondrites

Four C3V chondrites (Grosnaja, Kaba, Mokoia, Vigarano) and three C3O chondrites (Felix, Kainsaz, and Lancé) were analyzed by radiochemical neutron activation for 17 trace elements. Both classes show a typical chondritic step pattern, reflecting loss of volatiles during chondrule formation. Elements condensing above 1300 K (U, Re, Ir, Ni) are present in essentially Cl chondrite proportions, while moderately volatile elements condensing between 1300 K and 800 K (Ge, Rb, Ag) are depleted by a factor of 0.44. However, elements condensing below 700 K (S, Cs, Bi, Tl, Br, Se, Te, In, Cd) are depleted to a still greater degree, and more so in the Ornans subclass (factor of 0.24, except Cd 0.007) than in the Vigarano subclass (factor of 0.29). This additional depletion may be due to a slight (less than 3-fold) dust-gas fractionation, by settling of dust to the median plane of the solar nebula. Among other chondrite classes, ordinary chondrites show a similar depletion, but C2 chondrites do not. Possibly the undepleted meteorites formed in one of the convection zones of the nebula predicted by Cameron and Pine, whereas the depleted meteorites formed in a quiescent region.The condensation of chalocophile elements as a function of H₂S partial pressure is discussed, in an attempt to explain the drastic difference in Cd abundance between the two subclasses. It appears that the $\text{H}{}_2\text{S}\text{H}{}_2$ ratio is the key variable. C3O's seem to have condensed in a region where enough metallic Fe was present to buffer the H₂S pressure, while C3V's condensed in a more oxidized region, where H₂S was in excess. Accretion temperatures, for an assumed nebular pressure of 10^?5 atm, were between 415 and 430 K for C3O's and less than 440 K for C3V's.Two slightly volatile elements, Sb and Au, show variable depletion, presumably reflecting variable loss during chondrule formation. Indeed, their depletion correlates with the abundance of iron-poor olivine, a measure of the peak temperature and time during chondrule formation.     

Mineralogy and petrology of chondrules and inclusions in the Mokoia CV3 chondrite

All objects >100 μm in apparent diameter in five polished thin sections of the Mokoia CV3 chondrite were studied and classified. Number and volume percentages and mean apparent size of each type of chondrule and inclusion were determined. Three major types of olivine chondrules were observed: igneous chondrules, recrystallized chondrules, and chondrules that appear to be accretional aggregates. Coarse-grained CAI's have igneous textures and mineral parageneses, while fine-grained CAI's are aggregates containing varying proportions of Al-rich concentric objects, Ca-rich chaotic material, and inclusion matrix. Chondrules and refractory inclusions in Mokoia and Allende are broadly similar in texture and mineral chemistry, but Mokoia refractory inclusions contain phyllosilicates rather than feldspathoids, and melilite-rich CAI's are more abundant in Allende.We think that most CAI's formed during the metamorphism, partial melting, and incomplete distillation of primitive dust aggregates when they were heated in the solar nebula. In the process, Ca-rich melt appears to have been physically separated from Al-rich residues, producing the observed fractionation of Ca from Al into distinct constituents of CAI's. Some CAI's may be aggregates of devitrified, amorphous metastable condensates. Inclusion matrix may have condensed from silicate-rich vapors produced during distillation. Mokoia inclusion matrix contains phyllosilicates that are probably primitive nebular material.     

Determination of the petrologic type of CV3 chondrites by Raman spectroscopy of included organic matter

This paper reports the first reliable quantitative determination of the thermal metamorphism grade of a series of nine CV3 chondrites: Allende, Axtell, Bali, Mokoia, Grosnaja, Efremovka, Vigarano, Leoville, and Kaba. The maturity of the organic matter in matrix, determined by Raman spectroscopy, has been used as a powerful metamorphic tracer, independent of the mineralogical context and extent of aqueous alteration. This tracer has been used along with other metamorphic tracers such as Fe zoning in type-I chondrules of olivine phenocrysts, presolar grain abundance and noble gas abundance (bulk and P3 component). The study shows that the petrologic types determined earlier by Induced ThermoLuminescence were underestimated and suggests the following values: PT (Allende-Axtell) >3.6; PT (Bali-Mokoia-Grosnaja) ∼3.6; PT (Efremovka-Leoville-Vigarano) = 3.1-3.4; PT (Kaba) ∼3.1. The most commonly studied CV3, Allende, is also the most metamorphosed. Bali is a breccia containing clasts of different petrologic types. The attribution suggested by this study is that of clasts of the highest petrologic types, as pointed out by IOM maturity and noble gas bulk abundance. CV3 chondrites have complex asteroidal backgrounds, with various degrees of aqueous alteration and/or thermal metamorphism leading to complex mineralogical and petrologic patterns. (Fe,Mg) chemical zoning in olivine phenocrysts, on the borders of type I chondrules of porphyritic olivine- and pyroxene-rich textural types, has been found to correlate with the metamorphism grade. This suggests that chemical zoning in some chondrules, often interpreted as exchanges between chondrules and nebular gas, may well have an asteroidal origin. Furthermore, the compositional range of olivine matrix is controlled both by thermal metamorphism and aqueous alteration. This does not support evidence of a nebular origin and does not necessarily mirror the metamorphism grade through (Fe,Mg) equilibration. On the other hand, it may provide clues on the degree of aqueous alteration vs. thermal metamorphism and on the timing of both processes. In particular, Mokoia experienced significant aqueous alteration after the metamorphism peak, whereas Grosnaja, which has similar metamorphism grade, did not.     

