Exposure history and terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the Dar al Gani region,Libya

Abstract— We measured the concentrations of noble gases in 32 ordinary chondrites from the Dar al Gani (DaG) region, Libya, as well as concentrations of the cosmogenic radionuclides ¹⁴C, ¹⁰Be, ²⁶Al, ³⁶Cl, and ⁴¹Ca in 18 of these samples. Although the trapped noble gases in five DaG samples show ratios typical of solar or planetary gases, in all other DaG samples, they are dominated by atmospheric contamination, which increases with the degree of weathering. Cosmic ray exposure (CRE) ages of DaG chondrites range from ?1 Myr to 53 Myr. The CRE age distribution of 10 DaG L chondrites shows a cluster around 40 Myr due to four members of a large L6 chondrite shower. The CRE age distribution of 19 DaG H chondrites shows only three ages coinciding with the main H chondrite peak at ?7 Myr, while seven ages are <5 Myr. Two of these H chondrites with short CRE ages (DaG 904 and 908) show evidence of a complex exposure history. Five of the H chondrites show evidence of high shielding conditions, including low ²²Ne/²¹Ne ratios and large contributions of neutron‐capture ³⁶Cl and ⁴¹Ca. These samples represent fragments of two or more large pre‐atmospheric objects, which supports the hypothesis that the high H/L chondrite ratio at DaG is due to one or more large unrecognized showers. The ¹⁴C concentrations correspond to terrestrial ages <35 kyr, similar to terrestrial ages of chondrites from other regions in the Sahara but younger than two DaG achondrites. Despite the loss of cosmogenic ³⁶Cl and ⁴¹Ca during oxidation of metal and troilite, concentrations of ³⁶Cl and ⁴¹Ca in the silicates are also consistent with ¹⁴C ages <35 kyr. The only exception is DaG 343 (H4), which has a ⁴¹Ca terrestrial age of 150 ± 40 kyr. This old age shows that not only iron meteorites and achondrites but also chondrites can survive the hot desert environment for more than 50 kyr. A possible explanation is that older meteorites were covered by soils during wetter periods and were recently exhumed by removal of these soils due to deflation during more arid periods, such as the current one, which started ?3000 years ago. Finally, based on the ²⁶Al/²¹Ne and ¹⁰Be/²¹Ne systematics in 16 DaG meteorites, we derived more reliable estimates of the ¹⁰Be/²¹Ne production rate ratio, which seems more sensitive to shielding than was predicted by the semi‐empirical model of Graf et al. (1990) but less sensitive than was predicted by the purely physical model of Leya et al. (2000).     

New findings for the equilibrated enstatite chondrite Grein 002

Abstract— We report new petrographic and chemical data for the equilibrated EL chondrite Grein 002, including the occurrence of osbornite, metallic copper, abundant taenite, and abundant diopside. As inferred from low Si concentrations in kamacite, the presence of ferroan alabandite, textural deformation, chemical equilibration of mafic silicates, and a subsolar noble gas component, we concur with Grein 002's previous classification as an EL4‐5 chondrite. Furthermore, the existence of pockets consisting of relatively coarse, euhedral enstatite crystals protruding large patches of Fe‐Ni alloys suggests to us that this EL4‐5 chondrite has been locally melted. We suspect impact induced shock to have triggered the formation of the melt pockets. Mineralogical evidence indicates that the localized melting of metal and adjacent enstatite must have happened relatively late in the meteorite's history. The deformation of chondrules, equilibration of mafic silicates, and generation of normal zoning in Fe, Zn‐sulfides took place during thermal alteration before the melting event. Following parent body metamorphism, daubreelite was exsolved from troilite in response to a period of slow cooling at subsolidus temperatures. Exsolution of schreibersite from the coarse metal patches probably occurred during a similar period of slow cooling subsequent to the event that induced the formation of the melt pockets. Overall shock features other than localized melting correspond to stage S2 and were likely established by the final impact that excavated the Grein 002 meteoroid.     

