Preliminary Compositional Comparisons of H-Chondrite Falls to Antarctic H-Chondrite Populations

Science.gov (United States)

Kallemeyn, G. W.; Krot, A. N.; Rubin, A. E.

1993-07-01

In a series of papers [e.g., 1,2], Lipschutz and co-workers compared trace- element RNAA data from Antarctic and non-Antarctic H4-6 chondrites and concluded that the two populations have significantly different concentrations of several trace elements including Co, Se, and Sb. They interpreted their data as indicating that these Antarctic H chondrites form different populations than observed H falls and may have originated in separate parent bodies. Recent work by Sears and co-workers [e.g., 3] has shown that there seem to be distinct populations of Antarctic H chondrites, distinguishable on the bases of induced thermoluminescence (TL) peak temperature, metallographic cooling rate, and cosmic ray exposure age. They showed that a group of Antarctic H chondrites having abnormally high induced TL peak temperatures (>=190 degrees C) also has cosmic ray exposure ages Ma (mostly ~8 Ma) and fast metallographic cooling rates (~100 K/Ma). Another group having induced TL peak temperatures 20 Ma and slower cooling rates (~10-20 K/Ma). We studied 24 H4-6 chondrites from Victoria Land (including 12 previously analyzed by the Lipschutz group) by optical microscopy and electron microprobe. Many of the Antarctic H chondrites studied by Lipschutz and co- workers are unsuitable for proper compositional comparisons with H chondrite falls: Four are very weathered, five are extensively shocked, and two are extensively brecciated. Furthermore, at least five of the samples contain solar-wind gas (and hence are regolith breccias) [4]. These samples were rejected because of possible compositional modification by secondary processes. For our INAA study we chose a suite of relatively unweathered and unbrecciated Antarctic H chondrites (including nine from the Lipschutz set): ALHA 77294 (H5, S3); ALHA 79026 (H5, S3); ALHA 79039 (H5, S3); ALHA 80131 (H5, S3); ALHA 80132 (H5, S4); ALHA 81037 (H6, S3); EETA 79007 (H5, S4); LEW 85320 (H6, S4); LEW 85329 (H6, S3); RKPA 78002 (H5, S2); and RKPA

One-pot synthesis of amino acid precursors with insoluble organic matter in planetesimals with aqueous activity

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Chan, Queenie H. S.; Tachibana, Shogo; Kobayashi, Kensei; Zolensky, Michael E.

2017-01-01

The exogenous delivery of organic molecules could have played an important role in the emergence of life on the early Earth. Carbonaceous chondrites are known to contain indigenous amino acids as well as various organic compounds and complex macromolecular materials, such as the so-called insoluble organic matter (IOM), but the origins of the organic matter are still subject to debate. We report that the water-soluble amino acid precursors are synthesized from formaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, and ammonia with the presence of liquid water, simultaneously with macromolecular organic solids similar to the chondritic IOM. Amino acid products from hydrothermal experiments after acid hydrolysis include α-, β-, and γ-amino acids up to five carbons, for which relative abundances are similar to those extracted from carbonaceous chondrites. One-pot aqueous processing from simple ubiquitous molecules can thus produce a wide variety of meteoritic organic matter from amino acid precursors to macromolecular IOM in chondrite parent bodies. PMID:28345041

Long-lived magnetism on chondrite parent bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Jay; Bates, Helena C.; Muxworthy, Adrian R.; Hezel, Dominik C.; Russell, Sara S.; Genge, Matthew J.

2017-10-01

We present evidence for both early- and late-stage magnetic activity on the CV and L/LL parent bodies respectively from chondrules in Vigarano and Bjurböle. Using micro-CT scans to re-orientate chondrules to their in-situ positions, we present a new micron-scale protocol for the paleomagnetic conglomerate test. The paleomagnetic conglomerate test determines at 95% confidence, whether clasts within a conglomerate were magnetized before or after agglomeration, i.e., for a chondritic meteorite whether the chondrules carry a pre- or post-accretionary remanent magnetization. We found both meteorites passed the conglomerate test, i.e., the chondrules had randomly orientated magnetizations. Vigarano's heterogeneous magnetization is likely of shock origin, due to the 10 to 20 GPa impacts that brecciated its precursor material on the parent body and transported it to re-accrete as the Vigarano breccia. The magnetization was likely acquired during the break-up of the original body, indicating a CV parent body dynamo was active ∼9 Ma after Solar System formation. Bjurböle's magnetization is due to tetrataenite, which transformed from taenite as the parent body cooled to below 320 °C, when an ambient magnetic field imparted a remanence. We argue either the high intrinsic anisotropy of tetrataenite or brecciation on the parent body manifests as a randomly orientated distribution, and a L/LL parent body dynamo must have been active at least 80 to 140 Ma after peak metamorphism. Primitive chondrites did not originate from entirely primitive, never molten and/or differentiated parent bodies. Primitive chondrite parent bodies consisted of a differentiated interior sustaining a long-lived magnetic dynamo, encrusted by a layer of incrementally accreted primitive meteoritic material. The different ages of carbonaceous and ordinary chondrite parent bodies might indicate a general difference between carbonaceous and ordinary chondrite parent bodies, and/or formation location in the

A possible origin of EL6 chondrites from a high temperature-high pressure solar gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blander, M. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Unger, L. [Purdue Univ., Westiville, IN (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Pelton, A.; Eriksson, G. [Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering

1994-05-01

Condensates from a gas of ``solar`` composition were calculated to investigate the origins of EL6 chondrites using a free energy minimization program with a data base for the thermodynamic properties of multicomponent molten silicates as well as for other liquids solids, solid solutions and gaseous species. Because of high volatility of silicon and silica, the high silicon content of metal (2.6 mole %) can only be produced at pressures 10{sup {minus}2} atm at temperatures above 1475 K. At 100--500 atm, a liquid silicate phase crystallizes at a temperature where the silicon content of the metal, ferrosilite content of the enstatite and albite concentration in the plagioclase are close to measured values. In pyrometallurgy, liquid silicates are catalysts for reactions in which Si-O-Si bridging bonds are broken or formed. Thus, one attractive mode for freezing in the compositions of these three phases is disappearance of fluxing liquid. If the plagioclase can continue to react with the nebula without a liquid phase, lower pressures of 10{sup {minus}1} to 1 atm might be possible. Even if the nebula is more reducing than a solar gas, the measured properties of EL6 chondrites might be reconciled with only slightly lower pressures (less than 3X lower). The temperatures would be about the same as indicated in our calculations since the product of the silicon content of the metal and the square of the ferrosilite content of the enstatite constitute a cosmothermometer for the mineral assemblage in EL6 chondrites.

Do L chondrites come from the Gefion family?

Science.gov (United States)

McGraw, Allison M.; Reddy, Vishnu; Sanchez, Juan A.

2018-05-01

Ordinary chondrites (H, L, and LL chondrites) are the most common type of meteorites comprising 80 per cent of the meteorites that fall on Earth. The source region of these meteorites in the main asteroid belt has been a basis of considerable debate in the small bodies community. L chondrites have been proposed to come from the Gefion asteroid family, based on dynamical models. We present results from our observational campaign to verify a link between the Gefion asteroid family and L chondrite meteorites. Near-infrared spectra of Gefion family asteroids (1839) Ragazza, (2373) Immo, (2386) Nikonov, (2521) Heidi, and (3860) Plovdiv were obtained at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). Spectral band parameters including band centres and the band area ratio were measured from each spectrum and used to constrain the composition of these asteroids. Based on our results, we found that some members of the Gefion family have surface composition similar to that of H chondrites, primitive achondrites, and basaltic achondrites. No evidence was found for L chondrites among the Gefion family members in our small sample study. The diversity of compositional types observed in the Gefion asteroid family suggests that the original parent body might be partially differentiated or that the three asteroids with non-ordinary chondrite compositions might be interlopers.

Structure and isotopic ratios of aliphatic side chains in the insoluble organic matter of the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yongsong; Alexandre, Marcelo R.; Wang, Yi

2007-07-01

We report in this paper the first molecular and isotopic characterization of individual aliphatic side chains from the insoluble organic matter (IOM) in the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite using a novel combined approach of RuO 4 oxidation and solid phase microextraction (SPME). The aliphatic side chains in the IOM of Murchison were first released by oxidizing aromatic structures using RuO 4. Because the IOM of carbonaceous chondrites contains predominantly short (C 1 to C 9) aliphatic substitutions, the resulting low molecular weight monocarboxylic acids (MCAs) are highly volatile and water-soluble. The conventional aqueous extraction and derivatization procedures following RuO 4 oxidation are unable to recover MCAs for subsequent analyses. We overcame this problem by employing SPME to directly capture the MCAs from the aqueous solution. We selected a SPME fiber with greater affinity for longer chain monoacids to compensate for the exponential decline of monoacid concentrations with increasing carbon numbers in meteorite IOM, allowing more accurate identification and quantification for the less abundant monoacids. We also determined the carbon and hydrogen isotopic ratios of individual MCAs derived from Murchinson IOM. Our results reveal significant similarity in both molecular structures and hydrogen isotopic ratios between the IOM aliphatic side chains and water-soluble MCAs in Murchison, suggesting that these compounds had common precursors. Our combined new approach of RuO 4 oxidation-SPME provides a new way to probe the molecular and isotopic characteristics of aliphatic side chains in carbonaceous chondrites.

Reconstructing the thermal evolution of the CK chondrite parent body using Northwest Africa 5343, the least metamorphosed CK chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, T. L.; Gross, J.; O'Hara, E. J.

2017-12-01

Carbonaceous chondrites (CCs) represent some of the most pristine solar system material, providing constraints on the early formation of planetesimals. The CK chondrites are the only group of CCs to exhibit the full range of thermal metamorphism (petrologic type 3 to 6). Most unequilibrated CK chondrites (CK3s) have been metamorphosed to petrologic subtype 3.8 or higher. However, homogeneity of olivine suggests that CK3 chondrite Northwest Africa (NWA) 5343 is less metamorphosed than the other CK3s. The presence of unrecrystallized matrix indicates that it is less than petrologic type 3.7. To better assess the lower limits of metamorphism on the CK chondrite parent body, we performed a detailed analysis of matrix material in NWA 5343. Ascertaining the lower limit of metamorphism in the CK chondrites is critical when addressing the CK-CV parent body debate (e.g., one vs. two parent bodies), and will shed light onto the evolution of metamorphosed CC parent bodies. We recognize two texturally distinct regions in the matrix of NWA 5343. Both have similar mineralogies (mostly olivine with lesser pyroxene and plagioclase), but differ in grain size, shape, and porosity. The porous region of the sample is characterized by subhedral-rounded olivine grains, typically Skeletal pyroxene is also common. Original pore space is filled with a Ca-rich glass that appears to originate from an unusual vein in this region. Most interestingly, the extent of metamorphism varies within NWA 5343. Larger, anhedral olivine in the glassy region suggest that this region is more metamorphosed than the porous region. Even within the porous region there is a range of metamorphism, with small patches of granoblastic olivine intermixed with the clastic matrix. This suggests that NWA 5343 may represent a metamorphic breccia, a common occurrence in OCs and CCs of lower petrologic types, and provides insight into the evolution of the only completely metamorphosed CC parent body.

R Raman Spectroscopy and Petrology of Antarctic CR Chondrites: Comparison with Other Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Komatsu, M.; Fagan, T. J.; Yamaguchi, A.; Mikouchi, T.; Zolensky, M. E.; Yasutake, M.

2015-01-01

In Renazzo-like carbonaceous (CR) chondrites, abundant original Fe,Ni-metal is preserved in chrondules, but the matrix is characterized by fine-grained magnetite with phyllosilicate. This combination of reduced Fe in chrodrules with oxidized Fe and phyllosilicate in the matrix has been attributed to aqueous alteration of matrix at relatively low temperatures.

A Raman spectroscopic study of organic matter in interplanetary dust particles and meteorites using multiple wavelength laser excitation

Science.gov (United States)

Starkey, N. A.; Franchi, I. A.; Alexander, C. M. O'd.

2013-10-01

Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate insoluble organic matter (IOM) from a range of chondritic meteorites, and a suite of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs). Three monochromatic excitation wavelengths (473 nm, 514 nm, 632 nm) were applied sequentially to assess variations in meteorite and IDP Raman peak parameters (carbon D and G bands) as a function of excitation wavelength (i.e., dispersion). Greatest dispersion occurs in CVs > OCs > CMs > CRs with type 3 chondrites compared at different excitation wavelengths displaying conformable relationships, in contrast to type 2 chondrites. These findings indicate homogeneity in the structural nature of type 3 chondrite IOM, while organic matter (OM) in type 2 chondrites appears to be inherently more heterogeneous. If type 2 and type 3 chondrite IOM shares a common source, then thermal metamorphism may have a homogenizing effect on the originally more heterogeneous OM. IDP Raman G bands fall on an extension of the trend displayed by chondrite IOM, with all IDPs having Raman parameters indicative of very disordered carbon, with almost no overlap with IOM. The dispersion effect displayed by IDPs is most similar to CMs for the G band, but intermediate between CMs and CRs for the D band. The existence of some overlapping Raman features in the IDPs and IOM indicates that their OM may share a common origin, but the IDPs preserve more pristine OM that may have been further disordered by ion irradiation. H, C, and N isotopic data for the IDPs reveal that the disordered carbon in IDPs corresponds with higher δ15N and lower δ13C.

Morphological Study of Insoluble Organic Matter Residues from Primitive

Science.gov (United States)

Changela, H. G.; Stroud, R. M.; Peeters, Z.; Nittler, L. R.; Alexander, C. M. O'D.; DeGregorio, B. T.; Cody, G. D.

2012-01-01

Insoluble organic matter (IOM) constitutes a major proportion, 70-99%, of the total organic carbon found in primitive chondrites [1, 2]. One characteristic morphological component of IOM is nanoglobules [3, 4]. Some nanoglobules exhibit large N-15 and D enrichments relative to solar values, indicating that they likely originated in the ISM or the outskirts of the protoplanetary disk [3]. A recent study of samples from the Tagish Lake meteorite with varying levels of hydrothermal alteration suggest that nanoglobule abundance decreases with increasing hydrothermal alteration [5]. The aim of this study is to further document the morphologies of IOM from a range of primitive chondrites in order to determine any correlation of morphology with petrographic grade and chondrite class that could constrain the formation and/or alteration mechanisms.

Origin of metallic Fe-Ni in Renazzo and related chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Min S.; Rubin, Alan E.; Wasson, John T.

1992-01-01

To assess the formation of metallic Fe-Ni in Renazzo and related chondrites, Ni and Co zoning profiles in metallic Fe-Ni are determined from different petrographic sites (chondrule interiors, chondrule margins, chondrule rims, and matrix) in Renazzo, Al Rais, and the related chondrite, MacAlpine Hills 87320. Metal from chondrule interiors shows flat Ni and Co concentrations and profiles, moderately large grain-to-grain compositional variations (even with chondrules), and generally high Ni and Co. Nickel concentrations extend above the kamacite stability limit; etching such 'martensite' shows high-Ni domains in some cases, but observed Ni concentrations do not exceed 190 mg/g. Metal from chondrule margins adjacent to matrix shows convex Ni and Co zoning profiles; the highest Ni and Co concentrations are at grain centers, although the mean central Ni and Co concentrations in margin grains are much lower than those from chondrule interiors; the remainder are convex. The low Co and Ni contents at the edge of grains in chondrule margins are interpreted to reflect dilution by Fe produced by FeO reduction.

Extraterrestrial Amino Acids Identified in Metal-Rich CH and CB Carbonaceous Chondrites from Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, Aaron S.; Elsila, Jamie E.; Hein, Jason E.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Dworkin, Jason P.

2013-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites contain numerous indigenous organic compounds and could have been an important source of prebiotic compounds required for the origin of life on Earth or elsewhere. Extraterrestrial amino acids have been reported in five of the eight groups of carbonaceous chondrites and are most abundant in CI, CM, and CR chondritesbut are also present in the more thermally altered CV and CO chondrites. We report the abundance, distribution, and enantiomeric and isotopic compositions of simple primary amino acids in six metal-rich CH and CB carbonaceous chondrites that have not previously been investigated for amino acids: Allan Hills (ALH) 85085 (CH3), Pecora Escarpment(PCA) 91467 (CH3), Patuxent Range (PAT) 91546 (CH3), MacAlpine Hills (MAC) 02675(CBb), Miller Range (MIL) 05082 (CB), and Miller Range (MIL) 07411 (CB). Amino acid abundances and carbon isotopic values were obtained by using both liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry and fluorescence, and gas chromatography isotope ratiomass spectrometry. The (delta D, delta C-13, delta N-15) ratios of multiple amino acids fall outside of the terrestrial range and support their extraterrestrial origin. Extracts of CH chondrites were found to be particularly rich in amino acids (1316 parts per million, ppm) while CB chondrite extracts had much lower abundances (0.22 ppm). The amino acid distributions of the CH and CB chondrites were distinct from the distributions observed in type 2 and 3 CM and CR chondrites and contained elevated levels of beta-, gamma-, and delta-amino acids compared to the corresponding alpha-amino acids, providing evidence that multiple amino acid formation mechanisms were important in CH and CB chondrites.

Chemical and Isotopic Diversity of Organic Particles in Chondrites: Parent Body vs. Nebular Processes

OpenAIRE

Remusat, L.; Guan, Y.; Eiler, J. M.

2009-01-01

Insoluble organic matter (IOM), the main organic constituent in chondrites, has been extensively studied after HF/HCl isolation techniques. Bulk isotopic compositions and elemental ratios show variations between chondrite groups, whereas they are quite homogeneous within each class [1]. Recent isotopic measurements by ion probes have revealed that IOM is heterogeneous at the sub-micron scale [2,3]. Does this heterogeneity reflect parent body evolution or reactions in the gas...

Characterization of insoluble organic matter in primitive meteorites by microRaman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Busemann, Henner; Alexander, M. O'd.; Nittler, Larry R.

2007-08-01

We have analyzed the chemically and isotopically well-characterized insoluble organic matter (IOM) extracted from 51 unequilibrated chondrites (8 CR, 9 CM, 1 CI, 3 ungrouped C, 9 CO, 9 CV, 10 ordinary, 1 CB and 1 E chondrites) using confocal imaging Raman spectroscopy. The average Raman properties of the IOM, as parameterized by the peak characteristics of the so-called D and G bands, which originate from aromatic C rings, show systematic trends that are correlated with meteorite (sub-) classification and IOM chemical compositions. Processes that affect the Raman and chemical properties of the IOM, such as thermal metamorphism experienced on the parent bodies, terrestrial weathering and amorphization due to irradiation in space, have been identified. We established separate sequences of metamorphism for ordinary, CO, oxidized, and reduced CV chondrites. Several spectra from the most primitive chondrites reveal the presence of organic matter that has been amorphized. This amorphization, usually the result of sputtering processes or UV or particle irradiation, could have occurred during the formation of the organic material in interstellar or protoplanetary ices or, less likely, on the surface of the parent bodies or during the transport of the meteorites to Earth. D band widths and peak metamorphic temperatures are strongly correlated, allowing for a straightforward estimation of these temperatures.

Isotopic evidence for primordial molecular cloud material in metal-rich carbonaceous chondrites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Kooten, Elishevah M. M. E.; Wielandt, Daniel Kim Peel; Schiller, Martin

2016-01-01

product of (26)Al. This correlation is interpreted as reflecting progressive thermal processing of in-falling (26)Al-rich molecular cloud material in the inner Solar System. The thermally unprocessed molecular cloud matter reflecting the nucleosynthetic makeup of the molecular cloud before the last......)Mg*-depleted and (54)Cr-enriched component. This composition is consistent with that expected for thermally unprocessed primordial molecular cloud material before its pollution by stellar-derived (26)Al. The (26)Mg* and (54)Cr compositions of bulk metal-rich chondrites require significant amounts (25......-50%) of primordial molecular cloud matter in their precursor material. Given that such high fractions of primordial molecular cloud material are expected to survive only in the outer Solar System, we infer that, similarly to cometary bodies, metal-rich carbonaceous chondrites are samples of planetesimals...

Organic material in meteorites and the link to the origin of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Remusat L.

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Life requires specific conditions that have been, so far, only proven to meet on Earth. Though the chemical elements required to form living organism (C, H, N, O, S, etc are widespread in the universe, the molecules that are crucial for Life, like nucleobases or amino acids, may not be so ubiquitous. The question of the formation of small and complex molecules is highly relevant to understand the process of Life origin. Carbonaceous chondrites are a class of meteorites rich in organic compounds and host potential precursors for the emergence of Life (organic matter and water. They could have been the source of complex molecules on the early Earth. This contribution will describe the main properties of the organic matter recovered from carbonaceous chondrites. However, the isotopic and molecular record of organic compounds is faded by secondary processes that occurred on the parent body of these meteorites. This results in complex signatures that raise multiple questions about the origin of organic compounds in the Solar System.

A Chemical Comparison of STARDUST Organics with Insoluble Organic Matter in Chondritic Meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Cody, G. D.; Yabuta, H.; Alexander, C. M.; Araki, T.; Kilcoyne, D.

2006-12-01

We have analyzed 15 organic rich particles extracted from the aerogel capture device flown on the STARDUST mission spacecraft to comet Wild 2 using C-, N-, and O-X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy. Data were acquired with the Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM) beam line 5.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. XANES can provide both quantitative molecular functional group information and atomic N/C and O/C data. We use these data to place the organic matter extracted from the Aerogel Capture device in context with a large database of C-, N-, and O-XANES spectra obtained on meteoritic Insoluble Organic Matter (IOM) obtained from type 1, 2, and 3 chondrites. We find that the organic chemistry of the particles extracted from aerogel varies in functional group abundances, but is universally very rich in heteroatoms (N and O). In several cases the organic carbon is closely associated with silica (possibly derived from the aerogel), but at a concentration far in excess of the intrinsic carbon abundance of synthesized (and flown) aerogel. Independently, 29-Si, 13-C, and 1-H solid state NMR was applied to analyze the nature of organic carbon present in the aerogel as byproduct of the synthesis. The intrinsic aerogel carbon is very simple in its functional group chemistry, very low in abundance, and differs completely from that detected in the extracted organic particles.

The molecular structure of the insoluble organic matter isolated from Murchison carbonaceous chondrite.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert, F.; Derenne, S.

2009-04-01

During these last 10 years, our group has characterized the various molecular moieties of the insoluble organic matter (IOM) isolated from carbonaceous meteorites with the aim of reconstructing its overall molecular structure. Indeed, a precise knowledge of the structure of an organic macromolecule contains irreplaceable information that traces its mechanisms of synthesis and its conditions of formation. Such a modelled structure will be presented. Carbonaceous chondrites contain up to 3 wt % of carbon that is under the form of soluble and insoluble fractions. The IOM, which constitutes more than 75 wt% of the bulk organic matter, was isolated from the bulk rock through successive acid dissolutions. The chemical structure of the isolated IOM has been studied by both (1) destructive and (2) non destructive methods. Methods include thermal and chemical degradations followed by GC/MS, spectroscopic techniques (nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy; X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance) along with high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Although each technique alone cannot provide definite information on the chemical structure of such a complex material, the combination of the results can be used to reconstruct the molecular structure of the IOM. The proposed structure accounts for all these measured parameters. The details of this structure reveal information of the conditions of its formation in space and allow to discuss the mechanisms of organo-synthesis in the cosmochemical context of the formation of the solar system.