Ca isotopes in refractory inclusions

We report measurements of the absolute isotope abundance of Ca in Ca-Al-rich inclusions from the Allende and Leoville meteorites. Improved high precision measurements are reported also for ⁴⁶Ca. We find that nonlinear isotope effects in Ca are extremely rare in these inclusions. The absence of nonlinear effects in Ca, except for the effects in FUN inclusions, is in sharp contrast to the endemic effects in Ti. One fine-grained inclusion shows an excess of ⁴⁶Ca of (7 ± 1)%., which is consistent with addition of only ⁴⁶Ca or of an exotic (1) component with ⁴⁶Ca¹ ~ ⁴⁸Ca¹. FUN inclusion EK-1-4-1 shows a small ⁴⁶Ca excess of (3.3 ± 1.0)%.; this confirms that the exotic Ca components in EK-1-4-1 were even more deficient in ⁴⁶Ca relative to ⁴⁸Ca than is the case for normal Ca. The Ca in the Ca-Al-rich inclusions shows mass dependent isotope fractionation effects (as deduced from the absolute ${}^{40}\text{Ca}{}^{44}\text{Ca}$) which have a range from ?3.8 to +6.7%. per mass unit difference. This range is a factor of 20 wider than the range previously established for bulk meteorites and for terrestrial and lunar samples. Ca and Mg isotope fractionation effects in the Ca-Al-rich inclusions are common and attributed to kinetic isotope effects which imply the production of the inclusions by complex sequences of condensation, vaporization and recondensation. A correlation was found between Ca and Mg isotope fractionation effects and inclusion type. A possible correlation between isotope fractionation and rare earth element abundance patterns is discussed.     

Primordial compositions of refractory inclusions

Bulk chemical and O-, Mg- and Si-isotopic compositions were measured for each of 17 Types A and B refractory inclusions from CV3 chondrites. After bulk chemical compositions were corrected for non-representative sampling in the laboratory, the Mg- and Si-isotopic compositions of each inclusion were used to calculate its original chemical composition assuming that the heavy-isotope enrichments of these elements are due to Rayleigh fractionation that accompanied their evaporation from CMAS liquids. The resulting pre-evaporation chemical compositions are consistent with those predicted by equilibrium thermodynamic calculations for high-temperature nebular condensates, but only if different inclusions condensed from nebular regions that ranged in total pressure from 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻¹ bar, regardless of whether they formed in a system of solar composition or in one enriched in dust of ordinary chondrite composition relative to gas by a factor of 10 compared to solar composition. This is similar to the range of total pressures predicted by dynamic models of the solar nebula for regions whose temperatures are in the range of silicate condensation temperatures. Alternatively, if departure from equilibrium condensation and/or non-representative sampling of condensates in the nebula occurred, the inferred range of total pressure could be smaller. Simple kinetic modeling of evaporation successfully reproduces observed chemical compositions of most inclusions from their inferred pre-evaporation compositions, suggesting that closed-system isotopic exchange processes did not have a significant effect on their isotopic compositions. Comparison of pre-evaporation compositions with observed ones indicates that 80% of the enrichment in refractory CaO + Al₂O₃ relative to more volatile MgO + SiO₂ is due to initial condensation and 20% due to subsequent evaporation for both Types A and B inclusions.     

Chemical and physical studies of type 3 chondrites—I: Metamorphism related studies of Antarctic and other type 3 ordinary chondrites

Thermoluminescence sensitivity measurements have been made on 18 unequilibrated ordinary chondrites; 12 finds from Antarctica, 5 non-Antarctic finds and 1 fall. The TL sensitivities of these meteorites, normalized to Dhajala, range from 0.034 (St. Mary's County) to 2.3 (Allan Hills A78084), and, based primarily on these data, petrologic type assignments range from 3.3 (St. Mary's County) to 3.9 (Allan Hills A78084). Although the very low levels of metamorphism experienced by types 3.0 to ～3.4 evidently cause large changes in TL sensitivity, the new data demonstrate that they are unable to cause any appreciable homogenization of silicate compositions. We have therefore slightly revised the silicate heterogeneity ranges corresponding to the lower petrologic types.We have discovered that the temperature of maximum TL emission and the broadness of the major TL peak, vary systematically with TL sensitivity; as TL increases these parameters first decrease and then increase. Several mechanisms which could account, partially or completely, for the relationship between TL sensitivity and metamorphism are discussed. Those which involve the formation of feldspar—the TL phosphor in equilibrated meteorites—seem to be consistent with the trends in peak temperature and peak width since experiments on terrestrial albite show that the TL peak broadens and moves to higher temperatures as the stable form changes from the low (ordered) state to the high (disordered) state. (The post-metamorphism equilibration temperature of type ～3.5 meteorites would then correspond to the transformation temperature for the high to low form of meteorite feldspar.) Other factors which may be involved are obscuration of the TL by carbonaceous material, changes in the composition of the phosphor and changes in the identity of the phosphor.