Noble gases in enstatite chondrites I: Exposure ages,pairing, and weathering effects

Abstract— Cosmic‐ray exposure ages calculated from cosmogenic noble gas nuclides are reported for 57 enstatite (E) chondrites, 43 of them were measured for the first time. With a total of 62 individual E chondrites (literature and this data, corrected for pairing) the observed spectrum of ages ranges between 0.07 and 66 Ma. Three clusters seem to develop at about 3.5, 8, and 25 Ma, respectively. Since the uncertainty of ages is estimated to be ～20% (in contrast to 10 to 15% for ordinary chondrites) and the number of examined samples is still comparatively small, these peaks have to be confirmed by more measurements. Regarding the two subgroups, EH and EL chondrites, no systematic trend is apparent in the distribution of cosmic‐ray exposure ages. Several E chondrites yield significantly lower ³⁸Ar ages compared to those calculated from cosmogenic ³He and ²¹Ne. For these E chondrites, we suggest a reduction of cosmogenic ³⁸Ar as a result of weathering. In order to prove the possible influence of terrestrial alteration on the cosmogenic noble gas record of E‐chondritic material, we simulated terrestrial weathering in an experiment of 12 weeks duration. The treatment showed that a significant amount of cosmogenic ³⁸Ar is lost on Earth by the influence of water.     

Cosmogenic radionuclides and noble gases in Antarctic H chondrites with high and normal natural thermoluminescence levels

Abstract— We report noble gas data for 37 H chondrites collected from the Allan Hills by EUROMET in the 1988–1989 field season. Among these are 16 specimens with high levels (>100 krad) of natural thermoluminescence (NTL), originally interpreted as signaling their derivation from a single meteoroid with an orbit that became Earth‐crossin‐100 ka ago. One of these 16 is an H3 chondrite with a cosmic‐ray exposure age of ～33 Ma and clearly represents a separate fall. The other 15 H4–6 chondrites derive from three separate meteoroids, each of which is represented by a five or six member group. These groups have mean exposure ages of 3.7, 4.1, and 6.6 Ma: the middle‐group members all contain solar Ne. The two younger groups also seem to each include a few H chondrites with normal NTL levels. Measurements of cosmogenic ¹⁰Be (1.5 Ma), ²⁶AI (710 ka), and ³⁶CI (301 ka) in 14 of the high‐NTL chondrites indicate that all reflect a simple irradiation history. In contrast, many of a different (38 member) randomly selected suite of Antarctic H chondrites seem to have different cosmic‐ray irradiation histories. The 3.7 and 6.6 Ma groups from the 37 member Allan Hills suite come from about 5–30 and about 5–10 cm depths in 80–125 and 60–125 cm radius meteoroids, respectively.     

New noble gas data of primitive and differentiated achondrites including Northwest Africa 011 and Tafassasset

Abstract— This work reports on the noble gas inventory of 3 new acapulcoites, 3 brachinites, 2 new eucrites from the Dar al Gani region in Libya, the unique achondrite Dar al Gani (DaG) 896 from the same locality, the new eucrite‐like achondrite Northwest Africa (NWA) 011, and the controversial sample Tafassasset. We determined cosmic ray exposure and gas retention ages, evaluated shielding conditions, and discuss the trapped noble gas component of the specimens. All exposure ages are within the known range of stony meteorites and partly confirm previously established age clusters. Shielding conditions vary, suggesting substantial shielding for all 3 brachinites and Tafassasset. We cannot exclude, however, that the Mg‐rich composition of brachinites simply simulates heavy shielding. Regarding the trapped component, we found Q‐like compositions only for the acapulcoite Thiel Mountains (TIL) 99002. The brachinite Elephant Moraine (EET) 99402 yields a high, subsolar ³⁶Ar/¹³²Xe ratio of ?400 along with a slightly elevated ⁸⁴Kr/¹³²atio, indicating minor atmospheric contamination. All the other samples, particularly the eucrite DaG 983, are characterized by clearly elevated Ar/Kr/Xe ratios due to significant terrestrial alteration. Tafassasset exhibits noble gas parameters that are different from those of CR chondrites, including a relatively high cosmic ray exposure age, the absence of a solar component, low ¹³²Xe concentrations, a low trapped ³⁶Ar/¹³²Xe ratio of ?30, and a noticeable amount of radiogenic ¹²⁹Xe. Similar attributes have been observed for some primitive achondrites. These attributes are also consistent with the metamorphic character of the sample. We, therefore, consider Tafassasset's noble gas record to be inconclusive as to its classification (primitive achondrite versus metamorphosed CR chondrite).     