Oxygen isotopic abundances in calcium- aluminum-rich inclusions from ordinary chondrites: implications for nebular heterogeneity.

Science.gov (United States)

McKeegan, K D; Leshin, L A; Russell, S S; MacPherson, G J

1998-04-17

The oxygen isotopic compositions of two calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) from the unequilibrated ordinary chondrite meteorites Quinyambie and Semarkona are enriched in 16O by an amount similar to that in CAIs from carbonaceous chondrites. This may indicate that most CAIs formed in a restricted region of the solar nebula and were then unevenly distributed throughout the various chondrite accretion regions. The Semarkona CAI is isotopically homogeneous and contains highly 16O-enriched melilite, supporting the hypothesis that all CAI minerals were originally 16O-rich, but that in most carbonaceous chondrite inclusions some minerals exchanged oxygen isotopes with an external reservoir following crystallization.

Preservation of ancient impact ages on the R chondrite parent body: 40Ar/39Ar age of hornblende-bearing R chondrite LAP 04840

Science.gov (United States)

Righter, Kevin; Cosca, Michael A.; Morgan, Leah

2016-01-01

The hornblende- and biotite-bearing R chondrite LAP 04840 is a rare kind of meteorite possibly containing outer solar system water stored during metamorphism or postshock annealing deep within an asteroid. Because little is known regarding its age and origin, we determined 40Ar/39Ar ages on hornblende-rich separates of the meteorite, and obtained plateau ages of 4340(±40) to 4380(±30) Ma. These well-defined plateau ages, coupled with evidence for postshock annealing, indicate this meteorite records an ancient shock event and subsequent annealing. The age of 4340–4380 Ma (or 4.34–4.38 Ga) for this and other previously dated R chondrites is much older than most impact events recorded by ordinary chondrites and points to an ancient event or events that predated the late heavy bombardment that is recorded in so many meteorites and lunar samples.

Spectral reflectance properties of carbonaceous chondrites: 1. CI chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Cloutis, E. A.; Hiroi, T.; Gaffey, M. J.; Alexander, C. M. O.'D.; Mann, P.

2011-03-01

Existing reflectance spectra of CI chondrites (18 spectra of 3 CIs) have been augmented with new (18 spectra of 2 CIs) reflectance spectra to ascertain the spectral variability of this meteorite class and provide insights into their spectral properties as a function of grain size, composition, particle packing, and viewing geometry. Particle packing and viewing geometry effects have not previously been examined for CI chondrites. The current analysis is focused on the 0.3-2.5 μm interval, as this region is available for the largest number of CI spectra. Reflectance spectra of powdered CI1 chondrites are uniformly dark (IOM), as no other CI opaque phase appears able to produce concurrent darkening and bluing. Magnetite can also explain the presence of an absorption feature near 1 μm in some CI spectra. The most blue-sloped spectra are generally associated with the larger grain size samples. For incidence and emission angles <60°, increasing phase angle results in darker and redder spectra, particularly below ∼1 μm. At high incidence angles (60°), increasing emission angle results in brighter and redder spectra. More densely packed samples and underdense (fluffed) samples show lower overall reflectance than normally packed and flat-surface powdered samples. Some B-class asteroids exhibit selected spectral properties consistent with CI chondrites, although perfect spectral matches have not been found. Because many CI chondrite spectra exhibit absorption features that can be related to specific mineral phases, the search for CI parent bodies can fruitfully be conducted using such parameters.

Elemental and isotope behavior of macromolecular organic matter from CM chondrites during hydrous pyrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Oba, Y.; Naraoka, H.

2009-08-01

A new insight into carbon and hydrogen isotope variations of insoluble organic matter (IOM) is provided from seven CM chondrites, including Murchison and six Antarctic meteorites (Y-791198, Y-793321, A-881280, A-881334, A-881458 and B-7904) as well as Murchison IOM residues after hydrous pyrolysis at 270-330 °C for 72 h. Isotopic compositions of bulk carbon (δ13Cbulk) and hydrogen (δD) of the seven IOMs vary widely, ranging from -15.1 to -7.6‰ and +133 to +986‰, respectively. Intramolecular carboxyl carbon (δ13CCOOH) is more enriched in 13C by 7.5 -11‰ than bulk carbon. After hydrous pyrolysis of Murchison IOM at 330 °C, H/C ratio, δ13Cbulk, δ13CCOOH, and δD values decrease by up to 0.31, 3.5‰, 5.5‰, and 961‰, respectively. The O/C ratio increases from 0.22 to 0.46 at 270 °C and to 0.25 at 300 °C, and decreases to 0.10 at 330 °C. δ13Cbulk- δD cross plot of Murchison IOM and its pyrolysis residues shows an isotopic sequence. Of the six Antarctic IOMs, A-881280, A-881458, Y-791198 and B-7904 lie on or near the isotopic sequence depending on the degree of hydrous and/or thermal alteration, while A-881334 and Y-793321 consist of another distinct isotope group. A δ13Cbulk-δ13CCOOH cross-plot of IOMs, including Murchison pyrolysis residues, has a positive correlation between them, implying that the oxidation process to produce carboxyls is similar among all IOMs. These isotope distributions reflect various degree of alteration on the meteorite parent bodies and/or difference in original isotopic compositions before the parent body processes.

Metastable carbon in two chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rietmeijer, F.J.M.; Mackinnon, I.D.R.

1986-01-01

An understanding of carbonaceous matter in primitive extraterrestrial materials is an essential component of studies on dust evolution in the interstellar medium and the early history of the Solar System. Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM) on carbonaceous material in two Chondritic Porous (CP) aggregrates is presented. The study suggests that a record of hydrocarbon carbonization may also be preserved in these materials

Collisional erosion and the non-chondritic composition of the terrestrial planets.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Hugh St C; Palme, Herbert

2008-11-28

The compositional variations among the chondrites inform us about cosmochemical fractionation processes during condensation and aggregation of solid matter from the solar nebula. These fractionations include: (i) variable Mg-Si-RLE ratios (RLE: refractory lithophile element), (ii) depletions in elements more volatile than Mg, (iii) a cosmochemical metal-silicate fractionation, and (iv) variations in oxidation state. Moon- to Mars-sized planetary bodies, formed by rapid accretion of chondrite-like planetesimals in local feeding zones within 106 years, may exhibit some of these chemical variations. However, the next stage of planetary accretion is the growth of the terrestrial planets from approximately 102 embryos sourced across wide heliocentric distances, involving energetic collisions, in which material may be lost from a growing planet as well as gained. While this may result in averaging out of the 'chondritic' fractionations, it introduces two non-chondritic chemical fractionation processes: post-nebular volatilization and preferential collisional erosion. In the latter, geochemically enriched crust formed previously is preferentially lost. That post-nebular volatilization was widespread is demonstrated by the non-chondritic Mn/Na ratio in all the small, differentiated, rocky bodies for which we have basaltic samples, including the Moon and Mars. The bulk silicate Earth (BSE) has chondritic Mn/Na, but shows several other compositional features in its pattern of depletion of volatile elements suggestive of non-chondritic fractionation. The whole-Earth Fe/Mg ratio is 2.1+/-0.1, significantly greater than the solar ratio of 1.9+/-0.1, implying net collisional erosion of approximately 10 per cent silicate relative to metal during the Earth's accretion. If this collisional erosion preferentially removed differentiated crust, the assumption of chondritic ratios among all RLEs in the BSE would not be valid, with the BSE depleted in elements according to their

Highly 15N-Enriched Chondritic Clasts in the Isheyevo Meteorite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonal, L; Huss, G R; Krot, A N; Nagashima, K; Ishii, H A; Bradley, J P; Hutcheon, I D

2009-01-14

The metal-rich carbonaceous chondrites (CB and CH) have the highest whole-rock {sup 15}N enrichment ({delta}{sup 15}N up to +1500{per_thousand}), similar to {delta}{sup 15}N values reported in micron-sized regions (hotspots) of Interplanetary Dust Particles (IDPs) of possibly cometary origin and fine-grained matrices of unmetamorphosed chondrites. These {sup 15}N-rich hotspots are commonly attributed to low-temperature ion-molecule reactions in the protosolar molecular cloud or in the outer part of the protoplanetary disk. The nature of the whole-rock {sup 15}N enrichment of the metal-rich chondrites is not understood. We report a discovery of a unique type of primitive chondritic clasts in the CH/CB-like meteorite Isheyevo, which provides important constraints on the origin of {sup 15}N anomaly in metal-rich chondrites and nitrogen-isotope fractionation in the Solar System. These clasts contain tiny chondrules and refractory inclusions (5-15 {micro}m in size), and abundant ferromagnesian chondrule fragments (1-50 {micro}m in size) embedded in the partly hydrated, fine-grained matrix material composed of olivines, pyroxenes, poorly-organized aromatic organics, phyllosilicates and other hydrous phases. The mineralogy and oxygen isotope compositions of chondrules and refractory inclusions in the clasts are similar to those in the Isheyevo host, suggesting formation at similar heliocentric distances. In contrast to the previously known extraterrestrial samples, the fine-grained material in the clasts is highly and rather uniformly enriched in {sup 15}N, with bulk {delta}{sup 15}N values ranging between +1000 and +1300{per_thousand}; the {delta}{sup 15}N values in rare hotspots range from +1400 to +4000{per_thousand}. Since fine-grained matrices in the lithic clasts are the only component containing thermally unprocessed (during CAI and chondrule formation or during impact melting) materials that accreted into the metal rich chondrite parent body(ies), the {sup 15}N

The compositional classification of chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallemeyn, G.W.; Wasson, J.T.; California Univ., Los Angeles; California Univ., Los Angeles

1985-01-01

Six specimens of unusual chondritic materials were analyzed by neutron activation for 30 elements in order to assess their degree of chondritic compositional pristinity and to search for evidence of genetic links to other chondrites. Five have highly recrystallized textures: the other, the Cumberland Falls chondrite, has suffered minor metamorphic recrystallization. Acapulco and Allan Hills A77081, are closely related and have subpristine compositions; they are more distantly related to Enon which has an altered composition. Udei Station appears to be a IAB meteorite even though its FeO/(FeO + MgO) ratio is slightly above the IAB field. The highly weathered meteorite Tierra Blanca is closely related to IAB but has a delta 18 O value 5 standard deviations higher than the IAB mean, and is designated ungrouped. Udei Station and Tierra Blanca have altered compositions; rare earth element patterns indicate loss of a phosphate phase. The elemental composition of the Cumberland Falls chondrite is virtually identical to that of LL chondrites, and its O-isotope composition is closely similar to those of some unequilibrated ordinary chondrites including LL Semarkona. The FeO/(FeO + MgO) ratios in its olivine are generally much lower than those in pyroxene. (author)

Comparison of FTIR Spectra of Bulk and Acid Residual Organic Matter in Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Y.; Alexander, C. M. O'D.; Cody, G. D.

2013-09-01

We compared infrared spectra of bulk meteorites and IOM. The CH_2/CH_3 ratios show some difference between bulk samples and IOM, but there is no systematic correlation with chondrite groups or petrologic type.

Molecular and compound-specific hydrogen isotope analyses of insoluble organic matter from different carbonaceous chondrite groups

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi; Huang, Yongsong; Alexander, Conel M. O.'D.; Fogel, Marilyn; Cody, George

2005-07-01

We have conducted the first systematic analyses of molecular distribution and δD values of individual compounds in pyrolysates of insoluble organic matter (IOM) from different carbonaceous chondrite groups, using flash pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and compound-specific D/H analysis. IOM samples from six meteorites of different classifications, Elephant Moraine (EET) 92042 (CR2), Orgueil (CI1), Allan Hills (ALH) 83100 (CM1/2), Murchison (CM2), ALH 85013 (CM2), and Tagish Lake (C2) were isolated and studied. Except for the pyrolysate of Tagish Lake IOM, pyrolysates of all five meteorite IOM samples were dominated by an extensive series of aromatic (C 1 to C 7 alkyl-substituted benzenes, C 0 to C 2 alkyl-substituted naphthalenes), with aliphatic (straight chain and branched C 10 to C 15 alkanes) hydrocarbons and several S- and O- containing compounds (C 1 to C 2 alkylthiophenes, benzothiophene, benzaldehyde) being also present. The strong similarity in the pyrolysates of different carbonaceous chondrites suggests certain common characteristics in the formation mechanisms of IOM from different meteorites. The Tagish Lake IOM sample is unique in that its pyrolysate lacks most of the alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons detected in other meteorite IOM samples, suggesting distinctively different formation processes. Both bulk δD values of meteorite IOMs and weighted-average δD values of individual compounds in pyrolysates show a decreasing trend: CR2 > CI1 > CM2 > C2 (Tagish Lake), with the EET 92042 (CR2) IOM having the highest δD values (˜2000‰ higher than other samples). We attribute the high D contents in the IOM to primitive interstellar organic sources.

Fall, recovery, and characterization of the Novato L6 chondrite breccia

Science.gov (United States)

Jenniskens, Peter; Rubin, Alan E.; Yin, Qing-Zhu; Sears, Derek W. G.; Sandford, Scott A.; Zolensky, Michael E.; Krot, Alexander N.; Blair, Leigh; Kane, Darci; Utas, Jason; Verish, Robert; Friedrich, Jon M.; Wimpenny, Josh; Eppich, Gary R.; Ziegler, Karen; Verosub, Kenneth L.; Rowland, Douglas J.; Albers, Jim; Gural, Peter S.; Grigsby, Bryant; Fries, Marc D.; Matson, Robert; Johnston, Malcolm; Silber, Elizabeth; Brown, Peter; Yamakawa, Akane; Sanborn, Matthew E.; Laubenstein, Matthias; Welten, Kees C.; Nishiizumi, Kunihiko; Meier, Matthias M. M.; Busemann, Henner; Clay, Patricia; Caffee, Marc W.; Schmitt-Kopplin, Phillipe; Hertkorn, Norbert; Glavin, Daniel P.; Callahan, Michael P.; Dworkin, Jason P.; Wu, Qinghao; Zare, Richard N.; Grady, Monica; Verchovsky, Sasha; Emel'Yanenko, Vacheslav; Naroenkov, Sergey; Clark, David L.; Girten, Beverly; Worden, Peter S.

2014-08-01

The Novato L6 chondrite fragmental breccia fell in California on 17 October 2012, and was recovered after the Cameras for Allsky Meteor Surveillance (CAMS) project determined the meteor's trajectory between 95 and 46 km altitude. The final fragmentation from 42 to 22 km altitude was exceptionally well documented by digital photographs. The first sample was recovered before rain hit the area. First results from a consortium study of the meteorite's characterization, cosmogenic and radiogenic nuclides, origin, and conditions of the fall are presented. Some meteorites did not retain fusion crust and show evidence of spallation. Before entry, the meteoroid was 35 ± 5 cm in diameter (mass 80 ± 35 kg) with a cosmic-ray exposure age of 9 ± 1 Ma, if it had a one-stage exposure history. A two-stage exposure history is more likely, with lower shielding in the last few Ma. Thermoluminescence data suggest a collision event within the last ˜0.1 Ma. Novato probably belonged to the class of shocked L chondrites that have a common shock age of 470 Ma, based on the U,Th-He age of 420 ± 220 Ma. The measured orbits of Novato, Jesenice, and Innisfree are consistent with a proposed origin of these shocked L chondrites in the Gefion asteroid family, perhaps directly via the 5:2 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter. Novato experienced a stronger compaction than did other L6 chondrites of shock-stage S4. Despite this, a freshly broken surface shows a wide range of organic compounds.

Fall, Recovery, and Characterization of the Novato L6 Chondrite Breccia

Science.gov (United States)

Jenniskens, Peter; Rubin, Alan E.; Yin, Qing Zhu; Sears, Derek W. G.; Sandford, Scott A.; Zolensky, Michael E.; Krot, Alexander N.; Blair, Leigh; Kane, Daci; Utas, Jason;

The negligible chondritic contribution in the lunar soils water.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephant, Alice; Robert, François

2014-10-21

Recent data from Apollo samples demonstrate the presence of water in the lunar interior and at the surface, challenging previous assumption that the Moon was free of water. However, the source(s) of this water remains enigmatic. The external flux of particles and solid materials that reach the surface of the airless Moon constitute a hydrogen (H) surface reservoir that can be converted to water (or OH) during proton implantation in rocks or remobilization during magmatic events. Our original goal was thus to quantify the relative contributions to this H surface reservoir. To this end, we report NanoSIMS measurements of D/H and (7)Li/(6)Li ratios on agglutinates, volcanic glasses, and plagioclase grains from the Apollo sample collection. Clear correlations emerge between cosmogenic D and (6)Li revealing that almost all D is produced by spallation reactions both on the surface and in the interior of the grains. In grain interiors, no evidence of chondritic water has been found. This observation allows us to constrain the H isotopic ratio of hypothetical juvenile lunar water to δD ≤ -550‰. On the grain surface, the hydroxyl concentrations are significant and the D/H ratios indicate that they originate from solar wind implantation. The scattering distribution of the data around the theoretical D vs. (6)Li spallation correlation is compatible with a chondritic contribution lunar surface, and (ii) the postulated chondritic lunar water is not retained in the regolith.

The great 8 MA event and the structure of the H-chondrite parent body

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, P. H.; Sears, D. W. G.

1993-01-01

The H-chondrites have been the subject of several recent controversies, including the question of whether Antarctic and non-Antarctic meteorites are or are not the same and whether there or is not evidence for stratigraphic layering in the original parent body. We have identified two distinct groups of H5 chondrites in the Antarctic collection. One group has induced thermoluminescence (TL) peak temperatures less than 190 C and metallographic cooling rates between S to 50 K/Myr, similar to modern falls. It also has a variety of cosmic ray exposure ages, many being greater than 107 years. The other group has TL peak temperatures greater than 190 C, metallographic cooling rates of 100 K/Myr and cosmic ray exposure ages of 8 Ma. The members of this group were generals smaller than those of the greater than 190 C group (including the mode falls) during cosmic ray exposure. Detailed study of the cosmogenic nuclide concentrations of these groups indicates that they are not solely the result of pairing of a few unusual meteorites. It is likely that the greater than 190 C group was an important part of the H-chondrite flux about 1 million years ago, but has since decreased in importance relative to the less than 190 C group. In a previous work, we discussed several possible origins for the greater than 190 C group, including multiple H-chondrite parent bodies, unusual parent body structure, and creation during the 8 Ma event. In this paper, we present new data for H4 chondrites in light of these ideas.

Osmium isotope anomalies in chondrites: Results for acid residues and related leachates

Science.gov (United States)

Yokoyama, Tetsuya; O'D. Alexander, Conel M.; Walker, Richard J.

2010-03-01

We have investigated Os isotope anomalies in acid residues enriched in insoluble organic matter (IOM) extracted from ten primitive chondrites, acid leachates and residues of these fractions, as well as acid leachates of bulk chondrites. Osmium isotopic compositions of bulk carbonaceous, ordinary and enstatite chondrites are also reported. Consistent with prior results, bulk chondrites have homogeneous Os isotope compositions for s-, r-, and p-process nuclides that are indistinguishable from terrestrial, at the current level of resolution. In contrast, nearly all the IOM-rich residues are enriched in s-process Os, evidently due to the preferential incorporation of s-process enriched presolar grains (most likely presolar SiC). Presolar silicate grains that formed in red giant branch (RGB) or asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are also likely hosts of additional s-process Os in chondrites. Consistent with one prior study, Os released by weak acid leaching of bulk chondrites is slightly to strongly enriched in r-process nuclides, of which the carrier may be fine-grained presolar silicates formed in supernovae or unidentified solar phases. Collectively, the different, chemically concentrated components in these meteorites are variably enriched in s-, r-, and possibly p-process Os, of which the individual carriers must have been produced in multiple stellar environments. The lack of evidence for Os isotopic heterogeneity among bulk chondrites contrasts with evidence for isotopic heterogeneities for various other elements at approximately the same levels of resolution (e.g., Cr, Mo, Ru, Ba, Sm, and Nd). One possible explanation for this is that the heterogeneities for some elements in bulk materials reflect selective removal of some types of presolar grains as a result of nebular processes, and that because of the strong chemical differences between Os and the other elements, the Os was not significantly affected. Another possible explanation is that late-stage injection

Multiple and fast: The accretion of ordinary chondrite parent bodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vernazza, P.; Barge, P.; Zanda, B.; Hewins, R.; Binzel, R. P.; DeMeo, F. E.; Lockhart, M.; Hiroi, T.; Birlan, M.; Ricci, L.

2014-01-01

Although petrologic, chemical, and isotopic studies of ordinary chondrites and meteorites in general have largely helped establish a chronology of the earliest events of planetesimal formation and their evolution, there are several questions that cannot be resolved via laboratory measurements and/or experiments alone. Here, we propose the rationale for several new constraints on the formation and evolution of ordinary chondrite parent bodies (and, by extension, most planetesimals) from newly available spectral measurements and mineralogical analysis of main-belt S-type asteroids (83 objects) and unequilibrated ordinary chondrite meteorites (53 samples). Based on the latter, we suggest that spectral data may be used to distinguish whether an ordinary chondrite was formed near the surface or in the interior of its parent body. If these constraints are correct, the suggested implications include that: (1) large groups of compositionally similar asteroids are a natural outcome of planetesimal formation and, consequently, meteorites within a given class can originate from multiple parent bodies; (2) the surfaces of large (up to ∼200 km) S-type main-belt asteroids mostly expose the interiors of the primordial bodies, a likely consequence of impacts by small asteroids (D < 10 km) in the early solar system; (3) the duration of accretion of the H chondrite parent bodies was likely short (instantaneous or in less than ∼10 5 yr, but certainly not as long as 1 Myr); (4) LL-like bodies formed closer to the Sun than H-like bodies, a possible consequence of the radial mixing and size sorting of chondrules in the protoplanetary disk prior to accretion.

Circumstellar and interstellar material in the CO3 chondrite ALHA77307: An isotopic and elemental investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Maitrayee; Floss, Christine; Stadermann, Frank J.; Stroud, Rhonda M.; Speck, Angela K.

