Exposure history of separated phases from the Kapoeta meteorite

Abstract— The cosmogenic radionuclides, ¹⁰Be, ²⁶Al, ³⁶Cl, and ⁵³Mn were measured in selected clasts and matrix samples from the howardite Kapoeta. Previous measurements of cosmogenic ²¹Ne indicate higher cosmic‐ray exposure ages for bulk samples than for some separated clasts or mineral separates. A possible interpretation for this difference in apparent exposure ages is a complex recent exposure history for Kapoeta. In this scenario some constituents are exposed to cosmic rays in a 2π geometry as part of a larger body immediately preceding its 4π exposure in a smaller body. To test this scenario we measured cosmogenic radionuclides in several clasts from Kapoeta. These measurements are consistent with a simple single‐stage 4π exposure history during which the entire inventory of cosmogenic radionuclides was produced. Taken together, these data are most consistent with a single‐stage 4π exposure lasting ～3 Ma. This scenario is nevertheless consistent with models in which the exposure of some constituents of Kapoeta to energetic particles occurred at an earlier time, as is indicated by ²¹Ne measurements. However, from our data we conclude that insubstantial quantities of cosmogenic radionuclides were inherited from this earlier irradiation; this earlier exposure to energetic particles must have predated the recent exposure by at least ～10 Ma to allow for the decay of the long half‐life cosmogenic radionuclides.