复杂场源形态的海洋可控源电磁三维正演

在使用电偶极发射源的可控源电磁法(CSEM)勘探中,发射源的方位、长度、形状等对观测数据有重要的影响,然而现有的大部分三维数值模拟方法没有全面地将这些因素考虑进来,很多都只能应对非常简单的场源形态,例如单一方位的点电偶极子,这有可能显著降低模拟结果的准确性.本文实现了基于交错网格有限体积(FV)离散的海洋CSEM三维正演算法,能够模拟形态相对复杂的场源,包括任意方位的有限长直导线和弯曲导线发射源.该算法使用一次场/二次场方法,只需对二次场使用FV法求解,避免了场源的奇异性问题;一次场的计算为一维正演问题,使用准解析法求解,并且只要在计算一次场时考虑复杂的场源形态便可以实现同样场源的三维正演.通过与一维理论模型的解析解对比验证了三维程序的准确性,并针对三维理论模型进行了一系列正演测试,初步考察了场源形态对三维正演结果的影响.     

Consortium study of the unusual H chondrite regolith breccia,Noblesville

Abstract— The Noblesville meteorite is a genomict, regolith breccia (H6 clasts in H4 matrix). Mössbauer analysis confirms that Noblesville is unusually fresh, not surprising in view of its recovery immediately after its fall. It resembles “normal” H4–6 chondrites in its chemical composition and induced thermoluminescence (TL) levels. Thus, at least in its contents of volatile trace elements, Noblesville differs from other H chondrite, class A regolith breccias. Noblesville's small pre-atmospheric mass and fall near Solar maximum and/or its peculiar orbit (with perihelion <0.8 AU as shown by natural TL intensity) may partly explain its levels of cosmogenic radionuclides. Its cosmic ray exposure age of ～ 44 Ma, is long, is equalled or exceeded by <3% of all H chondrites, and also differs from the 33 ± 3 Ma mean exposure age peak of other H chondrite regolith breccias. One whole-rock aliquot has a high, but not unmatched, ¹²⁹Xe/¹³²Xe of 1.88. While Noblesville is now among the chondritic regolithic breccias richest in solar gases, elemental ratios indicate some loss, especially of He, perhaps b; impacts in the regolith that heated individual grains. While general shock-loading levels in Noblesville did not exceed 4 GPa, individual clasts record shock levels of 5–10 GPa, doubtless acquired prior to lithification of the whole-rock meteoroid.     

Mineralogy,chemistry, and irradiation record of Neuschwanstein (EL6) chondrite

Abstract– We present a detailed study of mineralogy, chemistry, and noble gases of the Neuschwanstein (EL6) chondrite that fell in 2002 in southern Germany. The meteorite has an unbrecciated texture and exhibits only minor shock features. Secondary weathering products are marginal. Neuschwanstein is an EL6 chondrite with heterogeneously distributed metal and sulfide grains. In terms of bulk chemistry, it has very high Fe concentrations, and siderophile and halogen element abundances higher than typical EL chondrites. However, like other ELs of higher petrologic type, it has low moderately volatile element abundances, e.g., Mn and Zn. We interpret these as indicators for loss of sulfide, probably through mobilization of ferroan alabandite and a Zn‐bearing sulfide, potentially sphalerite, during metamorphism. Trapped noble gases are dominated by a subsolar component with high Ar concentrations and are typical for EL chondrites. The shielding parameters indicate a small meteoroid (<20 cm radius) with an exposure age of approximately 47 Ma, which is among the highest for enstatite chondrites.