2012-09-01

We have carried out a NanoSIMS C, N and O ion imaging study of the CO3.0 chondrite ALHA77307. The distribution of O-anomalous grains in ALHA77307 is similar to that observed in other primitive meteorites, and is dominated (84%) by 17O-rich Group 1 grains from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars of close-to-solar metallicity. Four percent of the grains belong to Group 2, whose 18O depletions suggest cool-bottom processing in low-mass stars during the AGB phase, while 8% are Group 4 grains with likely origins in Type II supernova (SN) ejecta. One ferromagnesian silicate has a very high 17O enrichment; nova explosions have been suggested as sources for such grains, but recent models with updated reaction rates show large discrepancies with the grain data, leaving the origins of these grains uncertain. Most of the grains are silicates (86%) with the remainder consisting of oxides (8%), three silica grains and two 'composite' grains composed of multiple subgrains with different elemental compositions. The elemental compositions of the silicates are similar to those found in other studies, with a predominance of non-stoichiometric compositions and high (up to 44 at.%) Fe concentrations. A comparison of isotopic and elemental compositions for all presolar silicates shows that olivine compositions are overabundant in Group 4 grains compared to grains from Groups 1 and 2. This may reflect injection of presolar material from a nearby supernova into the early solar nebula and incorporation into parent bodies before alteration of compositions through irradiation and sputtering in the interstellar medium, as is likely to have occurred for the Group 1 and 2 grains from more distant AGB stars. The matrix material in ALHA77307 contains abundant carbonaceous hotspots with excesses in 15N. However, unlike CR chondrites, the insoluble organic matter (IOM) in ALHA77307 does not have a bulk N isotopic anomaly, consistent with Raman evidence that it has experienced more

Characterization of carbonaceous matter in xenolithic clasts from the Sharps (H3.4) meteorite: Constraints on the origin and thermal processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kebukawa, Yoko [Yokohama National Univ. (Japan); Zolensky, Michael E. [NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (United States); Chan, Queenie H. S. [NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (United States); Nagao, Keisuke [Univ. of Tokyo (Japan); Kilcoyne, A. L. David [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Bodnar, Robert J. [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States); Farley, Charles [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States); Rahman, Zia [NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (United States); Le, Loan [NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (United States); Cody, George D. [Carnegie Inst. of Washington, Washington, DC (United States)

2016-09-25

Primitive xenolithic clasts, often referred to as “dark clasts”, are well known in many regolith breccias. The Sharps H3.4 ordinary chondrite contains unusually large dark clasts up to ~1 cm across. Poorly-graphitized carbon (PGC), with Fe, Ni metal and described as “carbon-rich aggregates”, has been found in these clasts (Brearley, 1990). We report detailed analyses of carbonaceous matter in several identical Sharps clasts using FTIR, Raman, C-XANES, and TEM that provide insight on the extent of thermal processing and possible origin of such clasts. We also prepared acid residues of the clasts using the HCl/HF method and conducted mass spectrometric analysis of the entrained noble gases. Carbonaceous matter is often used to infer thermal history due to its sensitivity to thermal processes. The FTIR spectra of the acid residue from the Sharps clast suggest that carbonaceous matter in the clast contains less hydrogen and oxygen compared to acid residues from typical type 3.4 ordinary chondrites. The metamorphic temperatures obtained by Raman spectroscopy ranges between ~380 °C and ~490 °C. TEM observations indicate that the clasts experienced a peak temperature of 300 °C to 400 °C, based on the carbon d 002 layer lattice spacing of C-rich aggregates. These estimates are consistent with an earlier estimate of 330 ± 50 °C, that is also estimated by the d 002 layer lattice spacing (Brearley, 1990). It should be noted that the lattice spacing thermometer is based on terrestrial metamorphose rocks, and thus temperature was probably underestimated. Meanwhile, the C-XANES spectra of the C-rich aggregates show high exciton intensities, indicative of graphene structures that developed at around 700–800 °C following an extensive period of time (millions of years), however, the surrounding matrix areas experienced lower temperatures of less than 300–500 °C. Noble gas analysis of the acid residue from the Sharps clasts shows that the residue is

Fall, Recovery and Characterization of the Novato L6 Chondrite Breccia

Science.gov (United States)

Jenniskens, Petrus; Rubin, Alan E; Yin, Qing-Zhu; Sears, Derek; Sandford, Scott A.; Zolensky, Michael E.; Krot, Alexander N.; Blair, Leigh; Kane, Darci; Utas, Jason;

Do We Already have Samples of CERES H Chondrite Haliites and the CERES-HEBE Link

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, Marc D.; Messenger, S.; Steele, A.; Zolensky, M.

2013-01-01

We investigate the hypothesis that halite grains in the brecciated H chondrites Zag and Monahans originate from Ceres. Evidence includes mineralogy of the halites consistent with formation on a large, carbonaceous, aqueously active body close to the H chondrite parent body >4 Ga ago. Evidence also includes orbital simularities between 1 Ceres and the purported H chondrite parent body (HPB) 6 Hebe, possibly facilitating a gentle transfer between the bodies. Halite grains in the Monahans and Zag Hchondrites are exogenous to the H chondrite parent body and were transported to the HPB >4 Ga ago. Examination of minerals and carboanceous materials entrained within the halites shows that the halite parent body (HaPB) is consistent with a carbonaceous body [1]. It is probably a large body due to the variety of entrained carbonaceous materials which probably accreted from multiple sources. The halite grains contain intact, HaPB-origin, ancient fluid inclusions indicating that transfer between the HaPB and the HPB was a gentle process resulting in a ?T of 4 Ga ago. Additional dynamical factors need to be investigated. A combination of factors suggests Ceres as the HaPB. It is a carbonaceous body with suggestions of past aqueous activity [9], which is consistent with the mineral species found in H chondrite halites. Ceres is also a large body capable of accreting the range of carbonaceous materials noted [5]. It is relatively near to purported HPB Hebe, which is required to preserve halite fluid inclusions. The above evidence defines a hypothesized scenario featuring ejection of halite grains from Ceres onto Hebe. Halite was then entrained in H-chondrite near-surface breccias and ejected from Hebe for transport to Earth.

CM and CO chondrites: A common parent body or asteroidal neighbors? Insights from chondrule silicates

Science.gov (United States)

Schrader, Devin L.; Davidson, Jemma

2017-10-01

By investigating the petrology and chemical composition of type II (FeO-rich) chondrules in the Mighei-like carbonaceous (CM) chondrites we constrain their thermal histories and relationship to the Ornans-like carbonaceous (CO) chondrites. We identified FeO-rich relict grains in type II chondrules by their Fe/Mn ratios; their presence indicates chondrule recycling among type II chondrules. The majority of relict grains in type II chondrules are FeO-poor olivine grains. Consistent with previous studies, chemical similarities between CM and CO chondrite chondrules indicate that they had similar formation conditions and that their parent bodies probably formed in a common region within the protoplanetary disk. However, important differences such as mean chondrule size and the lower abundance of FeO-poor relicts in CM chondrite type II chondrules than in CO chondrites suggest CM and CO chondrules did not form together and they likely originate from distinct parent asteroids. Despite being aqueously altered, many CM chondrites contain pre-accretionary anhydrous minerals (i.e., olivine) that are among the least thermally metamorphosed materials in chondrites according to the Cr2O3 content of their ferroan olivine. The presence of these minimally altered pre-accretionary chondrule silicates suggests that samples to be returned from aqueously altered asteroids by the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return missions, even highly hydrated, may contain silicates that can provide information about the pre-accretionary histories and conditions of asteroids Ryugu and Bennu, respectively.

NMR studies of chemical structural variation of insoluble organic matter from different carbonaceous chondrite groups

Science.gov (United States)

Cody, George D.; Alexander, Conel M. O.'D.

2005-02-01

Solid-state 1H and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic experiments have been performed on isolated meteoritic Insoluble Organic Matter (IOM) spanning four different carbonaceous chondrite meteorite groups; a CR2 (EET92042), a CI1 (Orgueil), a CM2 (Murchison), and the unique C2 meteorite, Tagish Lake. These solid state NMR experiments reveal considerable variation in bulk organic composition across the different meteorite group's IOM. The fraction of aromatic carbon increases as CR2 meteorite groups. Single pulse (SP) 13C magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR experiments reveal the presence of nanodiamonds with an apparent concentration ranking in the IOM of CR2 IOM of all four meteoritic IOM fractions are highly substituted. Fast spinning SP 1H MAS NMR spectral data combined with other NMR experimental data reveal that the average hydrogen content of sp 3 bonded carbon functional groups is low, requiring a high degree of aliphatic chain branching in each IOM fraction. The variation in chemistry across the meteorite groups is consistent with alteration by low temperature chemical oxidation. It is concluded that such chemistry principally affected the aliphatic moieties whereas the aromatic moieties and nanodiamonds may have been largely unaffected.

Pb-Pb dating of individual chondrules from the CB_a chondrite Gujba

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bollard, Jean Francois André; Connelly, James; Bizzarro, Martin

2015-01-01

-stage impact origin. Here, we report high-precision internal isochrons for four individual chondrules of the Gujba chondrite to probe the formation history of CB chondrites and evaluate the concordancy of relevant short-lived radionuclide chronometers. All four chondrules define a brief formation interval......-behaved Pb-Pb systematics of all four chondrules, a precise formation age and the concordancy of the Mn-Cr, Hf-W, and I-Xe short-lived radionuclide relative chronometers, we propose that Gujba may serve as a suitable time anchor for these systems....

Leptogenesis as the origin of matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchmueller, W.; Peccei, R.D.; Yanagida, T.

2005-02-01

We explore in some detail the hypothesis that the generation of a primordial lepton-antilepton asymmetry (Leptogenesis) early on in the history of the Universe is the root cause for the origin of matter. After explaining the theoretical conditions for producing a matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe we detail how, through sphaleron processes, it is possible to transmute a lepton asymmetry- or, more precisely, a (B-L)-asymmetry- into a baryon asymmetry. Because Leptogenesis depends in detail on properties of the neutrino spectrum, we review briefly existing experimental information on neutrinos as well as the seesaw mechanism, which offers a theoretical understanding of why neutrinos are so light. The bulk of the Review is devoted to a discussion of thermal Leptogenesis and we show that for the neutrino spectrum suggested by oscillation experiments one obtains the observed value for the baryon to photon density ratio in the Universe, independently of any initial boundary conditions. In the latter part of the Review we consider how well Leptogenesis fits with particle physics models of dark matter. Although axionic dark matter and Leptogenesis can be very naturally linked, there is a potential clash between Leptogenesis and models of supersymmetric dark matter because the high temperature needed for Leptogenesis leads to an overproduction of gravitinos, which alter the standard predictions of big bang nucleosynthesis. This problem can be resolved, but it constrains the supersymmetric spectrum at low energies and the nature of the LSP. Finally, as an illustration of possible other options for the origin of matter, we discuss the possibility that Leptogenesis may occur as a result of non-thermal processes. (orig.)

In situ characterization of organic matter in two primitive chondrites through correlated microanalytical techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Wende, A. M.; Nittler, L.; Steele, A.; Herd, C. D.

2009-12-01

Primitive meteorites contain up to 2 wt % C, much of it in the form of insoluble organic matter (IOM). Bulk analyses have revealed the IOM to be marked by large D and 15N enrichments relative to terrestrial values. Isotopic imaging studies have revealed the presence of `hotspots’, sub-μm to μm-sized regions of IOM exhibiting extreme isotope enrichments. An interesting subpopulation of organic grains, ’nanoglobules’, which have hollow, spherical morphologies, is known to account for a portion of these hot spots. Previous work has suggested that nanoglobules can be identified in situ by native UV fluorescence. The isotopic enrichments are believed to point to low-T chemical fractionations either in the interstellar medium (ISM) or the outer regions of the early Solar System. As part of a larger study investigating the origin and evolution of IOM in the Solar System, a correlated, in situ, microanalytical approach was employed to characterize local isotopic and morphological heterogeneities in IOM in the highly primitive chondrites QUE 99177 (CR3) and Tagish Lake (C-ung). Previous NanoSIMS ion imaging of a QUE 99177 section revealed the spatial and isotopic distribution of C in the matrix with a spatial resolution of 200 nm. Manual definition of >3300 C-rich regions in the NanoSIMS images indicates that grains smaller than 1 μm across, which account for 80% of the IOM area, have a size distribution that is similar to estimates of the size distribution of carbonaceous dust in the diffuse ISM, supporting an interstellar origin for the IOM. Micro-Raman spectroscopy, which is highly sensitive to the degree of disorder in carbonaceous materials, was attempted on the same regions analyzed by NanoSIMS in QUE 99177. Unfortunately, surface damage due to both the prior SIMS analyses and removal of a prior C coat precluded acquisition of useful Raman spectra. Consequently, future correlated work will entail performing Raman analyses on uncoated samples prior to SIMS

Selective Disparity of Ordinary Chondritic Precursors in Micrometeorite Flux

Science.gov (United States)

Rudraswami, N. G.; Fernandes, D.; Naik, A. K.; Shyam Prasad, M.; Carrillo-Sánchez, J. D.; Plane, J. M. C.; Feng, W.; Taylor, S.

2018-01-01

All known extraterrestrial dust (micrometeoroids) entering the Earth’s atmosphere is anticipated to have a significant contribution from ordinary chondritic precursors, as seen in meteorites, but this is an apparent contradiction that needs to be addressed. Ordinary chondrites represent a minor contribution to the overall meteor influx compared to carbonaceous chondrites, which are largely dominated by CI and/or CM chondrites. However, the near-Earth asteroid population presents a scenario with sufficient scope for generation of dust-sized debris from ordinary chondritic sources. The bulk chemical composition of 3255 micrometeorites (MMs) collected from Antarctica and deep-sea sediments has shown Mg/Si largely dominated by carbonaceous chondrites, and less than 10% having ordinary chondritic precursors. The chemical ablation model is combined with different initial chondritic compositions (CI, CV, L, LL, H), and the results clearly indicate that high-density (≥2.8 g cm‑3) precursors, such as CV and ordinary chondrites in the size range 100–700 μm and zenith angle 0°–70°, ablate at much faster rates and lose their identity even before reaching the Earth’s surface and hence are under-represented in our collections. Moreover, their ability to survive as MMs remains grim for high-velocity micrometeoroids (>16 km s‑1). The elemental ratio for CV and ordinary chondrites are also similar to each other irrespective of the difference in the initial chemical composition. In conclusion, MMs belonging to ordinary chondritic precursors’ concentrations may not be insignificant in thermosphere, as they are found on Earth’s surface.

Distinct Purine Distribution in Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan, Michael P.; Smith, Karen E.; Cleaves, Henderson J.; Ruzicka, Josef; Stern, Jennifer C.; Glavin, Daniel P.; House, Christopher H.; Dworkin, Jason P.

2011-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrite meteorites are known to contain a diverse suite of organic compounds, many of which are essential components of biochemistry. Amino acids, which are the monomers of proteins, have been extensively studied in such meteorites (e.g. Botta and Bada 2002; Pizzarello et aI., 2006). The origin of amino acids in meteorites has been firmly established as extraterrestrial based on their detection typically as racemic mixtures of amino acids, the presence of many non-protein amino acids, and non-terrestrial values for compound-specific deuterium, carbon, and nitrogen isotopic measurements. In contrast to amino acids, nucleobases in meteorites have been far less studied. Nucleobases are substituted one-ring (pyrimidine) or two-ring (purine) nitrogen heterocyclic compounds and serve as the information carriers of nucleic acids and in numerous coenzymes. All of the purines (adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine) and pyrimidines (uracil) previously reported in meteorites are biologically common and could be interpreted as the result of terrestrial contamination (e.g. van del' Velden and Schwartz, 1974.) Unlike other meteoritic organics, there have been no observations of stochastic molecular diversity of purines and pyrimidines in meteorites, which has been a criterion for establishing extraterrestrial origin. Maltins et al. (2008) performed compound-specific stable carbon isotope measurements for uracil and xanthine in the Murchison meteorite. They assigned a non-terrestrial origin for these nucleobases; however, the possibility that interfering indigenous molecules (e.g. carboxylic acids) contributed to the 13C-enriched isotope values for these nucleobases cannot be completely ruled out. Thus, the origin of these meteoritic nucleobases has never been established unequivocally. Here we report on our investigation of extracts of II different carbonaceous chondrites covering various petrographic types (Cl, CM, and CR) and degrees of aqueous alteration

Assessing the Formation of Ungrouped Achondrite Northwest Africa 8186: Residue, Crystallization Product, or Recrystallized Chondrite?

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Srinivasan, P.; McCubbin, F. M.; Agee, C. B.

2016-01-01

The recent discoveries of primitive achondrites, metachondrites, and type 7 chondrites challenge the long held idea that all chondrites and achondrites form on separate parent bodies. These meteorites have experienced metamorphic temperatures above petrologic type 6 and have partially melted to various degrees. However, because of their isotopic and compositional similarities to both undifferentiated and differentiated groups, the provenance of these 'type 6+' meteorites remains largely unknown. CK and CV chondrites have recently been linked to a few achondrites due to their strong compositional, mineralogical, and isotopic similarities], suggesting a common origin between these meteorites. Although CVs have generally undergone low degrees of alteration near petrologic type 3, CKs have experienced a wide range of thermal alteration from petrologic type 3 to 6. Thermal evolution models on early accreting bodies predict that an early forming body can partially differentiate due to radiogenic heating, and, as a result, form radial layers of material increasing in thermal grade (types 3 to 6+) from the unmelted chondritic surface towards the differentiated core.Northwest Africa (NWA) 8186 is an ungrouped achondrite that provides compelling evidence for higher degrees of thermal processing and/or melting and differentiation on some CK/CV parent bodies. NWA 8186 plots on the CCAM line on a 3-oxygen isotope diagram directly with CK and CV chondrites and also plots with the CKs in regards to Cr isotopes. This meteorite is dominated by Nickel(II)Oxygen-rich olivine (less than 80%), lacks iron metal, and contains four oxide phases, indicating a high fOxygen (above FMQ) similar to the CKs. Additionally, NWA 8186 does not contain chondrules. We have further investigated the origins of NWA 8186 by examining and comparing the bulk composition of this CK-like achondrite with CK and CV chondrites, allowing us to assess the various scenarios in which NWA 8186 may have formed from

In situ observation of D-rich carbonaceous globules embedded in NWA 801 CR2 chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Hashiguchi, Minako; Kobayashi, Sachio; Yurimoto, Hisayoshi

2013-12-01

Eighty-five D-rich carbonaceous particles were identified in the matrix of the NWA 801 CR2 chondrite using isotope microscopy. The occurrence of 67 D-rich carbonaceous particles was characterized using secondary electron microscopy combined with X-ray elemental mapping. The close association of H and C, and D-enrichment suggests that the D-rich carbonaceous particles correspond to organic matter. The D-rich organic particles were scattered ubiquitously throughout the matrix at a concentration of approximately 660 ppm. The morphology of the D-rich carbonaceous particles is globular up to about 1 μm in diameter and is classified into four types: ring globules, round globules, irregular-shaped globules, and globule aggregates. The ring globules are ring-shaped organic matter containing silicate and/or oxide, with or without a void in the center. This is the first report of silicate and oxide grains surrounded by D-rich organic matter. The globule aggregates are composed of several D-rich organic globules mixed with silicates. Morphology of ring globules is very similar to core-mantle grain produced in the molecular cloud or in the outer solar nebula inferring by astronomy, suggesting that the organic globules have formed by UV photolysis in the ice mantle. Silicates or oxides attached to D-rich organic globules are the first observation among chondrites so far and may be unique nature of CR2 chondrites. The hydrogen isotopic compositions of the ring globules, round globules, irregular-shaped globules, and globule aggregates are δD = 3000-4800, 2900-8100, 2700-11,000, and 2500-11,000‰, respectively. Variations of D/H ratio of these organic globules seemed to be attributed to variations of D/H ratio of the organic radicals or differences of content of the D-rich organic radicals. There are no significant differences in the hydrogen isotopic compositions among the four types of D-rich carbonaceous matter. The D-enrichments suggest that these organic globules have

Deuterium enrichments in chondritic macromolecular material—Implications for the origin and evolution of organics, water and asteroids

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Alexander, C. M. O.'D.; Newsome, S. D.; Fogel, M. L.; Nittler, L. R.; Busemann, H.; Cody, G. D.

2010-08-01

Here we report the elemental and isotopic compositions of the insoluble organic material (IOM) isolated from several previously unanalyzed meteorites, as well as the reanalyses of H isotopic compositions of some previously measured samples ( Alexander et al., 2007). The IOM in ordinary chondrites (OCs) has very large D enrichments that increase with increasing metamorphism and decreasing H/C, the most extreme δD value measured being almost 12,000‰. We propose that such large isotopic fractionations could be produced in the OC parent bodies through the loss of isotopically very light H 2 generated when Fe was oxidized by water at low temperatures (IOM of CV and CO chondrites with similar metamorphic grades and IOM H/C ratios because proportionately less water was consumed during metamorphism, and the remaining water buffered the H isotopic composition of the IOM even a H was being lost from it. Hydrogen would also have been generated during the alteration of CI, CM and CR carbonaceous chondrites. The IOM in these meteorites exhibit a considerable range in isotopic compositions, but all are enriched in D, as well as 15N, relative to terrestrial values. We explore whether these enrichments could also have been produced by the loss of H 2, but conclude that the most isotopically anomalous IOM compositions in meteorites from these groups are probably closest to their primordial values. The less isotopically anomalous IOM has probably been modified by parent body processes. The response of IOM to these processes was complex and varied, presumably reflecting differences in conditions within and between parent bodies. The D enrichments associated with H 2 generation, along with exchange between D-rich IOM and water in the parent bodies, means that it is unlikely that any chondrites retain the primordial H isotopic composition of the water ice that they accreted. The H isotopic compositions of the most water-rich chondrites, the CMs and CIs, are probably the least

Possible impact-induced refractory-lithophile fractionations in EL chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Alan E.; Huber, Heinz; Wasson, John T.

2009-03-01

Literature data show that refractory-lithophile elements in most chondrite groups are unfractionated relative to CI chondrites; the principal exception is the EL-chondrite group whose observed falls (all of which are type 6) are depleted in Ca and light REE. In contrast, literature data and our new INAA data on EL3 PCA 91020, EL3 MAC 88136 and EL4 Grein 002 show that some replicates of these samples have nearly flat REE patterns (unlike those of EL6 chondrites); other replicates exhibit fractionated REE patterns similar to those of EL6 chondrites. Petrographic examination shows that many EL6 (and some EL3 and EL4) chondrites are impact-melt breccias or contain impact-melted portions. We suggest that the same impact processes that formed these breccias and produced melt are responsible for the observed bulk compositional fractionations in refractory-lithophile elements, i.e., EL6 chondrites were produced from initially unequilibrated EL3 material. When large amounts of impact heat were deposited, plagioclase and/or oldhamite (CaS) (the major REE carriers in enstatite chondrites) may have been melted and then transported appreciable (>10 cm) distances. EL6 chondrites represent the residuum that is depleted in REE (particularly in LREE) and Ca. Unlike the case for EL chondrites, our new INAA data on ALH 84170, EET 87746 and SAH 97096 (all EH3) show some scatter but are consistent with the EH group having uniform refractory-lithophile abundances.

Origins and challenges of viral dark matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnamurthy, Siddharth R; Wang, David

2017-07-15

The accurate classification of viral dark matter - metagenomic sequences that originate from viruses but do not align to any reference virus sequences - is one of the major obstacles in comprehensively defining the virome. Depending on the sample, viral dark matter can make up from anywhere between 40 and 90% of sequences. This review focuses on the specific nature of dark matter as it relates to viral sequences. We identify three factors that contribute to the existence of viral dark matter: the divergence and length of virus sequences, the limitations of alignment based classification, and limited representation of viruses in reference sequence databases. We then discuss current methods that have been developed to at least partially circumvent these limitations and thereby reduce the extent of viral dark matter. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ACCRETION AND PRESERVATION OF D-RICH ORGANIC PARTICLES IN CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES: EVIDENCE FOR IMPORTANT TRANSPORT IN THE EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM NEBULA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remusat, L.; Guan, Y.; Wang, Y.; Eiler, J. M.

2010-01-01

We have acquired NanoSIMS images of the matrices of CI, CM, and CR carbonaceous chondrites to study, in situ, the organic matter trapped during the formation of their parent bodies. D/H ratio images reveal the occurrence of D-rich hot spots, constituting isolated organic particles. Not all the organic particles are D-rich hot spots, indicating that at least two kinds of organic particles have been accreted in the parent bodies. Ratio profiles through D-rich hot spots indicate that no significant self-diffusion of deuterium occurs between the D-rich organic matter and the depleted hydrous minerals that are surrounding them. This is not the result of a physical shielding by any constituent of the chondrites. Ab initio calculations indicate that it cannot be explained by isotopic equilibrium. Then it appears that the organic matter that is extremely enriched in D does not exchange with the hydrous minerals, or this exchange is so slow that it is not significant over the 4.5 billion year history on the parent body. If we consider that the D-rich hot spots are the result of an exposure to intense irradiation, then it appears that carbonaceous chondrites accreted organic particles that have been brought to different regions of the solar nebula. This is likely the result of important radial and vertical transport in the early solar system.

Nitrogen isotopic composition of macromolecular organic matter in interplanetary dust particles

Science.gov (United States)

Aléon, Jérôme; Robert, François; Chaussidon, Marc; Marty, Bernard

2003-10-01

Nitrogen concentrations and isotopic compositions were measured by ion microprobe scanning imaging in two interplanetary dust particles L2021 K1 and L2036 E22, in which imaging of D/H and C/H ratios has previously evidenced the presence of D-rich macromolecular organic components. High nitrogen concentrations of 10-20 wt% and δ 15N values up to +400‰ are observed in these D-rich macromolecular components. The previous study of D/H and C/H ratios has revealed three different D-rich macromolecular phases. The one previously ascribed to macromolecular organic matter akin the insoluble organic matter (IOM) from carbonaceous chondrites is enriched in nitrogen by one order of magnitude compared to the carbonaceous chondrite IOM, although its isotopic composition is still similar to what is known from Renazzo (δ 15N = +208‰). The correlation observed in macromolecular organic material between the D- and 15N-excesses suggests that the latter originate probably from chemical reactions typical of the cold interstellar medium. These interstellar materials preserved to some extent in IDPs are therefore macromolecular organic components with various aliphaticity and aromaticity. They are heavily N-heterosubstituted as shown by their high nitrogen concentrations >10 wt%. They have high D/H ratios >10 -3 and δ 15N values ≥ +400‰. In L2021 K1 a mixture is observed at the micron scale between interstellar and chondritic-like organic phases. This indicates that some IDPs contain organic materials processed at various heliocentric distances in a turbulent nebula. Comparison with observation in comets suggests that these molecules may be cometary macromolecules. A correlation is observed between the D/H ratios and δ 15N values of macromolecular organic matter from IDPs, meteorites, the Earth and of major nebular reservoirs. This suggests that most macromolecular organic matter in the inner solar system was probably issued from interstellar precursors and further processed

Proto-Planetary Disk Chemistry Recorded by D-Rich Organic Radicals in Carbonaceous Chondrites

OpenAIRE

Remusat, Laurent; Robert, François; Meibom, Anders; Mostefaoui, Smail; Delpoux, Olivier; Binet, Laurent; Gourier, Didier; Derenne, Sylvie

2009-01-01

Insoluble organic matter (IOM) in primitive carbonaceous meteorites has preserved its chemical composition and isotopic heterogeneity since the solar system formed ~4.567 billion years ago. We have identified the carrier moieties of isotopically anomalous hydrogen in IOM isolated from the Orgueil carbonaceous chondrite. Data from high spatial resolution, quantitative isotopic NanoSIMS mapping of Orgueil IOM combined with data from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that orga...

Water and deuterium content of chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robert, Francois

1978-01-01

The main objective of this research thesis which deals with meteorite study, is to develop an experimental technique to measure the hydrogen isotopic rate in the case of very low quantities of hydrogen, notably in samples in which water content is hundred or thousand times less than in reported experiments, in order to study mechanisms of alteration of chondrites. The author reports an attempt to reconcile obtained results for isotopic rates as well as for water contents with those of the main existing models of chondrite formation. He proposes a detailed description of isotopic exchange mechanisms at low temperature, and shows that this mechanism is not in disagreement with literature published on chondrites

Magnetic Evidence for a Partially Differentiated Carbonaceous Chondrite Parent Body and Possible Implications for Asteroid 21 Lutetia

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Benjamin; Carporzen, L.; Elkins-Tanton, L.; Shuster, D. L.; Ebel, D. S.; Gattacceca, J.; Binzel, R. P.

2010-10-01

The origin of remanent magnetization in the CV carbonaceous chondrite Allende has been a longstanding mystery. The possibility of a core dynamo like that known for achondrite parent bodies has been discounted because chondrite parent bodies are assumed to be undifferentiated. Here we report that Allende's magnetization was acquired over several million years (Ma) during metasomatism on the parent planetesimal in a > 20 microtesla field 8-9 Ma after solar system formation. This field was present too recently and directionally stable for too long to have been the generated by the protoplanetary disk or young Sun. The field intensity is in the range expected for planetesimal core dynamos (Weiss et al. 2010), suggesting that CV chondrites are derived from the outer, unmelted layer of a partially differentiated body with a convecting metallic core (Elkins-Tanton et al. 2010). This suggests that asteroids with differentiated interiors could be present today but masked under chondritic surfaces. In fact, CV chondrites are spectrally similar to many members of the Eos asteroid family whose spectral diversity has been interpreted as evidence for a partially differentiated parent asteroid (Mothe-Diniz et al. 2008). CV chondrite spectral and polarimetric data also resemble those of asteroid 21 Lutetia (e.g., Belskaya et al. 2010), recently encountered by the Rosetta spacecraft. Ground-based measurements of Lutetia indicate a high density of 2.4-5.1 g cm-3 (Drummond et al. 2010), while radar data seem to rule out a metallic surface composition (Shepard et al. 2008). If Rosetta spacecraft measurements confirm a high density and a CV-like surface composition for Lutetia, then we propose Lutetia may be an example of a partially differentiated carbonaceous chondrite parent body. Regardless, the very existence of primitive achondrites, which contain evidence of both relict chondrules and partial melting, are prima facie evidence for the formation of partially differentiated bodies.

Chondritic Mn/Na ratio and limited post-nebular volatile loss of the Earth

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Siebert, Julien; Sossi, Paolo A.; Blanchard, Ingrid; Mahan, Brandon; Badro, James; Moynier, Frédéric

2018-03-01

The depletion pattern of volatile elements on Earth and other differentiated terrestrial bodies provides a unique insight as to the nature and origin of planetary building blocks. The processes responsible for the depletion of volatile elements range from the early incomplete condensation in the solar nebula to the late de-volatilization induced by heating and impacting during planetary accretion after the dispersion of the H2-rich nebular gas. Furthermore, as many volatile elements are also siderophile (metal-loving), it is often difficult to deconvolve the effect of volatility from core formation. With the notable exception of the Earth, all the differentiated terrestrial bodies for which we have samples have non-chondritic Mn/Na ratios, taken as a signature of post-nebular volatilization. The bulk silicate Earth (BSE) is unique in that its Mn/Na ratio is chondritic, which points to a nebular origin for the depletion; unless the Mn/Na in the BSE is not that of the bulk Earth (BE), and has been affected by core formation through the partitioning of Mn in Earth's core. Here we quantify the metal-silicate partitioning behavior of Mn at deep magma ocean pressure and temperature conditions directly applicable to core formation. The experiments show that Mn becomes more siderophile with increasing pressure and temperature. Modeling the partitioning of Mn during core formation by combining our results with previous data at lower P-T conditions, we show that the core likely contains a significant fraction (20 to 35%) of Earth's Mn budget. However, we show that the derived Mn/Na value of the bulk Earth still lies on the volatile-depleted end of a trend defined by chondritic meteorites in a Mn/Na vs Mn/Mg plot, which tend to higher Mn/Na with increasing volatile depletion. This suggests that the material that formed the Earth recorded similar chemical fractionation processes for moderately volatile elements as chondrites in the solar nebula, and experienced limited post

The Carlisle Lakes-type chondrites: A new grouplet with high. Delta. sup 17 O and evidence for nebular oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weisberg, M.K. (American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY (United States) Brooklyn Coll., NY (United States)); Prinz, M. (American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY (United States)); Kojima, Hideyasu; Yanai, Keizo (National Inst. of Polar Research, Tokyo (Japan)); Clayton, R.N.; Mayeda, T.K. (Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States))

1991-09-01

Carlisle Lakes, ALH85151, and Y75302 are similar ungrouped chondrites which have petrologic and bulk compositional similarities to the ordinary chondrites, but are more oxidized; and their oxygen isotopic compositions differ. They represent a new grouplet which the authors call the Carlisle Lakes-type chondrites. They have the highest {Delta}{sup 17}O values (up to 2.91) measured to date. The whole chondrites and most of their chondrules plot on the same mass fractionation line on an oxygen 3-isotope diagram. They are olivine rich (>70 vol%), essentially metal free, and most olivine is FeO rich, equilibrated at Fa{sub 38}. Rare olivine and pyroxene grains in chondrules and fragments are zoned, and these are important in discerning the history of these chondrites. The zoning does not appear to have formed during crystallization from a melt droplet chondrule, but post-dated chondrule formation. Two hypotheses are postulated to explain the zoning: (1) parent-body thermal metamorphism and (2) nebular gas-solid exchange reactions accompanied by condensation of new FeO-rich olivine, utilizing existing olivine surfaces as nucleation sites. The occurrence of steep Fe-Mg compositional gradients of core-to-rim profiles, oscillatory zoning in olivine, fayalitic rims of Fa{sub 45} that exceed instead of approach the equilibrium composition of the matrix (Fa{sub 38}), and olivine-filled veins in zoned pyroxenes are more compatible with the nebular hypothesis. The Carlisle Lakes-type chondrites may have originally been derived from an ordinary chondrite-like precursor which was later oxidized, prior to its final lithification. However, the oxygen isotopic compositions of the whole chondrites and most of their chondrules suggest that the precursor probably formed in an oxygen isotopically distinct environment.

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL FORMATION OF ORGANIC SOLIDS IN CHONDRITES AND COMETS THROUGH POLYMERIZATION OF INTERSTELLAR FORMALDEHYDE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Cody, George D.; David Kilcoyne, A. L.

2013-01-01

Polymerization of interstellar formaldehyde, first through the formose reaction and then through subsequent condensation reactions, provides a plausible explanation for how abundant and highly chemically complex organic solids may have come to exist in primitive solar system objects. In order to gain better insight on the reaction, a systematic study of the relationship of synthesis temperature with resultant molecular structure was performed. In addition, the effect of the presence of ammonia on the reaction rate and molecular structure of the product was studied. The synthesized formaldehyde polymer is directly compared to chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM) isolated from primitive meteorites using solid-state 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. The molecular structure of the formaldehyde polymer is shown to exhibit considerable similarity at the functional group level with primitive chondritic IOM. The addition of ammonia to the solution enhances the rate of polymerization reaction at lower temperatures and results in substantial incorporation of nitrogen into the polymer. Morphologically, the formaldehyde polymer exists as submicron to micron-sized spheroidal particles and spheroidal particle aggregates that bare considerable similarity to the organic nanoglobules commonly observed in chondritic IOM. These spectroscopic and morphological data support the hypothesis that IOM in chondrites and refractory organic carbon in comets may have formed through the polymerization of interstellar formaldehyde after planetesimal accretion, in the presence of liquid water, early in the history of the solar system.

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL FORMATION OF ORGANIC SOLIDS IN CHONDRITES AND COMETS THROUGH POLYMERIZATION OF INTERSTELLAR FORMALDEHYDE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Cody, George D. [Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, DC 20015 (United States); David Kilcoyne, A. L., E-mail: ykebukawa@ciw.edu, E-mail: yoko@ep.sci.hokudai.ac.jp [Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Mail Stop 7R0222, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2013-07-01

Polymerization of interstellar formaldehyde, first through the formose reaction and then through subsequent condensation reactions, provides a plausible explanation for how abundant and highly chemically complex organic solids may have come to exist in primitive solar system objects. In order to gain better insight on the reaction, a systematic study of the relationship of synthesis temperature with resultant molecular structure was performed. In addition, the effect of the presence of ammonia on the reaction rate and molecular structure of the product was studied. The synthesized formaldehyde polymer is directly compared to chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM) isolated from primitive meteorites using solid-state {sup 13}C nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. The molecular structure of the formaldehyde polymer is shown to exhibit considerable similarity at the functional group level with primitive chondritic IOM. The addition of ammonia to the solution enhances the rate of polymerization reaction at lower temperatures and results in substantial incorporation of nitrogen into the polymer. Morphologically, the formaldehyde polymer exists as submicron to micron-sized spheroidal particles and spheroidal particle aggregates that bare considerable similarity to the organic nanoglobules commonly observed in chondritic IOM. These spectroscopic and morphological data support the hypothesis that IOM in chondrites and refractory organic carbon in comets may have formed through the polymerization of interstellar formaldehyde after planetesimal accretion, in the presence of liquid water, early in the history of the solar system.

Exploring the Potential Formation of Organic Solids in Chondrites and Comets through Polymerization of Interstellar Formaldehyde

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Kilcoyne, A. L. David; Cody, George D.

2013-07-01

Polymerization of interstellar formaldehyde, first through the formose reaction and then through subsequent condensation reactions, provides a plausible explanation for how abundant and highly chemically complex organic solids may have come to exist in primitive solar system objects. In order to gain better insight on the reaction, a systematic study of the relationship of synthesis temperature with resultant molecular structure was performed. In addition, the effect of the presence of ammonia on the reaction rate and molecular structure of the product was studied. The synthesized formaldehyde polymer is directly compared to chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM) isolated from primitive meteorites using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. The molecular structure of the formaldehyde polymer is shown to exhibit considerable similarity at the functional group level with primitive chondritic IOM. The addition of ammonia to the solution enhances the rate of polymerization reaction at lower temperatures and results in substantial incorporation of nitrogen into the polymer. Morphologically, the formaldehyde polymer exists as submicron to micron-sized spheroidal particles and spheroidal particle aggregates that bare considerable similarity to the organic nanoglobules commonly observed in chondritic IOM. These spectroscopic and morphological data support the hypothesis that IOM in chondrites and refractory organic carbon in comets may have formed through the polymerization of interstellar formaldehyde after planetesimal accretion, in the presence of liquid water, early in the history of the solar system.

Magnesium isotopic composition of the Earth and chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Fang-Zhen; Li, Wang-Ye; Ke, Shan; Marty, Bernard; Dauphas, Nicolas; Huang, Shichun; Wu, Fu-Yuan; Pourmand, Ali

2010-07-01

To constrain further the Mg isotopic composition of the Earth and chondrites, and investigate the behavior of Mg isotopes during planetary formation and magmatic processes, we report high-precision (±0.06‰ on δ 25Mg and ±0.07‰ on δ 26Mg, 2SD) analyses of Mg isotopes for (1) 47 mid-ocean ridge basalts covering global major ridge segments and spanning a broad range in latitudes, geochemical and radiogenic isotopic compositions; (2) 63 ocean island basalts from Hawaii (Kilauea, Koolau and Loihi) and French Polynesia (Society Island and Cook-Austral chain); (3) 29 peridotite xenoliths from Australia, China, France, Tanzania and USA; and (4) 38 carbonaceous, ordinary and enstatite chondrites including 9 chondrite groups (CI, CM, CO, CV, L, LL, H, EH and EL). Oceanic basalts and peridotite xenoliths have similar Mg isotopic compositions, with average values of δ 25Mg = -0.13 ± 0.05 (2SD) and δ 26Mg = -0.26 ± 0.07 (2SD) for global oceanic basalts ( n = 110) and δ 25Mg = -0.13 ± 0.03 (2SD) and δ 26Mg = -0.25 ± 0.04 (2SD) for global peridotite xenoliths ( n = 29). The identical Mg isotopic compositions in oceanic basalts and peridotites suggest that equilibrium Mg isotope fractionation during partial melting of peridotite mantle and magmatic differentiation of basaltic magma is negligible. Thirty-eight chondrites have indistinguishable Mg isotopic compositions, with δ 25Mg = -0.15 ± 0.04 (2SD) and δ 26Mg = -0.28 ± 0.06 (2SD). The constancy of Mg isotopic compositions in all major types of chondrites suggest that primary and secondary processes that affected the chemical and oxygen isotopic compositions of chondrites did not significantly fractionate Mg isotopes. Collectively, the Mg isotopic composition of the Earth's mantle, based on oceanic basalts and peridotites, is estimated to be -0.13 ± 0.04 for δ 25Mg and -0.25 ± 0.07 for δ 26Mg (2SD, n = 139). The Mg isotopic composition of the Earth, as represented by the mantle, is similar to chondrites

Effects of secondary alteration on the composition of free and IOM-derived monocarboxylic acids in carbonaceous chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Aponte, José C.; Alexandre, Marcelo R.; Wang, Yi; Brearley, Adrian J.; Alexander, Conel M. O.'D.; Huang, Yongsong

2011-05-01

Monocarboxylic acids (MCAs) are important astrobiologically because they are often the most abundant soluble compounds in carbonaceous chondrites (CCs) and are potential synthetic end products for many biologically important compounds. However, there has been no systematic study on the effect of parent body alteration on molecular and isotopic variability of MCAs. Since MCAs in meteorites are dominated by low molecular weight (C1-C8), highly volatile compounds, their distributions are likely to be particularly sensitive to secondary alteration processes. In contrast, the aliphatic side chains of insoluble organic matter (IOM) in CCs, whose composition has been shown to be closely related to the MCAs, may be far more resistant to secondary alteration. In the present study, we determined the distributions and isotopic ratios of free and IOM-derived MCAs in six carbonaceous chondrites with a range of classifications: Murchison (CM2), EET 87770 (CR2), ALH 83034 (CM1), ALH 83033 (CM2), MET 00430 (CV3) and WIS 91600 (C2). We compare mineralogical and petrological characteristics to the MCAs distributions to better define the processes leading to the synthesis and alteration of meteoritic MCAs. Our results show that aqueous and especially thermal alteration in the parent bodies led to major loss of free MCAs and depletion of straight relative to branched chain compounds. However, the MCAs derived from aliphatic side chains of IOM are well preserved despite of secondary alterations. The molecular and isotopic similarities of IOM-derived MCAs in different chondrite samples indicate very similar synthetic histories for organic matter in different meteorites.

Tellurium stable isotope fractionation in chondritic meteorites and some terrestrial samples

Science.gov (United States)

Fehr, Manuela A.; Hammond, Samantha J.; Parkinson, Ian J.

2018-02-01

New methodologies employing a 125Te-128Te double-spike were developed and applied to obtain high precision mass-dependent tellurium stable isotope data for chondritic meteorites and some terrestrial samples by multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Analyses of standard solutions produce Te stable isotope data with a long-term reproducibility (2SD) of 0.064‰ for δ130/125Te. Carbonaceous and enstatite chondrites display a range in δ130/125Te of 0.9‰ (0.2‰ amu-1) in their Te stable isotope signature, whereas ordinary chondrites present larger Te stable isotope fractionation, in particular for unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, with an overall variation of 6.3‰ for δ130/125Te (1.3‰ amu-1). Tellurium stable isotope variations in ordinary chondrites display no correlation with Te contents or metamorphic grade. The large Te stable isotope fractionation in ordinary chondrites is likely caused by evaporation and condensation processes during metamorphism in the meteorite parent bodies, as has been suggested for other moderately and highly volatile elements displaying similar isotope fractionation. Alternatively, they might represent a nebular signature or could have been produced during chondrule formation. Enstatite chondrites display slightly more negative δ130/125Te compared to carbonaceous chondrites and equilibrated ordinary chondrites. Small differences in the Te stable isotope composition are also present within carbonaceous chondrites and increase in the order CV-CO-CM-CI. These Te isotope variations within carbonaceous chondrites may be due to mixing of components that have distinct Te isotope signatures reflecting Te stable isotope fractionation in the early solar system or on the parent bodies and potentially small so-far unresolvable nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies of up to 0.27‰. The Te stable isotope data of carbonaceous and enstatite chondrites displays a general correlation with the oxidation state and hence might

Chondritic Meteorites: Nebular and Parent-Body Formation Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Alan E.; Lindstrom, David (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

It is important to identify features in chondrites that formed as a result of parent-body modification in order to disentangle nebular and asteroidal processes. However, this task is difficult because unmetamorphosed chondritic meteorites are mixtures of diverse components including various types of chondrules, chondrule fragments, refractory and mafic inclusions, metal-sulfide grains and fine-grained matrix material. Shocked chondrites can contain melt pockets, silicate-darkened material, metal veins, silicate melt veins, and impact-melt-rock clasts. This grant paid for several studies that went far in helping to distinguish primitive nebular features from those produced during asteroidal modification processes.

146Sm-142Nd systematics measured in enstatite chondrites reveals a heterogeneous distribution of 142Nd in the solar nebula.

Science.gov (United States)

Gannoun, Abdelmouhcine; Boyet, Maud; Rizo, Hanika; El Goresy, Ahmed

2011-05-10

The short-lived (146)Sm-(142)Nd chronometer (T(1/2) = 103 Ma) is used to constrain the early silicate evolution of planetary bodies. The composition of bulk terrestrial planets is then considered to be similar to that of primitive chondrites that represent the building blocks of rocky planets. However for many elements chondrites preserve small isotope differences. In this case it is not always clear to what extent these variations reflect the isotope heterogeneity of the protosolar nebula rather than being produced by the decay of parent isotopes. Here we present Sm-Nd isotopes data measured in a comprehensive suite of enstatite chondrites (EC). The EC preserve (142)Nd/(144)Nd ratios that range from those of ordinary chondrites to values similar to terrestrial samples. The EC having terrestrial (142)Nd/(144)Nd ratios are also characterized by small (144)Sm excesses, which is a pure p-process nuclide. The correlation between (144)Sm and (142)Nd for chondrites may indicate a heterogeneous distribution in the solar nebula of p-process matter synthesized in supernovae. However to explain the difference in (142)Nd/(144)Nd ratios, 20% of the p-process contribution to (142)Nd is required, at odds with the value of 4% currently proposed in stellar models. This study highlights the necessity of obtaining high-precision (144)Sm measurements to interpret properly measured (142)Nd signatures. Another explanation could be that the chondrites sample material formed in different pulses of the lifetime of asymptotic giant branch stars. Then the isotope signature measured in SiC presolar would not represent the unique s-process signature of the material present in the solar nebula during accretion.

Striking Graphite Bearing Clasts Found in Two Ordinary Chondrite Samples; NWA6169 and NWA8330

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Jessica M.; Zolensky, Michael E.; Chan, Queenie; Kring, David A.

2015-01-01

Meteorites play an integral role in understanding the history of the solar system. Not only can they contain some of the oldest material found in the solar system they also can contain material that is unique. Many lithologies are only found as foreign clasts within distinctly different host meteorites. In this investigation two foreign clasts within the meteorites, NWA6169 and NWA8330 were studied. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the mineralogy and petrography of the clasts within the samples. From there an identification and possible origin were to be inferred. NWA6169 is an unclassified ordinary chondrite that has a presumed petrologic type of L3. NWA8330 is a classified ordinary chondrite that has a petrologic type of LL3. Both meteorites were found to contain clasts that were similar; both modally were comprised of about 5% acicular graphite. Through SEM and Raman Spectroscopy it was found that they contained olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase, Fe-Ni sulfides, graphite, and metals. They were found to portray an igneous texture with relationships that suggest concurrent growth. Analytical microprobe results for NWA6169 revealed mineral compositions of Fa31-34, Fs23-83, and Ab7-85. For NWA8330 these were Fa28-32, Fs10-24, and Ab4-83. Only one similar material has been reported, in the L3 chondrite Krymka (Semenenko & Girich, 1995). The clast they described exhibited similar mineralogies including the unusual graphite. Krymka data displayed compositional values of Fa28.5-35.0 and Fs9-25.9. These ranges are fairly similar to that of NWA6169 and NWA8330. These samples may all be melt clasts, probably of impact origin. Two possibilities are (1) impact of a C-type asteroid onto the L chondrite parent asteroid, and (2) a piece of proto-earth ejected from the moon-forming collision event. These possibilities present abundant questions, and can be tested. The measurement of oxygen isotope compositions from the clasts should reveal the original source of the

Chemical fractionations in meteorites. IX. C3 chondrites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anders, E; Higuchi, H; Ganapathy, R; Morgan, J W [Chicago Univ., Ill. (USA). Enrico Fermi Inst.

1976-09-01

Four C3V chondrites (Grosnaja, Kaba, Mokoia, Vigarano) and three C30 chondrites (Felic, Kainsaz, and Lance) 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 C1 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 H/sub 2/S partial pressure is discussed, in an attempt to explain the drastic difference in Cd abundance between the two subclasses. It appears that the H/sub 2/S/H/sub 2/ ratio is the key variable. C30's seem to have condensed in a region where enough metallic Fe was present to buffer the H/sub 2/S pressure, while C3V's condensed in a more oxidized region, where H/sub 2/S was in excess. Accretion temperatures, for an assumed nebular pressure of 10/sup -5/ atm, were between 415 and 430 K for C30's and less than 440 K for CeV's.

New Extraterrestrial Signature of the Insoluble Organic Matter of the Orgueil, Murchison and Tagish Lake Meteorites as Revealed by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Science.gov (United States)

Binet, L.; Gourier, D.; Derenne, S.; Robert, F.; Ciofini, I.

2003-03-01

EPR of the insoluble organic matter (IOM) of three chondrites revealed heterogeneously spread radicals including diradicaloids. These features not observed in terrestrial kerogens appear as an extraterrestrial signature of the chondritic IOM.

Evidence favoring an internally generated dynamo in the H chondrite parent planetesimal from the Forest Vale meteorite

Science.gov (United States)

Getzin, B. L.; Bryson, J. F. J.; Weiss, B. P.; Gattacceca, J.

2016-12-01

Chondritic meteorites are traditionally assumed to originate from undifferentiated asteroids due to their unmelted texture and composition. This implies that their parent bodies should not have formed a core or generated a dynamo. However, recent measurements of the H chondrite Portales Valley (Bryson et al., this meeting) observed post-accretional remanent magnetization interpreted as a record of a core dynamo, indicating that some chondrite parent bodies were partially differentiated. However, it has been proposed that the H chondrites may have been magnetized instead by a crustal remanent field. If this crustal magnetization was imparted by an early external source, such as nebular fields or even the solar wind, then the magnetization of H chondrites may not require a core dynamo. To test this hypothesis, we measured the magnetic properties of the Forest Vale H4 ordinary chondrite. Forest Vale cooled quickly (10000 K/My) and so would have acquired magnetization that represents the bulk of the H chondrite parent body's crust during the first 10 My of the solar system. Based on alternating field and pressure demagnetization experiments of natural remanent magnetization (NRM) and anhysteretic remanent magnetization, we conclude that Forest Vale contains no ancient magnetization and, due to its poor intrinsic magnetic recording properties, is unable to acquire a magnetization that is stable against even weak shocks (0.2 GPa). Furthermore, we show that a crust composed of Forest-Vale-like material magnetized by the upper limit field intensities expected for the nebula and solar wind fields (50 μT and 1 μT, respectively) produces an insufficient crustal remanent field (<2.5 μT and <0.045 μT, respectively) to explain the paleointensity recorded by Portales Valley ( 10 μT). Thus, we conclude that the field that magnetization Portales Valley is unlikely to be from a crustal remanence magnetized by early external fields, favoring a partially differentiated asteroid

Rapid Classification of Ordinary Chondrites Using Raman Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, M.; Welzenbach, L.

2014-01-01

Classification of ordinary chondrites is typically done through measurements of the composition of olivine and pyroxenes. Historically, this measurement has usually been performed via electron microprobe, oil immersion or other methods which can be costly through lost sample material during thin section preparation. Raman microscopy can perform the same measurements but considerably faster and with much less sample preparation allowing for faster classification. Raman spectroscopy can facilitate more rapid classification of large amounts of chondrites such as those retrieved from North Africa and potentially Antarctica, are present in large collections, or are submitted to a curation facility by the public. With development, this approach may provide a completely automated classification method of all chondrite types.

The selenium isotopic variations in chondrites are mass-dependent; Implications for sulfide formation in the early solar system

Science.gov (United States)

Labidi, J.; König, S.; Kurzawa, T.; Yierpan, A.; Schoenberg, R.

2018-01-01

Element transfer from the solar nebular gas to solids occurred either through direct condensation or via heterogeneous reactions between gaseous molecules and previously condensed solid matter. The precursors of altered sulfides observed in chondrites are for example attributed to reactions between gaseous hydrogen sulfide and metallic iron grains. The transfer of selenium to solids likely occurred through a similar pathway, allowing the formation of iron selenides concomitantly with sulfides. The formation rate of sulfide however remains difficult to assess. Here we investigate whether the Se isotopic composition of meteorites contributes to constrain sulfide formation during condensation stages of our solar system. We present high precision Se concentration and δ 82 / 78 Se data for 23 chondrites as well as the first δ 74 / 78 Se , δ 76 / 78 Se and δ 77 / 78 Se data for a sub-set of seven chondrites. We combine our dataset with previously published sulfur isotopic data and discuss aspects of sulfide formation for various types of chondrites. Our Se concentration data are within uncertainty to literature values and are consistent with sulfides being the dominant selenium host in chondrites. Our overall average δ 82 / 78 Se value for chondrites is - 0.21 ± 0.43 ‰ (n = 23, 2 s.d.), or - 0.14 ± 0.21 ‰ after exclusion of three weathered chondrites (n = 20, 2 s.d.). These average values are within uncertainty indistinguishable from a previously published estimate. For the first time however, we resolve distinct δ 82 / 78 Se between ordinary (- 0.14 ± 0.07 ‰, n = 9, 2 s.d.), enstatite (- 0.27 ± 0.05 ‰, n = 3, 2 s.d.) and CI carbonaceous chondrites (- 0.01 ± 0.06 ‰, n = 2, 2 s.d.). We also resolve a Se isotopic variability among CM carbonaceous chondrites. In addition, we report on δ 74 / 78 Se , δ 76 / 78 Se and δ 77 / 78 Se values determined for 7 chondrites. Our data allow evaluating the mass dependency of the δ 82 / 78 Se variations. Mass

Paleomagnetic evidence for a partially differentiated H chondrite parent planetesimal

Science.gov (United States)

Bryson, J. F. J.; Weiss, B. P.; Scholl, A.; Getzin, B. L.; Abrahams, J. N. H.; Nimmo, F.

2016-12-01

The texture, composition and ages of chondrites have all been used to argue that the parent bodies of these meteorites did not undergo planetary differentiation. Without a core, these planetesimals could not have generated planetary magnetic fields, hence chondrites are predicted to be unmagnetized. Here, we test this hypothesis by applying synchrotron x-ray microscopy to the metallic melt veins in the metamorphosed H chondrite breccia Portales Valley. We find that tetrataenite nanostructures in these veins are uniformly magnetized, suggesting that the H chondrite parent body generated a stable, 10 µT ancient field. We also performed alternating field (AF) demagnetization on bulk silicate-rich portions of Portales Valley, finding that both the large grain size of the metal in these subsamples and the presence of tetrataenite hinder the reliable interpretation of these measurements. Based on 40Ar/39Ar dating and the metallographic cooling rate, we propose that this field inferred from x-ray microscopy was generated 100 Myr after solar system formation and lasted >5 Myr. These properties are consistent with a dynamo field generated by core solidification, implying that the H chondrite parent body was partially differentiated. This conclusion is supported by our analyses of the H4 chondrite Forest Vale, which show that H chondrite magnetization is unlikely to be a relic signature of early nebular or solar wind fields (Getzin et al., this meeting; Oran et al., this meeting). We propose that partial differentiation could result form prolonged accretion over millions of years, possibly in two stages. In this scenario, the earliest accreted material melted from the radioactive decay of abundant 26Al, forming a core and rocky achondritic mantle, while the later accreted material was less metamorphosed, forming an undifferentiated crust. We demonstrate that, with the inclusion of an insulating regolith, the thermal evolution of such a body is consistent with the measured

Hf-W chronology of CR chondrites: Implications for the timescales of chondrule formation and the distribution of 26Al in the solar nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Budde, Gerrit; Kruijer, Thomas S.; Kleine, Thorsten

2018-02-01

Renazzo-type carbonaceous (CR) chondrites are distinct from most other chondrites in having younger chondrule 26Al-26Mg ages, but the significance of these ages and whether they reflect true formation times or spatial variations of the 26Al/27Al ratio within the solar protoplanetary disk are a matter of debate. To address these issues and to determine the timescales of metal-silicate fractionation and chondrule formation in CR chondrites, we applied the short-lived 182Hf-182W chronometer to metal, silicate, and chondrule separates from four CR chondrites. We also obtained Mo isotope data for the same samples to assess potential genetic links among the components of CR chondrites, and between these components and bulk chondrites. All investigated samples plot on a single Hf-W isochron and constrain the time of metal-silicate fractionation in CR chondrites to 3.6 ± 0.6 million years (Ma) after the formation of Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs). This age is indistinguishable from a ∼3.7 Ma Al-Mg age for CR chondrules, suggesting not only that metal-silicate fractionation and chondrule formation were coeval, but also that these two processes were linked to each other. The good agreement of the Hf-W and Al-Mg ages, combined with concordant Hf-W and Al-Mg ages for angrites and CV chondrules, provides strong evidence for a disk-wide, homogeneous distribution of 26Al in the early solar system. As such, the young Al-Mg ages for CR chondrules do not reflect spatial 26Al/27Al heterogeneities but indicate that CR chondrules formed ∼1-2 Ma later than chondrules from most other chondrite groups. Metal and silicate in CR chondrites exhibit distinct nucleosynthetic Mo and W isotope anomalies, which are caused by the heterogeneous distribution of the same presolar s-process carrier. These data suggest that the major components of CR chondrites are genetically linked and therefore formed from a single reservoir of nebular dust, most likely by localized melting events within the

Organic Analysis of Catalytic Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Products and Ordinary Chondrite Meteorites by Stepwise Pyrolysis-GCMS: Organics in the Early Solar Nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Locke, Darren R.; Yazzie, Cyriah A.; Burton, Aaron S.; Niles, Paul B.; Johnson, Natasha M.

2014-01-01

Abiotic generation of complex organic compounds, in the early solar nebula that formed our solar system, is hypothesized by some to occur via Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis. In its simplest form, FT synthesis involves the low temperature (300degC) produces FT products that include lesser amounts of n-alkanes and greater alkene, alcohol, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds. We have begun to experimentally investigate FT synthesis in the context of abiotic generation of organic compounds in the early solar nebula. It is generally thought that the early solar nebula included abundant hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases and nano-particulate matter such as iron and metal silicates that could have catalyzed the FT reaction. The effect of FT reaction temperature, catalyst type, and experiment duration on the resulting products is being investigated. These solid organic products are analyzed by thermal-stepwise pyrolysis-GCMS and yield the types and distribution of hydrocarbon compounds released as a function of temperature. We show how the FT products vary by reaction temperature, catalyst type, and experimental duration and compare these products to organic compounds found to be indigenous to ordinary chondrite meteorites. We hypothesize that the origin of organics in some chondritic meteorites, that represent an aggregation of materials from the early solar system, may at least in part be from FT synthesis that occurred in the early solar nebula.

PHYS: Division of Physical Chemistry 258 - Properties and Origins of Cometary and Asteroidal Organic Matter Delivered to the Early Earth

Science.gov (United States)

Messenger, Scott; Nguyen, Ann

2017-01-01

Comets and asteroids may have contributed much of the Earth's water and organic matter. The Earth accretes approximately 4x10(exp 7) Kg of dust and meteorites from these sources every year. The least altered meteorites contain complex assemblages of organic compounds and abundant hydrated minerals. These carbonaceous chondrite meteorites probably derive from asteroids that underwent hydrothermal processing within the first few million years after their accretion. Meteorite organics show isotopic and chemical signatures of low-T ion-molecule and grain-surface chemistry and photolysis of icy grains that occurred in cold molecular clouds and the outer protoplanetary disk. These signatures have been overprinted by aqueously mediated chemistry in asteroid parent bodies, forming amino acids and other prebiotic molecules. Comets are much richer in organic matter but it is less well characterized. Comet dust collected in the stratosphere shows larger H and N isotopic anomalies than most meteorites, suggesting better preservation of primordial organics. Rosetta studies of comet 67P coma dust find complex organic matter that may be related to the macromolecular material that dominates the organic inventory of primitive meteorites. The exogenous organic material accreting on Earth throughout its history is made up of thousands of molecular species formed in diverse processes ranging from circumstellar outflows to chemistry at near absolute zero in dark cloud cores and the formative environment within minor planets. NASA and JAXA are currently flying sample return missions to primitive, potentially organic-rich asteroids. The OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 missions will map their target asteroids, Bennu and Ryugu, in detail and return regolith samples to Earth. Laboratory analyses of these pristine asteroid samples will provide unprecedented views of asteroidal organic matter relatively free of terrestrial contamination within well determined geological context. Studies of

Origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dine, Michael; Kusenko, Alexander

2004-01-01

Although the origin of matter-antimatter asymmetry remains unknown, continuing advances in theory and improved experimental limits have ruled out some scenarios for baryogenesis, for example, sphaleron baryogenesis at the electroweak phase transition in the Standard Model. At the same time, the success of cosmological inflation and the prospects for discovering supersymmetry at the Large Hadron Collider have put some other models in sharper focus. We review the current state of our understanding of baryogenesis with emphasis on those scenarios that we consider most plausible

The Thermal Properties of CM Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Britt, D. T.; Opeil, C.

2017-12-01

The physical properties of asteroid exploration targets are fundamental parameters for developing models, planning observations, mission operations, reducing operational risk, and interpreting mission results. Until we have returned samples, meteorites represent our "ground truth" for the geological material we expect to interact with, sample, and interpret on the surfaces of asteroids. The physical properties of the volatile-rich carbonaceous chondrites (CI, C2, CM, and CR groups) are of particular interest because of their high resource potential. We have measured the thermal conductivity, heat capacity and thermal expansion of five CM carbonaceous chondrites (Murchison, Murray, Cold Bokkeveld, NWA 7309, Jbilet Winselwan) at low temperatures (5-300 K) to mimic the conditions in the asteroid belt. The mineralogy of these meteorites are dominated by abundant hydrous phyllosilicates, but also contain anhydrous minerals such as olivine and pyroxene found in chondrules. The thermal expansion measurements for all these CMs indicate a substantial increase in meteorite volume as temperature decreases from 230 - 210 K followed by linear contraction below 210 K. Such transitions were unexpected and are not typical for anhydrous carbonaceous chondrites or ordinary chondrites. Our thermal diffusivity results compare well with previous estimates for similar meteorites, where conductivity was derived from diffusivity measurements and modeled heat capacities; our new values are of a higher precision and cover a wider range of temperatures.

Calcium and titanium isotopes in refractory inclusions from CM, CO, and CR chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Kööp, Levke; Davis, Andrew M.; Krot, Alexander N.; Nagashima, Kazuhide; Simon, Steven B.

2018-05-01

Previous studies have shown that CV and CM chondrites incorporated Ca, Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) with different isotopic characteristics, which may represent different snapshots in the isotopic evolution of the early Solar System. To better understand how the isotopic characteristics of CAIs vary between different chondrite groups, we have studied calcium and titanium isotopes in CAIs from CM, CO, and CR chondrites. We show that all three chondrite groups contain CAIs with large anomalies in 48Ca and/or 50Ti (10s of ‰ or 100s of ε-units) as well as CAIs with no anomalies resolved beyond measurement uncertainties. Isotopically, the anomalous CO and CR chondrite CAIs resemble the platy hibonite crystals (PLACs) from CM chondrites, but they are more mineralogically complex. The new data are consistent with the well-established mutual exclusivity relationship between incorporation of 26Al and the presence of large anomalies in 48Ca and 50Ti. The two highly anomalous CO chondrite CAIs have correlated anomalies in 46Ti and 50Ti, while most other highly anomalous CAIs do not. This result could indicate that the reservoir with coupled 46Ti and 50Ti that was sampled by bulk meteorites and CV chondrite CAIs already existed before arrival and/or homogeneous distribution of 26Al in the protoplanetary disk. Among the studied CM chondrite CAIs are ten spinel-hibonite inclusions (SHIBs) with known oxygen isotopic compositions. Our results show that these objects sampled a reservoir that was well-mixed in oxygen, calcium, and titanium isotopes. We further show that SHIBs tend to be slightly enriched in the heavy calcium isotopes, suggesting that their formation history was different from CV chondrite CAIs.

Silurian Micrometeorite Flux: The Demise of the Mid-Ordovician L-Chondrite Reign.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, E.; Schmitz, B.

2017-12-01

Earth's sedimentary record holds information about the micrometeorite flux through time, reflecting the collisional evolution of the asteroid belt. Around 466 Ma ago in the mid-Ordovician period the L-chondrite parent body breakup (LCPB) took place in the main asteroid belt causing a massive increase, up to two orders of magnitude, in the flux of meteorites to Earth (Schmitz, 2013). What did the meteorite flux look like after the breakup event? And when in time can we see a decrease in the fraction of L-chondritic micrometeorites? We dissolved in acids condensed, marine limestone representing the mid-Ordovician and the late Silurian about 0.5 and 40 Ma, respectively after the LCPB, and searched the residues for spinel grains from equilibrated ordinary chondrites (EC). We used 102 kg from the mid-Ordovician Komstad Limestone Formation, Killeröd quarry in Sweden, and 321 kg from the Silurian Kok Formation, Cellon section in Austria. Elemental analyses of the spinel grains were used to link the grains to different types of meteorites. In the large grain size fraction (63-355 µm) there are 4.5 EC grains/kg of rock in the mid-Ordovician sample and only 0.03 EC grains/kg in the Silurian sample. Because the two formations formed at about the same rate (a few mm per kyr) the results represent strong evidence for a major tailing off in the L-chondritic meteorite contribution by the late Silurian. The EC grains have been divided into the H, L, and LL groups based on the TiO2 content. The results show that the fraction of L chondrites compared to H and LL chondrites had declined significantly by the late Silurian. In the study of Heck et al. (2016) it was shown that ≥99% of the ordinary chondritic micrometeorites were L chondrites right after the LCPB. Our data indicate that the L-chondrite fraction had decreased to 60% by the Silurian, with the H and LL chondrites making up 30% and 10% respectively of the flux.

Evolution of carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies: Insights into cometary nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McSween, H.Y. Jr.

1989-01-01

It is thought that cometary samples will comprise the most primitive materials that are able to be sampled. Although parent body alteration of such samples would not necessarily detract from scientists' interest in them, the possibility exists that modification processes may have affected cometary nuclei. Inferences about the kinds of modifications that might be encountered can be drawn from data on the evolution of carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies. Observations suggest that, of all the classes of chondrites, these meteorites are most applicable to the study of comets. If the proportion of possible internal heat sources such as Al-26 in cometary materials are similar to those in chondrites, and if the time scale of comet accretion was fast enough to permit incorporation of live radionuclides, comets might have had early thermal histories somewhat like those of carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies

Young asteroid mixing revealed in ordinary chondrites: The case of NWA 5764, a polymict LL breccia with L clasts

Science.gov (United States)

Gattacceca, Jérome; Krzesińska, Agata M.; Marrocchi, Yves; Meier, Matthias M. M.; Bourot-Denise, Michèle; Lenssen, Rob

2017-11-01

Polymict chondritic breccias—rocks composed of fragments originating from different chondritic parent bodies—are of particular interest because they give insights into the mixing of asteroids in the main asteroid belt (occurrence, encounter velocity, transfer time). We describe Northwest Africa (NWA) 5764, a brecciated LL6 chondrite that contains a >16 cm3 L4 clast. The L clast was incorporated in the breccia through a nondestructive, low-velocity impact. Identical cosmic-ray exposure ages of the L clast and the LL host (36.6 ± 5.8 Myr), suggest a short transfer time of the L meteoroid to the LL parent body of 0.1 ± 8.1 Myr, if that meteoroid was no larger than a few meters. NWA 5764 (together with St. Mesmin, Dimmitt, and Glanerbrug) shows that effective mixing is possible between ordinary chondrite parent bodies. In NWA 5764 this mixing occurred after the peak of thermal metamorphism on the LL parent body, i.e., at least several tens of Myr after the formation of the solar system. The U,Th-He ages of the L clast and LL host, identical at about 2.9 Ga, might date the final assembly of the breccia, indicating relatively young mixing in the main asteroid belt as previously evidenced in St. Mesmin.

Origin and abundance of water in carbonaceous asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Marrocchi, Yves; Bekaert, David V.; Piani, Laurette

2018-01-01

The origin and abundance of water accreted by carbonaceous asteroids remains underconstrained, but would provide important information on the dynamic of the protoplanetary disk. Here we report the in situ oxygen isotopic compositions of aqueously formed fayalite grains in the Kaba and Mokoia CV chondrites. CV chondrite bulk, matrix and fayalite O-isotopic compositions define the mass-independent continuous trend (δ17O = 0.84 ± 0.03 × δ18O - 4.25 ± 0.1), which shows that the main process controlling the O-isotopic composition of the CV chondrite parent body is related to isotopic exchange between 16O-rich anhydrous silicates and 17O- and 18O-rich fluid. Similar isotopic behaviors observed in CM, CR and CO chondrites demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of O-isotopic exchange as the main physical process in establishing the O-isotopic features of carbonaceous chondrites, regardless of their alteration degree. Based on these results, we developed a new approach to estimate the abundance of water accreted by carbonaceous chondrites (quantified by the water/rock ratio) with CM (0.3-0.4) ≥ CR (0.1-0.4) ≥ CV (0.1-0.2) > CO (0.01-0.10). The low water/rock ratios and the O-isotopic characteristics of secondary minerals in carbonaceous chondrites indicate they (i) formed in the main asteroid belt and (ii) accreted a locally derived (inner Solar System) water formed near the snowline by condensation from the gas phase. Such results imply low influx of D- and 17O- and 18O-rich water ice grains from the outer part of the Solar System. The latter is likely due to the presence of a Jupiter-induced gap in the protoplanetary disk that limited the inward drift of outer Solar System material at the exception of particles with size lower than 150 μm such as presolar grains. Among carbonaceous chondrites, CV chondrites show O-isotopic features suggesting potential contribution of 17-18O-rich water that may be related to their older accretion relative to other hydrated

The neodymium stable isotope composition of the silicate Earth and chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy-West, Alex J.; Millet, Marc-Alban; Burton, Kevin W.

2017-12-01

The non-chondritic neodymium (Nd) 142Nd/144Nd ratio of the silicate Earth potentially provides a key constraint on the accretion and early evolution of the Earth. Yet, it is debated whether this offset is due to the Earth being formed from material enriched in s-process Nd isotopes or results from an early differentiation process such as the segregation of a late sulfide matte during core formation, collisional erosion or a some combination of these processes. Neodymium stable isotopes are potentially sensitive to early sulfide segregation into Earth's core, a process that cannot be resolved using their radiogenic counterparts. This study presents the first comprehensive Nd stable isotope data for chondritic meteorites and terrestrial rocks. Stable Nd measurements were made using a double spike technique coupled with thermal ionisation mass spectrometry. All three of the major classes of chondritic meteorites, carbonaceous, enstatite and ordinary chondrites have broadly similar isotopic compositions allowing calculation of a chondritic mean of δ146/144Nd = -0.025 ± 0.025‰ (±2 s.d.; n = 39). Enstatite chondrites yield the most uniform stable isotope composition (Δ146/144Nd = 26 ppm), with considerably more variability observed within ordinary (Δ146/144Nd = 72 ppm) and carbonaceous meteorites (Δ146/144Nd = 143 ppm). Terrestrial weathering, nucleosynthetic variations and parent body thermal metamorphism appear to have little measurable effect on δ146/144Nd in chondrites. The small variations observed between ordinary chondrite groups most likely reflect inherited compositional differences between parent bodies, with the larger variations observed in carbonaceous chondrites being linked to varying modal proportions of calcium-aluminium rich inclusions. The terrestrial samples analysed here include rocks ranging from basaltic to rhyolitic in composition, MORB glasses and residual mantle lithologies. All of these terrestrial rocks possess a broadly similar Nd

Organic thermometry for chondritic parent bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Cody, G. D.; Alexander, C. M. O'D.; Yabuta, H.; Kilcoyne, A. L. D.; Araki, T.; Ade, H.; Dera, P.; Fogel, M.; Militzer, B.; Mysen, B. O.

2008-07-01

A unique spectroscopic feature has been identified in a study of twenty-five different samples of meteoritic insoluble organic matter (IOM) spanning multiple chemical classes, groups, and petrologic types, using carbon X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The intensity of this feature, a 1s - σ* exciton, appears to provide a precise measure of parent body metamorphism. The intensity of this exciton is also shown to correlate well with a large negative paramagnetic shift observed through solid state 13C NMR. Experiments reveal that upon heating primitive IOM is transformed into material that is indistinguishable from that in thermally processed chondrites, including the development of the 1s - σ* exciton. A thermo-kinetic expression is derived from the experimental data that allows the intensity of the 1s - σ* exciton to be used to estimated the effective temperature integrated over time. A good correlation is observed between the intensity of the 1s - σ* exciton and previously published microRaman spectral data. These data provide a self-consistent organic derived temperature scale for the purpose of calibrating Raman based thermometric expressions.

Comparative 187Re-187Os systematics of chondrites: Implications regarding early solar system processes

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, R.J.; Horan, M.F.; Morgan, J.W.; Becker, H.; Grossman, J.N.; Rubin, A.E.

2002-01-01

A suite of 47 carbonaceous, enstatite, and ordinary chondrites are examined for Re-Os isotopic systematics. There are significant differences in the 187Re/188Os and 187Os/188Os ratios of carbonaceous chondrites compared with ordinary and enstatite chondrites. The average 187Re/188Os for carbonaceous chondrites is 0.392 ?? 0.015 (excluding the CK chondrite, Karoonda), compared with 0.422 ?? 0.025 and 0.421 ?? 0.013 for ordinary and enstatite chondrites (1?? standard deviations). These ratios, recast into elemental Re/Os ratios, are as follows: 0.0814 ?? 0.0031, 0.0876 ?? 0.0052 and 0.0874 ?? 0.0027 respectively. Correspondingly, the 187Os/188Os ratios of carbonaceous chondrites average 0.1262 ?? 0.0006 (excluding Karoonda), and ordinary and enstatite chondrites average 0.1283 ?? 0.0017 and 0.1281 ?? 0.0004, respectively (1?? standard deviations). The new results indicate that the Re/Os ratios of meteorites within each group are, in general, quite uniform. The minimal overlap between the isotopic compositions of ordinary and enstatite chondrites vs. carbonaceous chondrites indicates long-term differences in Re/Os for these materials, most likely reflecting chemical fractionation early in solar system history. A majority of the chondrites do not plot within analytical uncertainties of a 4.56-Ga reference isochron. Most of the deviations from the isochron are consistent with minor, relatively recent redistribution of Re and/or Os on a scale of millimeters to centimeters. Some instances of the redistribution may be attributed to terrestrial weathering; others are most likely the result of aqueous alteration or shock events on the parent body within the past 2 Ga. The 187Os/188Os ratio of Earth's primitive upper mantle has been estimated to be 0.1296 ?? 8. If this composition was set via addition of a late veneer of planetesimals after core formation, the composition suggests the veneer was dominated by materials that had Re/Os ratios most similar to ordinary and

Composite Phymatoderma from Neogene deep-marine deposits in Japan: Implications for Phanerozoic benthic interactions between burrows and the trace-makers of Chondrites and Phycosiphon

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Kentaro Izumi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Among composite trace fossils, one of the most common structures throughout the Phanerozoic are structures (e.g., dwelling trace, feeding trace reworked by Chondrites and/or Phycosiphon. However, differences in the nature of the reworking behaviors of these two ichnogenera remain unknown. Thus, in this study, composite Phymatoderma specimens from the Neogene deep-marine Shiramazu Formation in Japan, particularly those reworked by Chondrites and Phycosiphon, were analyzed to reveal the specific conditions that might control the activities of these trace-makers. Phymatoderma reworked by Phycosiphon is significantly larger than non-reworked Phymatoderma, whereas Phymatoderma reworked by Chondrites shows no significant difference in burrow diameter compared with non-reworked Phymatoderma. The recognized size selectivity (i.e., preference for larger burrows by the Phycosiphon trace-maker can be explained by considering the different feeding strategies of these two ichnogenera; namely deposit-feeding Phycosiphon-makers, which must have processed a significant mass of sediment to obtain sufficient organic matter, whereas chemosymbiotic Chondrites-producers did not require a lot of sediment to obtain nutrients. In order to test these interpretations, a dataset of Phanerozoic trace fossils reworked by Chondrites/Phycosiphon were compiled. Consequently, the Phycosiphon-producers’ preference toward relatively larger burrows was recognized, quantitatively supporting the results of this study. The compilation also indicates that the burrow size might have become one of the important limiting factors for the Phycosiphon-producers that tried to rework the sediments within previous subsurface burrows, at least for 80 million years.

SNOW COVER OF THE CENTRAL ANTARCTICA (VOSTOK STATION AS AN IDEAL NATURAL TABLET FOR COSMIC DUST COLLECTION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF MICROMETEORITES OF CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITE TYPE

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E. S. Bulat

2012-01-01

Full Text Available During the 2010/11 season nearby the Vostok station the 56th Russian Antarctic Expedition has collected surface snow in a big amount from a 3 m deep pit using 15 220 L vol. containers (about 70 kg snow each. Snow melting and processing by ultra-centrifugation was performed in a clean (class 10 000 and 100 laboratory. Total dust concentrations were not exceeded 37.4 mkg per liter with particle dispersal mode around 2.5 mkm. To analyze the elemental composition of fine dust particles aimed to reveal Antarctic micrometeorites (AMM two electron microscopy devices equipped with different micro-beams were implemented. As a preliminary result, three particles (of 107 analyzed featured by Mg content clearly dominated over Al along with Si and Fe as major elements (a feature of carbonaceous chondrites were observed. By this the Vostok AMM CS11 collection was established. The occurrence of given particles was averaged 2.8% – the factual value obtained for the first time for chondritic type AMM at Vostok which should be considered as the lowest estimate for all other families of AMM. Given the reference profile of total dust content in East Antarctic snow during Holocene (18 mkg/kg the MM deposition in Antarctica was quantified for the first time – 14 tons per day for carbonaceous chondrites for the Vostok AMM CS11 collection and up to 245 tons per day for all MM types for the Concordia AMM DC02 collection. The results obtained allowed to prove that snow cover (ice sheet in total of Central East Antarctica is the best spot (most clean of other natural locations and always below 0 ºC for collecting native MM deposited on the Earth during the last million years and could be useful in deciphering the origin and evolution of solid matter in our Solar System and its effects on Earth-bound biogeochemical and geophysical processes including the life origin. The farther analyses of the Vostok AMMs are in a progress.

Were chondrites magnetized by the early solar wind?

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Oran, Rona; Weiss, Benjamin P.; Cohen, Ofer

2018-06-01

Chondritic meteorites have been traditionally thought to be samples of undifferentiated bodies that never experienced large-scale melting. This view has been challenged by the existence of post-accretional, unidirectional natural remanent magnetization (NRM) in CV carbonaceous chondrites. The relatively young inferred NRM age [∼10 million years (My) after solar system formation] and long duration of NRM acquisition (1-106 y) have been interpreted as evidence that the magnetizing field was that of a core dynamo within the CV parent body. This would imply that CV chondrites represent the primitive crust of a partially differentiated body. However, an alternative hypothesis is that the NRM was imparted by the early solar wind. Here we demonstrate that the solar wind scenario is unlikely due to three main factors: 1) the magnitude of the early solar wind magnetic field is estimated to be limits field amplification due to pile-up of the solar wind to less than a factor of 3.5 times that of the instantaneous solar wind field, and 3) the solar wind field likely changed over timescales orders of magnitude shorter than the timescale of NRM acquisition. Using analytical arguments, numerical simulations and astronomical observations of the present-day solar wind and magnetic fields of young stars, we show that the maximum mean field the ancient solar wind could have imparted on an undifferentiated CV parent body is <3.5 nT, which is 3-4 and 3 orders of magnitude weaker than the paleointensities recorded by the CV chondrites Allende and Kaba, respectively. Therefore, the solar wind is highly unlikely to be the source of the NRM in CV chondrites. Nevertheless, future high sensitivity paleomagnetic studies of rapidly-cooled meteorites with high magnetic recording fidelity could potentially trace the evolution of the solar wind field in time.

Aqueous Alteration of Carbonaceous Chondrites: New Insights from Comparative Studies of Two Unbrecciated CM2 Chondrites, Y 791198 and ALH 81002

Science.gov (United States)

Chizmadia, L. J.; Brearley, A. J.

2004-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites are an important resource for understanding the physical and chemical conditions in the early solar system. In particular, a long-standing question concerns the role of water in the cosmochemical evolution of carbonaceous chondrites. It is well established that extensive hydration of primary nebular phases occurred in the CM and CI chondrites, but the location where this alteration occurred remains controversial. In the CM2 chondrites, hydration formed secondary phases such as serpentine, tochilinite, pentlandite, carbonate and PCP. There are several textural observations which suggest that alteration occurred before the accretion of the final CM parent asteroid, i.e. preaccretionary alteration. Conversely, there is a significant body of evidence that supports parent-body alteration. In order to test these two competing hypotheses further, we studied two CM chondrites, Y-791198 and ALH81002, two meteorites that exhibit widely differing degrees of aqueous alteration. In addition, both meteorites have primary accretionary textures, i.e. experienced minimal asteroidal brecciation. Brecciation significantly complicates the task of unraveling alteration histories, mixing components that have been altered to different degrees from different locations on the same asteroidal parent body. Alteration in Y-791198 is mostly confined to chondrule mesostases, FeNi metal and fine-grained matrix and rims. In comparison, the primary chondrule silicates in ALH81002 have undergone extensive replacement by secondary hydrous phases. This study focuses on compositional and textural relationships between chondrule mesostasis and the associated rim materials. Our hypothesis is: both these components are highly susceptible to aqueous alteration and should be sensitive recorders of the alteration process. For parent body alteration, we expect systematic coupled mineralogical and compositional changes in rims and altered mesostasis, as elemental exchange between these

Original jurisdiction in matters relating to transport of radioactive substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1989-01-01

Decisions on actions for avoidance of government supervision in matters of transport of radioactive substances are placed under the original jurisdiction of administrative courts. (Kassel Administrative Court, decision of 20 December 1988 - 8 A 699/88). (orig.) [de

Formation of solid materials in the preplanetary nebula and the composition of chondrites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Izakov, M.N.

1986-07-01

On the basis of the model of the formation of the preplanetary nebula as an accretion disk during the formation of the sun, the hypothesis is proposed that a significant fraction of the solid materials of the preplanetary nebula was formed by the successive condensation of the components of the gas of solar composition during its motion from the hot, dense region near the protosun to the periphery of the nebula into regions of ever decreasing values of temperature and pressure. The hypothesis removes the contradiction materials and the presence of traces of high-temperature phenomena in chondrite materials and the conclusion that there were never high temperature in the preplanetary nebula at distances of 2-4 AU from the sun, where meteorites encountering the earth originate, and also explains a number of properties of chondrites. It follows from this hypothesis that the mass and angular momentum of the nebula were close to their minimum possible values and that the loss of the nebular gas had already begun at the final stage of its formation.

Formation of solid materials in the preplanetary nebula and the composition of chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izakov, M.N.

1986-01-01

On the basis of the model of the formation of the preplanetary nebula as an accretion disk during the formation of the sun, the hypothesis is proposed that a significant fraction of the solid materials of the preplanetary nebula was formed by the successive condensation of the components of the gas of solar composition during its motion from the hot, dense region near the protosun to the periphery of the nebula into regions of ever decreasing values of temperature and pressure. The hypothesis removes the contradiction materials and the presence of traces of high-temperature phenomena in chondrite materials and the conclusion that there were never high temperature in the preplanetary nebula at distances of 2-4 AU from the sun, where meteorites encountering the earth originate, and also explains a number of properties of chondrites. It follows from this hypothesis that the mass and angular momentum of the nebula were close to their minimum possible values and that the loss of the nebular gas had already begun at the final stage of its formation

The comparison of element composition of Venus, Earth, Mars, and chondrites in the light of the Mendeleev Periodic Law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuburkov, Yu.T.

1998-01-01

The share of free neutral atoms, N 0 , for all elements in Protoplanet nebula has been determined with the account of their abundance and physico-chemical properties. The linear dependence for the ratio of nonvolatile and volatile elements in chondrites and igneous rocks of the Earth on N 0 was obtained. The Mendeleev Periodic Law was used to obtain the proof of the existence of the hypothetical process of element magnetic separation in Protoplanet nebula. To this end the concentration ratios of element-analogous with different N 0 in the matters of Venus, Earth, Mars, and chondrites were compared. The data obtained are sufficient demonstration of the existence of the hypothetical process of element magnetic separation in Protoplanet nebula. With the account of the above said, it was shown that Shergotty and Tunguska meteorites by their relative elemental composition are close to Mars and asteroids, respectively. (author)

Toward an experimental synthesis of the chondritic insoluble organic matter

Science.gov (United States)

Biron, Kasia; Derenne, Sylvie; Robert, FrançOis; Rouzaud, Jean-NoëL.

2015-08-01

Based on the statistical model proposed for the molecular structure of the insoluble organic matter (IOM) isolated from the Murchison meteorite, it was recently proposed that, in the solar T-Tauri disk regions where (photo)dissociation of gaseous molecules takes place, aromatics result from the cyclization/aromatization of short aliphatics. This hypothesis is tested in this study, with n-alkanes being submitted to high-frequency discharge at low pressure. The contamination issue was eliminated using deuterated precursor. IOM was formed and studied using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, RuO4 oxidation, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It exhibits numerous similarities at the molecular level with the hydrocarbon backbone of the natural IOM, reinforcing the idea that the initial precursors of the IOM were originally chains in the gas. Moreover, a fine comparison between the chemical structure of several meteorite IOM suggests either that (i) the meteorite IOMs share a common precursor standing for the synthetic IOM or that (ii) the slight differences between the meteorite IOMs reflect differences in their environment at the time of their formation i.e., related to plasma temperature that, in turn, dictates the dissociation-recombination rates of organic fragments.

Amino Acid Chemistry as a Link Between Small Solar System Bodies and Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Glavin, Daniel P.; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Botta, Oliver; Cooper, George; Bada, Jeffrey L.

2000-01-01

Establishing chemical links between meteorites and small solar system bodies, such as comets and asteroids, provides a tool for investigating the processes that occurred during the formation of the solar system. Carbonaceous meteorites are of particular interest, since they may have seeded the early Earth with a variety of prebiotic organic compounds including amino acids, purines and pyrimidines, which are thought to be necessary for the origin of life. Here we report the results of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based amino acid analyses of the acid-hydrolyzed hot water extracts from pristine interior pieces of the CI carbonaceous chondrites Orgueil and Ivuna and the CM meteorites Murchison and Murray. We found that the CI meteorites Orgueil and Ivuna contained high abundances of beta-alanine and glycine, while only traces of other amino acids like alanine, alpha-amino-n-butryic acid (ABA) and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) were detected in these meteorites. Carbon isotopic measurements of beta-alanine and glycine in Orgueil by gas chromatography combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry clearly indicate an extraterrestrial origin of these amino acids. The amino acid composition of Orgueil and Ivuna was strikingly different from the CM chondrites Murchison and Murray. The most notable difference was the high relative abundance of B-alanine in Orgueil and Ivuna compared to Murchison and Murray. Furthermore, AIB, which is one of the most abundant amino acids found in Murchison and Murray, was present in only trace amounts in Orgueil and Ivuna. Our amino acid data strongly suggest that the CI meteorites Orgueil and Ivuna came from a different type of parent body than the CM meteorites Murchison and Murray, possibly from an extinct comet. It is generally thought that carbonaceous meteorites are fragments of larger asteroidal bodies delivered via near Earth objects (NEO). Orbital and dynamic studies suggest that both fragments of main belt asteroids

The God Machine seeks the origin of the matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, R.

2015-01-01

Under the green fields of the French-Swiss border, not far from the Alps and Lake Geneva, is hidden underground most strength Earth energy. The generated particles of low mass, subatomic, ue collide with each other in a huge circumference of 27 kilometers, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC English siglasen), an underground infrastructure that seeks to answer big questions of science: the origin of matter we know or dark matter and energy, which together occupy 95% of the universe and that we are not able to see or understand. They call it the 'god machine' and is the largest and most complex built in the world. (Author)

Searching for Extraterrestrial Amino Acids in a Contaminated Meteorite: Amino Acid Analyses of the Canakkale L6 Chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, A. S.; Elsila, J. E.; Glavin, D. P.; Dworkin, J. P.; Ornek, C. Y.; Esenoglu, H. H.; Unsalan, O.; Ozturk, B.

2016-01-01

Amino acids can serve as important markers of cosmochemistry, as their abundances and isomeric and isotopic compositions have been found to vary predictably with changes in parent body chemistry and alteration processes. Amino acids are also of astrobiological interest because they are essential for life on Earth. Analyses of a range of meteorites, including all groups of carbonaceous chondrites, along with H, R, and LL chondrites, ureilites, and a martian shergottite, have revealed that amino acids of plausible extraterrestrial origin can be formed in and persist after a wide range of parent body conditions. However, amino acid analyses of L6 chondrites to date have not provided evidence for indigenous amino acids. In the present study, we performed amino acid analysis on larger samples of a different L6 chondite, Canakkale, to determine whether or not trace levels of indigenous amino acids could be found. The Canakkale meteor was an observed fall in late July, 1964, near Canakkale, Turkey. The meteorite samples (1.36 and 1.09 g) analyzed in this study were allocated by C. Y. Ornek, along with a soil sample (1.5 g) collected near the Canakkale recovery site.

The Glanerbrug Breccia: Evidence for a Separate L/LL-Chondritic Parent Body?

Science.gov (United States)

Welten, K. C.; Lindner, L.; Poorter, R. P. E.; Kallemeyn, G. W.; Rubin, A. E.; Wasson, J. T.

1992-07-01

INTRODUCTION. On April 7, 1990, a brecciated ordinary chondrite fell through the roof of a house near Glanerbrug in the Netherlands and was shattered to pieces. The total weight of the recovered fragments was about 800 g, the largest piece weighing 135 g. This main fragment clearly shows the inhomogeneous structure of the Glanerbrug: a dark-grey breccia occasionally containing blackish inclusions, separated from a light-grey breccia by a sharp boundary. Chondrules seem to be more common in the light grey parts. On the basis of earlier electron microprobe analyses of olivines and pyroxenes the light-grey portion was classified at the high Fa-Fs end of the L-field and the dark-grey part at the high Fa-Fs end of the LL-field [1]. Since it is not likely that the L and LL chondritic fragments originated on a single parent body, two alternative explanations were suggested: (i) The light-dark structure of the Glanerbrug is a characteristic feature of regolithic breccias, which once resided on or close to the surface of its parent body [2]. This lends some support to the idea that the light portion is an exotic clast in a dark host rock or vice versa; (ii) the two lithologies represent materials of a body having compositions between L and LL tentatively designated as L/LL [3,4]. Therefore additional electron microprobe analyses (EPMA) of silicates and kamacites in combination with neutron-activation analyses (INAA) of a light and a dark fragment and a noble gas analysis of a mixed light-dark fragment were undertaken. RESULTS and DISCUSSION. The light lithology in two thin sections shows olivine compositions in the L range (24.5+-0.3% Fa) and kamacite compositions (13.0+-1.3 mg/g Co) close to the LL range, plotting in the L/LL rather than in the L field on a kamacite-Co vs. olivine-Fa diagram [3,4]. Whereas only one aberrant olivine grain (out of 50) was found in the light portion, the dark portion is less homogeneous: one thin section shows olivine and kamacite

Comparison of the Oxidation State of Fe in Comet 81P/Wild 2 and Chondritic-Porous Interplanetary Dust Particles

OpenAIRE

Ogliore, R. C.; Butterworth, A. L.; Fakra, S. C.; Gainsforth, Z.; Marcus, M. A.; Westphal, A. J.

2010-01-01

The fragile structure of chondritic-porous interplanetary dust particles (CP- IDPs) and their minimal parent-body alteration have led researchers to believe these particles originate in comets rather than asteroids where aqueous and thermal alteration have occurred. The solar elemental abundances and atmospheric entry speed of CP-IDPs also suggest a cometary origin. With the return of the Stardust samples from Jupiter-family comet 81P/Wild 2, this hypothesis can be tested. We have measured th...

A Breccia of Ureilitic and C2 Carbonaceous Chondrite Materials from Almahata Sitta: Implications for the Regolith of Urelitic Asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Goodrich, C. A.; Fioretti, A. M.; Zolensky, M.; Fries, M.; Shaddad, M.; Kohl, I.; Young, E.; Jenniskens, P.

2017-01-01

The Almahata Sitta (AhS) polymict ureilite is the first meteorite to originate from a spectrally classified asteroid (2008 TC3) [1-3], and provides an unprecedented opportunity to correlate properties of meteorites with those of their parent asteroid. AhS is also unique because its fragments comprise a wide variety of meteorite types. Of approximately140 stones studied to-date, 70% are ureilites (carbon-rich ultramafic achondrites) and 30% are various types of chondrites [4,5]. None of these show contacts between ureilitic and chondritic lithologies. It has been inferred that 2008 TC3 was loosely aggregated, so that it disintegrated in the atmosphere and only its most coherent clasts fell as individual stones [1,3,5]. Understanding the structure and composition of this asteroid is critical for missions to sample asteroid surfaces. We are studying [6] the University of Khartoum collection of AhS [3] to test hypotheses for the nature of 2008 TC3. We describe a sample that consists of both ureilitic and chondritic materials.

Chemical-Petrographic Types and Shock Metamorphism of 184 Grove Mountains Equilibrated Ordinary Chondrites

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Deqiu Dai

2018-06-01

Full Text Available We reported the petrography and mineral chemistry of 184 equilibrated ordinary chondrites collected from Grove Mountains, Antarctica. The chemical-petrographic types and shock metamorphism degrees of these chondrites were assigned. They were classified into 46 H groups (22 H4, 20 H5, and four H6, 133 L groups (eight L4, 75 L5, and 50 L6, and five LL groups (four LL4 and one LL5. Some of these chondrites could be paired; however, both H and L group meteorites were affected. Further studies such as terrestrial ages and thermal luminescence are required in order to confirm the pairings. The relative abundances of H, L, and LL are different in Grove Mountain meteorites, when compared to those in Transcontinental Ridge meteorites. Based on the shock effects, the shock metamorphism degrees of these chondrites were assigned. Compared to previous studies, the heavily shocked samples of S4 and S5 have a higher fraction (59 out of 184 in Grove Mountain ordinary chondrites. The L group (54 out of 59 is the dominant chemical group in the heavily shocked chondrites, except for five meteorites which belong to the H group. The shock metamorphism degrees of the H and L groups are distinct, which may indicate different surface properties in their parent bodies. In addition, the petrologic types and shock degrees are probably closely related, with the most heavily shocked chondrites observed in types 5 and 6.

Early planetary metamorphism in chondritic meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanan, B.B.; Tilton, G.R.

1985-01-01

Lead isotope relations were studied in whole rock and separated phases of Mezoe-Madaras (L3) and Sharps (H3) chondrites in order to study the record of early events in the solar system and to seek further information on the isotopic composition of primordial lead. The internal 207 Pb/ 206 Pb ages are 4.480+-0.011 AE (1 AE=10 9 years) for Mezoe-Madaras and 4.472+-0.005 AE for Sharps. The ages are not significantly changed when Canyon Diablo troilite lead is included in the data sets, suggesting that the initial Pb isotopic composition in both meteorites was the same as that in the troilite. U-Pb data from both meteorites plot along chords in concordia diagrams that indicate recent disturbances in U/Pb ratios. The chords are poorly defined owing to the relatively non-radiogenic character of the lead isotopes. Rb-Sr measurements on Sharps likewise fail to yield an isochron, in agreement with the U-Pb data. Data from the literature indicate a similar disturbance in the Rb-Sr system for Mezoe-Madaras. The 4.48 AE ages could be caused by pre-analysis contamination with terrestrial lead, however statistical comparison of isotope correlations between the acid-washes of analyzed samples and the residual washed samples suggests that the ages are real and not due to terrestrial contamination. The 4.48 AE age, which is distinctly younger than the well-established ages of 4.54-4.56 AE for the Allende chondrite and Angra dos Reis achondrite, appears to date an early metamorphic event rather than the formation of the chondrites. Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and K-Ar ages in support of the 4.48 AE metamorphic event are reviewed. Such a metamorphic age is not necessarily in conflict with 129 I/ 129 Xe data which indicate that the parent material of most chondrites, including those of type 3, cooled through temperatures sufficient to retain radiogenic Xe within a time interval of ca. 0.02 AE. (orig.)

Crystallography of hornblende amphibole in LAP04840 R chondrite and implication for its metamorphic history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ota, Kouhei; Mikouchi, Takashi; Sugiyama, Kazumasa

2009-01-01

LAP04840 is an unusual R chondrite that includes abundant hornblende amphibole. LAP04840 shows a texture of equilibrated chondrite composed of 59.3% olivine, 13.5% orthopyroxene, 13.3% hornblende, 6.2% plagio-clase, 6.0% Fe-Ni sulfide, and 1.7% accessory minerals. Hornblende replaces olivine and pyroxene in both chondrules and matrices, suggesting its secondary origin. All major phases in LAP04840 are homogeneous: olivine (Fa 37 ), orthopyroxene (En 70 Wo 1 ), and plagioclase (An 8 Or 2 ). Hornblende is also nearly homogeneous, but the total sum by electron microprobe analysis is 96-98 wt%, suggesting the presence of Fe 3+ and a hydroxyl group. Synchrotron Fe-XANES analysis gives a Fe 3+ /ΣFe ratio of ∼0.6 and micro-FT-IR analysis confirms the presence of a hydroxyl group. Thus, the structural formula is (Na 0.40 K 0 . 04 ) (Ca 1.46 Mn 0.02 Fe 0.06 2+ Na 0.46 ) (Al 0.08 Fe 0.43 2+ Fe 0.75 3+ Cr 0.08 Mg 3.60 ) (Si 7.02 Al 0.98 )O 22 (OH) 2 . Single crystal X-ray diffraction of LAP04840 hornblende gives the following lattice constants: a=9.7957(9) A, b=18.0788(12) A, c=5.2949(5) A, β=104.747(3)deg. The relatively short distances of [M(1)-O=2.069 A], [M(2)-O=2.081 A], and [M(3)-O=2.058 A] suggest the feasible preference of small Fe 3+ at these sites. The mineralogy and petrology of LAP04840 are consistent with its classification as an R6 chondrite. However, the presence of hornblende and biotite is quite unique among not only R chondrites but also asteroidal meteorites in general. The presence of these hydrous minerals suggests metamorphism under high pressure and an aqueous environment probably at depth in the parent body. A thermometer using hornblende and plagioclase equilibria gives T=670-690degC. Further, a barometer using Al content in hornblende gives P=∼0.1 GPa. Although these estimates bear some uncertainties, it is likely that the size of the R chondrite parent body was large enough to induce such metamorphism. (author)

C/N and other Elemental Ratios of Chondritic Porous IDPS and a Fluffy Concordia Micrometeorite

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, T.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Messenger, S.; Keller, L. P.; Khodja, H.; Raepsaet, C.; Wirick, S.; Flynn, G. J.; Taylor, S.; Engrand, C.;

Enstatite chondrites EL3 as building blocks for the Earth: The debate over the 146Sm-142Nd systematics

Science.gov (United States)

Boyet, M.; Bouvier, A.; Frossard, P.; Hammouda, T.; Garçon, M.; Gannoun, A.

2018-04-01

The 146Sm-142Nd extinct decay scheme (146Sm half-life of 103 My) is a powerful tool to trace early Earth silicate differentiation. Differences in 142Nd abundance measured between different chondrite meteorite groups and the modern Earth challenges the interpretation of the 142Nd isotopic variations found in terrestrial samples because the origin of the Earth and the nature of its building blocks is still an ongoing debate. As bulk meteorites, the enstatite chondrites (EC) have isotope signatures that are the closest to the Earth value with an average small deficit of ∼10 ppm in 142Nd relative to modern terrestrial samples. Here we review all the Nd isotope data measured on EC so far, and present the first measurements on an observed meteorite fall Almahata Sitta containing pristine fragments of an unmetamorphosed enstatite chondrite belonging to the EL3 subgroup. Once 142Nd/144Nd ratios are normalized to a common chondritic evolution, samples from the EC group (both EL and EH) have a deficit in 142Nd but the dispersion is important (μ142 Nd = - 10 ± 12 (2SD) ppm). This scatter reflects their unique mineralogy associated to their formation in reduced conditions (low fO2 or high C/O). Rare-earth elements are mainly carried by the sulfide phase oldhamite (CaS) that is more easily altered than silicates by weathering since most of the EC meteorites are desert finds. The EL6 have fractionated rare-earth element patterns with depletion in the most incompatible elements. Deviations in Nd mass independent stable isotope ratios in enstatite chondrites relative to terrestrial standard are not resolved with the level of analytical precision achieved by modern mass spectrometry techniques. Here we show that enstatite chondrites from the EL3 and EL6 subgroups may come from different parent bodies. Samples from the EL3 subgroup have Nd (μ142 Nd = - 0.8 ± 7.0, 2SD) and Ru isotope ratios undistinguishable from that of the Bulk Silicate Earth. EL3 samples have never been

The amino acid and hydrocarbon contents of the Paris meteorite: Insights into the most primitive CM chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Zita; Modica, Paola; Zanda, Brigitte; D'Hendecourt, Louis Le Sergeant

2015-05-01

The Paris meteorite is one of the most primitive carbonaceous chondrites. It is reported to be the least aqueously altered CM chondrite, and to have experienced only weak thermal metamorphism. We have analyzed for the first time the amino acid and hydrocarbon contents of this pristine meteorite by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). When plotting the relative amino acids abundances of several CM chondrites according to the increasing hydrothermal scale (petrologic subtypes), from the CM2.7/2.8 Paris to the CM2.0 MET 01070, Paris has the lowest relative abundance of β-alanine/glycine (0.15), which fits with the relative abundances of β-alanine/glycine increasing with increasing aqueous alteration for CM chondrites. These results confirm the influence of aqueous alteration on the amino acid abundances and distribution. The amino acid analysis shows that the isovaline detected in this meteorite is racemic (D/L = 0.99 ± 0.08; L-enantiomer excess = 0.35 ± 0.5%; corrected D/L = 1.03; corrected L-enantiomer excess = -1.4 ± 2.6%). The identified hydrocarbons show that Paris has n-alkanes ranging from C16 to C25 and 3- to 5-ring nonalkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The lack of alkylated PAHs in Paris seems to be also related to this low degree of aqueous alteration on its parent body. The extraterrestrial hydrocarbon content, suggested by the absence of any biomarker, may well have a presolar origin. The chemistry of the Paris meteorite may thus be closely related to the early stages of the solar nebula with a contribution from interstellar (molecular cloud) precursors.

Identification of a Compound Spinel and Silicate Presolar Grain in a Chondritic Interplanetary Dust Particle

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, A. N.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Messenger, S.; Keller, L. P.; Kloeck, W.

2014-01-01

Anhydrous chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles (CP IDPs) have undergone minimal parent body alteration and contain an assemblage of highly primitive materials, including molecular cloud material, presolar grains, and material that formed in the early solar nebula [1-3]. The exact parent bodies of individual IDPs are not known, but IDPs that have extremely high abundances of presolar silicates (up to 1.5%) most likely have cometary origins [1, 4]. The presolar grain abundance among these minimally altered CP IDPs varies widely. "Isotopically primitive" IDPs distinguished by anomalous bulk N isotopic compositions, numerous 15N-rich hotspots, and some C isotopic anomalies have higher average abundances of presolar grains (375 ppm) than IDPs with isotopically normal bulk N (<10 ppm) [5]. Some D and N isotopic anomalies have been linked to carbonaceous matter, though this material is only rarely isotopically anomalous in C [1, 5, 6]. Previous studies of the bulk chemistry and, in some samples, the mineralogy of select anhydrous CP IDPs indicate a link between high C abundance and pyroxene-dominated mineralogy [7]. In this study, we conduct coordinated mineralogical and isotopic analyses of samples that were analyzed by [7] to characterize isotopically anomalous materials and to establish possible correlations with C abundance.

Measuring metamorphic history of unequilibrated ordinary chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sears, D.W.; Grossman, J.N.; Melcher, C.L.; Ross, L.M.; Mills, A.A.

1980-01-01

A thermoluminescence sensitivity technique is used to give a new measurement of the degree of metamorphism of unequilibrated ordinary chondrites. Consequently the petrological assignment of these meteorites is modified. (author)

Thermal and impact history of the H chondrite parent asteroid during metamorphism: Constraints from metallic Fe-Ni

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Edward R. D.; Krot, Tatiana V.; Goldstein, Joseph I.; Wakita, Shigeru

2014-07-01

We have studied cloudy taenite, metallographic cooling rates, and shock effects in 30 H3-6 chondrites to elucidate the thermal and early impact history of the H chondrite parent body. We focused on H chondrites with old Ar-Ar ages (>4.4 Gyr) and unshocked and mildly shocked H chondrites, as strongly shocked chondrites with such old ages are very rare. Cooling rates for most H chondrites at 500 °C are 10-50 °C/Myr and do not decrease systematically with increasing petrologic type as predicted by the onion-shell model in which types 3-5 are arranged in concentric layers around a type 6 core. Some type 4 chondrites cooled slower than some type 6 chondrites and type 3 chondrites did not cool faster than other types, contrary to the onion-shell model. Cloudy taenite particle sizes, which range from 40 to 120 nm, are inversely correlated with metallographic cooling rates and show that the latter were not compromised by shock heating. The three H4 chondrites that were used to develop the onion-shell model, Ste. Marguerite, Beaver Creek, and Forest Vale, cooled through 500 °C at ⩾5000 °C/Myr. Our thermal modeling shows that these rates are 50× higher than could be achieved in a body that was heated by 26Al and cooled without disturbance by impact. Published Ar-Ar ages do not decrease systematically with increasing petrologic type but do correlate inversely with cloudy taenite particle size suggesting that impact mixing decreased during metamorphism. Metal and silicate compositions in regolith breccias show that impacts mixed material after metamorphism without causing significant heating. Impacts during metamorphism created Portales Valley and two other H6 chondrites with large metallic veins, excavated the fast-cooled H4 chondrites around 3-4 Myr after accretion, and mixed petrologic types. Metallographic data do not require catastrophic disruption by impact during cooling.

The mineralogy of ordinary chondrites and implications for asteroid spectrophotometry

Science.gov (United States)

Mcsween, Harry Y., Jr.; Bennett, Marvin E., III; Jarosewich, Eugene

1991-01-01

Published data from bulk chemical analyses of 94 ordinary chondrites are compiled in a table of normative mineralogy and discussed in detail. Significant variations in olivine, pyroxene, and metal abundance ratios are found within each chondrite class and attributed to redox processes superimposed on initial differences in metal/silicate ratios. The use of the diagrams constructed here to predict the mineralogic characteristics of asteroids on the basis of spectrophotometric observations is suggested.

Halogens in chondritic meteorites and terrestrial accretion

Science.gov (United States)

Clay, Patricia L.; Burgess, Ray; Busemann, Henner; Ruzié-Hamilton, Lorraine; Joachim, Bastian; Day, James M. D.; Ballentine, Christopher J.

2017-11-01

Volatile element delivery and retention played a fundamental part in Earth’s formation and subsequent chemical differentiation. The heavy halogens—chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br) and iodine (I)—are key tracers of accretionary processes owing to their high volatility and incompatibility, but have low abundances in most geological and planetary materials. However, noble gas proxy isotopes produced during neutron irradiation provide a high-sensitivity tool for the determination of heavy halogen abundances. Using such isotopes, here we show that Cl, Br and I abundances in carbonaceous, enstatite, Rumuruti and primitive ordinary chondrites are about 6 times, 9 times and 15-37 times lower, respectively, than previously reported and usually accepted estimates. This is independent of the oxidation state or petrological type of the chondrites. The ratios Br/Cl and I/Cl in all studied chondrites show a limited range, indistinguishable from bulk silicate Earth estimates. Our results demonstrate that the halogen depletion of bulk silicate Earth relative to primitive meteorites is consistent with the depletion of lithophile elements of similar volatility. These results for carbonaceous chondrites reveal that late accretion, constrained to a maximum of 0.5 ± 0.2 per cent of Earth’s silicate mass, cannot solely account for present-day terrestrial halogen inventories. It is estimated that 80-90 per cent of heavy halogens are concentrated in Earth’s surface reservoirs and have not undergone the extreme early loss observed in atmosphere-forming elements. Therefore, in addition to late-stage terrestrial accretion of halogens and mantle degassing, which has removed less than half of Earth’s dissolved mantle gases, the efficient extraction of halogen-rich fluids from the solid Earth during the earliest stages of terrestrial differentiation is also required to explain the presence of these heavy halogens at the surface. The hydropilic nature of halogens, whereby they track

A Raman spectroscopic study of organic matter in interplanetary dust particles and meteorites using multiple wavelength laser excitation

OpenAIRE

Starkey, N. A.; Franchi, I. A.; Alexander, C. M. O'D.

2013-01-01

Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate insoluble organic matter (IOM) from a range of chondritic meteorites, and a suite of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs). Three monochromatic excitation wavelengths (473 nm, 514 nm, 632 nm) were applied sequentially to assess variations in meteorite and IDP Raman peak parameters (carbon D and G bands) as a function of excitation wavelength (i.e., dispersion). Greatest dispersion occurs in CVs > OCs > CMs > CRs with type 3 chondrites compared at diff...

Zhamanshin astrobleme provides evidence for carbonaceous chondrite and post-impact exchange between ejecta and Earth's atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Magna, Tomáš; Žák, Karel; Pack, Andreas; Moynier, Frédéric; Mougel, Bérengère; Peters, Stefan; Skála, Roman; Jonášová, Šárka; Mizera, Jiří; Řanda, Zdeněk

2017-08-09

Chemical fingerprints of impacts are usually compromised by extreme conditions in the impact plume, and the contribution of projectile matter to impactites does not often exceed a fraction of per cent. Here we use chromium and oxygen isotopes to identify the impactor and impact-plume processes for Zhamanshin astrobleme, Kazakhstan. ε 54 Cr values up to 1.54 in irghizites, part of the fallback ejecta, represent the 54 Cr-rich extremity of the Solar System range and suggest a CI-like chondrite impactor. Δ 17 O values as low as -0.22‰ in irghizites, however, are incompatible with a CI-like impactor. We suggest that the observed 17 O depletion in irghizites relative to the terrestrial range is caused by partial isotope exchange with atmospheric oxygen (Δ 17 O = -0.47‰) following material ejection. In contrast, combined Δ 17 O-ε 54 Cr data for central European tektites (distal ejecta) fall into the terrestrial range and neither impactor fingerprint nor oxygen isotope exchange with the atmosphere are indicated.Identifying the original impactor from craters remains challenging. Here, the authors use chromium and oxygen isotopes to indicate that the Zhamanshin astrobleme impactor was a carbonaceous chrondrite by demonstrating that depleted 17O values are due to exchange with atmospheric oxygen.

Chemical compositions of magnetic, stony spherules from deep-sea sediments determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamakoshi, Kazuo

1984-01-01

Chemical compositions of magnetic, stony spherules from deep sea sediments were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. High Ir, Au, Ni and Co contents indicate their extraterrestrial origin. The obtained compositions are considerably different from those of chondrites. It can be qualitatively interpreted, however, that cosmic matters having the compositions of chondrites are changed into magnetic, stony spherules by thermal degenerations during their atmospheric entry. (author)

Petrologic evolution of CM chondrites: The difficulty of discriminating between nebular and parent-body effects

Science.gov (United States)

Kerridge, J. F.; McSween, H. Y., Jr.; Bunch, T. E.

1994-07-01

We wish to draw attention to a major controversy that has arisen in the area of CM-chondrite petrology. The problem is important because its resolution will have profound implications for ideas concerning nebular dynamics, gas-solid interactions in the nebula, and accretionary processes in the nebula, among other issues. On the one hand, cogent arguments have been presented that 'accretionary dust mantles,' were formed in the solar nebula prior to accretion of the CM parent asteroid(s). On the other hand, no-less-powerful arguments have been advanced that a significant fraction of the CM lithology is secondary, produced by aqueous alteration in the near-surface regions of an asteroid-sized object. Because most, if not all, CM chondrites are breccias, these two views could coexist harmoniously, were it not for the fact that some of the coarse-grained lithologies surrounded by 'accretion dust mantles' are themselves of apparently secondary origin. Such an observation must clearly force a reassessment of one or both of the present schools of thought. Our objective here is to stimulate such a reassessment. Four possible resolutions of this conflict may be postulated. First, perhaps nature found a way of permitting such secondary alteration to take place in the nebula. Second, maybe dust mantles could form in a regolith, rather than a nebular, environment. Third, it is possible that dust mantles around secondary lithologies are different from those around primary lithologies. Finally, perhaps formation of CM chondrites involved a more complex sequence of events than visualized so far, so that some apparently 'primary' processes postdated certain 'secondary' processes.

The origin of volatile element depletion in early solar system material: Clues from Zn isotopes in chondrules

Science.gov (United States)

Pringle, Emily A.; Moynier, Frédéric; Beck, Pierre; Paniello, Randal; Hezel, Dominik C.

2017-06-01

Volatile lithophile elements are depleted in the different planetary materials to various degrees, but the origin of these depletions is still debated. Stable isotopes of moderately volatile elements such as Zn can be used to understand the origin of volatile element depletions. Samples with significant volatile element depletions, including the Moon and terrestrial tektites, display heavy Zn isotope compositions (i.e. enrichment of 66Zn vs. 64Zn), consistent with kinetic Zn isotope fractionation during evaporation. However, Luck et al. (2005) found a negative correlation between δ66Zn and 1/[Zn] between CI, CM, CO, and CV chondrites, opposite to what would be expected if evaporation caused the Zn abundance variations among chondrite groups. We have analyzed the Zn isotope composition of multiple samples of the major carbonaceous chondrite classes: CI (1), CM (4), CV (2), CO (4), CB (2), CH (2), CK (4), and CK/CR (1). The bulk chondrites define a negative correlation in a plot of δ66Zn vs 1/[Zn], confirming earlier results that Zn abundance variations among carbonaceous chondrites cannot be explained by evaporation. Exceptions are CB and CH chondrites, which display Zn systematics consistent with a collisional formation mechanism that created enrichment in heavy Zn isotopes relative to the trend defined by CI-CK. We further report Zn isotope analyses of chondrite components, including chondrules from Allende (CV3) and Mokoia (CV3), as well as an aliquot of Allende matrix. All chondrules are enriched in light Zn isotopes (∼500 ppm on 66Zn/64Zn) relative to the bulk, contrary to what would be expected if Zn were depleted during evaporation, on the other hand the matrix has a complementary heavy isotope composition. We report sequential leaching experiments in un-equilibrated ordinary chondrites, which show sulfides are isotopically heavy compared to silicates and the bulk meteorite by ca. +0.65 per mil on 66Zn/64Zn. We suggest isotopically heavy sulfides were

The Nature of C Asteroid Regolith Revealed from the Jbilet Winselwan CM Chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Zolensky, Michael; Mikouchi, Takashi; Hagiya, Kenji; Ohsumi, Kazumasa; Komatsu, Mutsumi; Chan, Queenie H. S.; Le, Loan; Kring, David; Cato, Michael; Fagan, Amy L.

2016-01-01

C-class asteroids frequently exhibit reflectance spectra consistent with thermally metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites, or a mixture of phyllosilicate-rich material along with regions where they are absent. One particularly important example appears to be asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of the Hayabusa 2 mission, although most spectra of Ryugu are featureless, suggesting a heterogeneous regolith. Here we explore an alternative cause of dehydration of regolith of C-class asteroids - impact shock melting. Impact shock melting has been proposed to ex-plain some mineralogical characteristics of CB chondrites, but has rarely been considered a major process for hydrous carbonaceous chondrites.

The origin of inner Solar System water.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Conel M O'D

2017-05-28

Of the potential volatile sources for the terrestrial planets, the CI and CM carbonaceous chondrites are closest to the planets' bulk H and N isotopic compositions. For the Earth, the addition of approximately 2-4 wt% of CI/CM material to a volatile-depleted proto-Earth can explain the abundances of many of the most volatile elements, although some solar-like material is also required. Two dynamical models of terrestrial planet formation predict that the carbonaceous chondrites formed either in the asteroid belt ('classical' model) or in the outer Solar System (5-15 AU in the Grand Tack model). To test these models, at present the H isotopes of water are the most promising indicators of formation location because they should have become increasingly D-rich with distance from the Sun. The estimated initial H isotopic compositions of water accreted by the CI, CM, CR and Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrites were much more D-poor than measured outer Solar System objects. A similar pattern is seen for N isotopes. The D-poor compositions reflect incomplete re-equilibration with H 2 in the inner Solar System, which is also consistent with the O isotopes of chondritic water. On balance, it seems that the carbonaceous chondrites and their water did not form very far out in the disc, almost certainly not beyond the orbit of Saturn when its moons formed (approx. 3-7 AU in the Grand Tack model) and possibly close to where they are found today.This article is part of the themed issue 'The origin, history and role of water in the evolution of the inner Solar System'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Timescales and settings for alteration of chondritic meteorites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krot, A N; Hutcheon, I D; Brearley, A J; Pravdivtseva, O V; Petaev, M I; Hohenberg, C M

2005-11-16

Most groups of chondritic meteorites experienced diverse styles of secondary alteration to various degrees that resulted in formation of hydrous and anhydrous minerals (e.g., phyllosilicates, magnetite, carbonates, ferrous olivine, hedenbergite, wollastonite, grossular, andradite, nepheline, sodalite, Fe,Ni-carbides, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, Ni-rich metal). Mineralogical, petrographic, and isotopic observations suggest that the alteration occurred in the presence of aqueous solutions under variable conditions (temperature, water/rock ratio, redox conditions, and fluid compositions) in an asteroidal setting, and, in many cases, was multistage. Although some alteration predated agglomeration of the final chondrite asteroidal bodies (i.e. was pre-accretionary), it seems highly unlikely that the alteration occurred in the solar nebula, nor in planetesimals of earlier generations. Short-lived isotope chronologies ({sup 26}Al-{sup 26}Mg, {sup 53}Mn-{sup 53}Cr, {sup 129}I-{sup 129}Xe) of the secondary minerals indicate that the alteration started within 1-2 Ma after formation of the Ca,Al-rich inclusions and lasted up to 15 Ma. These observations suggest that chondrite parent bodies must have accreted within the first 1-2 Ma after collapse of the protosolar molecular cloud and provide strong evidence for an early onset of aqueous activity on these bodies.

Synthesis of refractory organic matter in the ionized gas phase of the solar nebula.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuga, Maïa; Marty, Bernard; Marrocchi, Yves; Tissandier, Laurent

2015-06-09

In the nascent solar system, primitive organic matter was a major contributor of volatile elements to planetary bodies, and could have played a key role in the development of the biosphere. However, the origin of primitive organics is poorly understood. Most scenarios advocate cold synthesis in the interstellar medium or in the outer solar system. Here, we report the synthesis of solid organics under ionizing conditions in a plasma setup from gas mixtures (H2(O)-CO-N2-noble gases) reminiscent of the protosolar nebula composition. Ionization of the gas phase was achieved at temperatures up to 1,000 K. Synthesized solid compounds share chemical and structural features with chondritic organics, and noble gases trapped during the experiments reproduce the elemental and isotopic fractionations observed in primitive organics. These results strongly suggest that both the formation of chondritic refractory organics and the trapping of noble gases took place simultaneously in the ionized areas of the protoplanetary disk, via photon- and/or electron-driven reactions and processing. Thus, synthesis of primitive organics might not have required a cold environment and could have occurred anywhere the disk is ionized, including in its warm regions. This scenario also supports N2 photodissociation as the cause of the large nitrogen isotopic range in the solar system.

Intensive parameters of enstatite chondrite metamorphism

Science.gov (United States)

Fogel, Robert A.; Hess, Paul C.; Rutherford, Malcolm J.

1989-01-01

A geothermometer based on the assemblage kamacite-quartz-enstatite-oldhamite-troilite found in enstatite chondrites is described. Data obtained with the geothermometer reveal that the EL6 meteorites experienced temperatures exceeding 1000 C. These temperatures imply a metal-sulfide melting event that may have fractionated the melt from the source region.

On the Behavior of Phosphorus During the Aqueous Alteration of CM2 Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Brearley, Adrian J.; Chizmadia, Lysa J.

2005-01-01

During the earliest period of solar system formation, water played an important role in the evolution of primitive dust, both after accretion of planetesimals and possible before accretion within the protoplanetary disk. Many chondrites show evidence of variable degrees of aqueous alteration, the CM2 chondrites being among the most studied [1]. This group of chondrites is characterized by mineral assemblages of both primary and secondary alteration phases. Hence, these meteorites retain a particularly important record of the reactions that occurred between primary high temperature nebular phases and water. Studies of these chondrites can provide information on the conditions and environments of aqueous alteration and the mobility of elements during alteration. This latter question is at the core of a debate concerning the location of aqueous alteration, i.e. whether alteration occurred predominantly within a closed system after accretion (parent body alteration) or whether some degree of alteration occurred within the solar nebula or on ephemeral protoplanetary bodies prior to accretion. At the core of the parent body alteration model is the hypothesis that elemental exchange between different components, principally chondrules and matrix, must have occurred. chondrules and matrix, must have occurred. In this study, we focus on the behavior of the minor element, phosphorus. This study was stimulated by observations of the behavior of P during the earliest stages of alteration in glassy mesostasis in type II chondrules in CR chondrites and extends the preliminary observations of on Y791198 to other CM chondrites.

LEW 88180, LEW 87119, and ALH 85119: New EH6, EL7, and EL4 Enstatite Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Y.; Benoit, P. H.; Sears, D. W. G.

1993-07-01

The EH and EL chondrites formed in a uniquely reducing environment, containing low-Fe pyroxene, abundant metal, and a number of unusual sulphides and other minerals [1]. An important aspect of their history is that while the EL chondrites consist predominantly of metamorphosed meteorites, the EH consist primarily of little-metamorphosed meteorites (e.g., [2]), and yet EL chondrites have lower equilibrium temperatures than EH chondrite [3,4]. To help understand this observation and its implication for the history of the classes, we have been searching for new enstatite chondrites, looking especially for meteorites of previously unknown chemical-petrologic class. Using our normal INAA methods [5] and sample splits of 100-200 mg, the bulk composition of nine Antarctic enstatite chondrites and one fall were determined. The data were used to assign the meteorites to chemical classes, the Ni/Ir vs. Al/V plot (Fig. 1) being especially useful since it uses the refractory element difference between EH and EL chondrites and is insensitive to metal-silicate heterogeneity. The well-analyzed Qingzhen was included to check our method. ALH84170, ALH84206, and EET87746, which Mason described as E3, E4, and E4 were all found to be EH chondrites [6]. Our data for the three paired EL3 chondrites were discussed earlier (MAC88136, 88180, and 88184) [7,8]. LEW88180, LEW87119, and ALH85119, which Mason described as type E6, E6, and E4 respectively [6], are EH, EL, and EL; thus LEW88180 and ALH85119 appear to be the first EH6 and EL4 chondrites. The compositions of kamacite, phosphide, and niningerite-alabandite (Fig. 2) for ALH84170, ALH84206, EET87746, LEW88180, and ALH85119 are consistent with Mason's petrologic type assignments [6]. The mineral composition of LEW88180 (2.7% Si and 9.4% Ni in the kamacite, 7.8% Ni in the phosphide, and 60% FeS in the niningerite) confirms our classification of this meteorite as EH6. ALH85119 contains kamacite with 0.5% Si and 7% Ni, phosphide with 46

The cali meteorite fell: A new H/L ordinary chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, J.M.T.; Llorca, J.; Rubin, A.E.; Grossman, J.N.; Sears, D.W.G.; Naranjo, M.; Bretzius, S.; Tapia, M.; Sepulveda, M.H.G.

2009-01-01

The fall of the Cali meteorite took place on 6 July 2007 at 16 h 32 ?? 1 min local time (21 h 32 ?? 1 min UTC). A daylight fireball was witnessed by hundreds of people in the Cauca Valley in Colombia from which 10 meteorite samples with a total mass of 478 g were recovered near 3??24.3'N, 76??30.6'W. The fireball trajectory and radiant have been reconstructed with moderate accuracy. From the computed radiant and from considering various plausible velocities, we obtained a range of orbital solutions that suggest that the Cali progenitor meteoroid probably originated in the main asteroid belt. Based on petrography, mineral chemistry, magnetic susceptibility, fhermoluminescence, and bulk chemistry, the Cali meteorite is classified as an H/L4 ordinary chondrite breccia.

Raman characterization of carbonaceous matter in CONCORDIA Antarctic micrometeorites

Science.gov (United States)

Dobricǎ, E.; Engrand, C.; Quirico, E.; Montagnac, G.; Duprat, J.

2011-09-01

Abstract- We report a multi-wavelength Raman spectroscopy study of carbonaceous matter in 38 Antarctic micrometeorites (AMMs) from the 2006 CONCORDIA collection. The particles were selected as a function of their degree of thermal alteration developed during the deceleration in the atmosphere. These samples range from unmelted (fine-grained—Fg; ultracarbonaceous—UCAMMs) to partially melted AMMs (scorias—Sc) and completely melted particles (cosmic spherules—CS). More than half of the analyzed AMMs contain a substantial amount of polyaromatic carbonaceous matter with a high degree of disorder. The proportion of particles where carbon is not detected increase from the Fg to the Fg-Sc and to the Sc-AMMs, and no carbon is detected in CS. In addition, the spectral characteristics of the G and D bands of the carbonaceous matter in Sc-AMMs plot apart from the trend formed by the data from Fg-AMMs and UCAMMs. These results suggest that oxidation processes occurred during the deceleration of the particles in the atmosphere. In Fg-AMMs and UCAMMs, the spectral characteristics of the G and D bands reveal the high degree of disorder of the carbonaceous matter, precluding a long duration thermal metamorphism on the parent body and suggesting that AMMs have a connection with C1-C2 chondrites. The Raman parameters of the deuterium-rich carbonaceous matter of UCAMMs do not differ from that of Fg-AMMs. Using a 244 nm excitation, we detected the cyanide (-CN) functional group for the first time in a UCAMM, reinforcing the likely cometary origin of this type of micrometeorites.

The origin of matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cline, J.

2004-01-01

The author presents the issue of how matter triumphed over anti-matter in the formation of the universe. Theories focus on the nature of asymmetry that might have created an excess of matter over anti-matter. Sakharov and Kuzmin listed 3 conditions that must be met for baryogenesis to take place. First the baryon number must not be conserved: there must be some interactions that change the number of baryons, baryon-number violation can rise from an interaction between quarks and leptons. Secondly, 2 symmetries that relate particles to antiparticles must be violated. The CP violation in Kaon decay is too weak to create enough baryon asymmetry, so physicists believe that larger sources of CP violation await discovery. Thirdly, there must be the loss of thermal equilibrium of the universe. In thermal equilibrium, baryons are decaying but inverse processes are also taking place, quarks are fusing to form baryons, rates being equal no baryon asymmetry is generated. But if thermal equilibrium is broken, to say temperature is decreasing, at a certain temperature a pair of quarks will no longer have enough energy to produce a heavy particle which generates baryon asymmetry. (A.C.)

Mineral associations and character of isotopically anomalous organic material in the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Zega, Thomas J.; Alexander, Conel M. O.'D.; Busemann, Henner; Nittler, Larry R.; Hoppe, Peter; Stroud, Rhonda M.; Young, Andrea F.

2010-10-01

We report a coordinated analytical study of matrix material in the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite in which the same small (⩽20 μm) fragments were measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES). SIMS analysis reveals H and N isotopic anomalies (hotspots), ranging from hundreds to thousands of nanometers in size, which are present throughout the fragments. Although the differences in spatial resolution of the SIMS techniques we have used introduce some uncertainty into the exact location of the hotspots, in general, the H and N isotopic anomalies are spatially correlated with C enrichments, suggesting an organic carrier. TEM analysis, enabled by site-specific extraction using a focused-ion-beam scanning-electron microscope, shows that the hotspots contain an amorphous component, Fe-Ni sulfides, serpentine, and mixed-cation carbonates. TEM imaging reveals that the amorphous component occurs in solid and porous forms, EDS indicates that it contains abundant C, and EELS and XANES at the C K edge reveal that it is largely aromatic. This amorphous component is probably macromolecular C, likely the carrier of the isotopic anomalies, and similar to the material extracted from bulk samples as insoluble organic matter. However, given the large sizes of some of the hotspots, the disparity in spatial resolution among the various techniques employed in our study, and the phases with which they are associated, we cannot entirely rule out that some of the isotopic anomalies are carried by inorganic material, e.g., sheet silicates. The isotopic composition of the organic matter points to an initially primitive origin, quite possibly within cold interstellar clouds or the outer reaches of the solar protoplanetary disk. The association of organic material with secondary phases, e.g., serpentine

Cosmic-ray exposure ages of the ordinary chondrites and their significance for parent body stratigraphy

Science.gov (United States)

Crabb, J.; Schultz, L.

1981-01-01

Improved exposure ages are derived for 201 H, 203 L, and 38 LL chondrites in an effort to understand the characteristics of the chondrite parent body. The Ne-21 exposure ages were calculated from literature values taking into account shielding differences, a trapped component and radiogenic He. The exposure age distributions show clear peaks at 4.5 and 20 million years for the H chondrites, while the Ls and LLs appear more as a continuous series of intermediate peaks which may be modeled by at least six peaks between 1 and 35 million years in the case of L chondrites. The observations that every petrological type occurs in each large peak and contain solar wind gases suggest that the parent bodies have been fragmented and reassembled into a megabreccia. The H meteorites are proposed to represent the surface layer of a body with a substantial, active regolith as indicated by the relatively high abundances of solar gases. The L chondrites, on the other hand, are attributed to a parent body that was fragmented by collision about 500 million years ago.

Laser Ablation Experiments on the Tamdakht H5 Chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

White, Susan M.; Stern, Eric

2017-01-01

High-powered lasers were used to induce ablation and to form fusion crusts in the lab on Tamdakht H5 chondrites and basalt. These ground tests were undertaken to improve our understanding, and ultimately improve our abilty to model and predict, meteoroid ablation during atmospheric entry. The infrared fiber laser at the LHMEL facilty, operated in the continuous wave (i.e. non-pulsed) mode, provided radiation surface heat flux at levels similar to meteor entry for these tests. Results are presented from the first round of testing on samples of Tamdakht H5 ordinary chondrite which were ex-posed to entry-relevant heating rates between 2 and 10 kWcm2.

Enrichment of deuterium in insoluble organic matter from primitive meteorites: A solar system origin?

Science.gov (United States)

Remusat, Laurent; Palhol, Fabien; Robert, François; Derenne, Sylvie; France-Lanord, Christian

2006-03-01

Because of a systematic enrichment in deuterium, the insoluble organic matter (IOM) of the carbonaceous chondrites is considered to have formed in the interstellar medium. However, the D / H ratios in IOM remain much lower than those measured in the organic molecules commonly observed in the dense interstellar medium. In this study, the D / H ratio of different aromatic and aliphatic molecular fragments of IOM from the Orgueil meteorite was measured by GC-irMS (gas chromatography-isotopic ratio mass spectrometry). No correlation was observed between the D / H ratios and structural parameters characterizing the IOM, such as the H / C ratio. However, the δD of the benzylic, aliphatic and aromatic hydrogen into the IOM can be determined to be 1250‰, + 550‰ and + 150‰, respectively, relative to SMOW. This indicates that D-enrichment in IOM is correlated with the C-H bond dissociation energy. Such a correlation rules out IOM formation from observed interstellar molecules and suggests instead that the different components of IOM have acquired their D / H ratios by an exchange with a deuterium-rich reservoir after its synthesis. The same process can be invoked to account for the D / H composition of meteoritic water. Findings point to a common process for deuterium enrichment in the solar system.

The chemical structure of the insoluble organic matter from carbonaceous meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Derenne, S.; Robert, F.

2008-09-01

Carbonaceous chondrites are the most primitive objects of the solar system. They contain substantial amounts of carbon (up to 3%), mostly occurring in macromolecular insoluble organic matter (IOM). This IOM is generally considered as a record of interstellar synthesis and may contain precursors of prebiotic molecules possibly deposited on earth by meteoritic bombardments. For these reasons, chondritic IOM has been raising interest for long and it is therefore of special interest to decipher its chemical structure. It is now well established that the chemical structure of this macromolecular material is based on aromatic moieties linked by short aliphatic chains and comprising substantial amounts of heteroatoms. However, its precise chemical structure could only be recently specified. The aim of this presentation is to propose a molecular model for the chemical structure of IOM isolated from non-metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites. This model is derived from a large set of data obtained through a combination of techniques including various spectrocopies, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and chemical and thermal degradations. Cosmochemical implications of such a structure will also be discussed.

Presolar SiC Abundances in Primitive Meteorites by NanoSIMS Raster Ion Imaging of Insoluble Organic Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, J.; Busemann, H.; Alexander, C. M. O'd.; Nittler, L. R.; Schrader, D. L.; Orthous-Daunay, F. R.; Quirico, E.; Franchi, I. A.; Grady, M. M.

2009-03-01

We present results obtained with NanoSIMS raster ion imaging to determine the abundance of presolar SiC in the insoluble organic matter (IOM) extracted from a number of different classes of chondrites (both carbonaceous and ordinary).

Low-temperature aqueous alteration on the CR chondrite parent body: Implications from in situ oxygen-isotope analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Jilly-Rehak, Christine E.; Huss, Gary R.; Nagashima, Kazu; Schrader, Devin L.

2018-02-01

The presence of hydrated minerals in chondrites indicates that water played an important role in the geologic evolution of the early Solar System; however, the process of aqueous alteration is still poorly understood. Renazzo-like carbonaceous (CR) chondrites are particularly well-suited for the study of aqueous alteration. Samples range from being nearly anhydrous to fully altered, essentially representing snapshots of the alteration process through time. We studied oxygen isotopes in secondary-minerals from six CR chondrites of varying hydration states to determine how aqueous fluid conditions (including composition and temperature) evolved on the parent body. Secondary minerals analyzed included calcite, dolomite, and magnetite. The O-isotope composition of calcites ranged from δ18O ≈ 9 to 35‰, dolomites from δ18O ≈ 23 to 27‰, and magnetites from δ18O ≈ -18 to 5‰. Calcite in less-altered samples showed more evidence of fluid evolution compared to heavily altered samples, likely reflecting lower water/rock ratios. Most magnetite plotted on a single trend, with the exception of grains from the extensively hydrated chondrite MIL 090292. The MIL 090292 magnetite diverges from this trend, possibly indicating an anomalous origin for the meteorite. If magnetite and calcite formed in equilibrium, then the relative 18O fractionation between them can be used to extract the temperature of co-precipitation. Isotopic fractionation in Al Rais carbonate-magnetite assemblages revealed low precipitation temperatures (∼60 °C). Assuming that the CR parent body experienced closed-system alteration, a similar exercise for parallel calcite and magnetite O-isotope arrays yields "global" alteration temperatures of ∼55 to 88 °C. These secondary mineral arrays indicate that the O-isotopic composition of the altering fluid evolved upon progressive alteration, beginning near the Al Rais water composition of Δ17O ∼ 1‰ and δ18O ∼ 10‰, and becoming increasingly

Rhenium-osmium systematics of calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions in carbonaceous chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, H.; Morgan, J.W.; Walker, R.J.; MacPherson, G.J.; Grossman, J.N.

2001-01-01

The Re-Os isotopic systematics of calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions (CAIs) in chondrites were investigated in order to shed light on the behavior of the Re-Os system in bulk chondrites, and to constrain the timing of chemical fractionation in primitive chondrites. CAIs with relatively unfractionated rare earth element (REE) patterns (groups I, III, V, VI) define a narrow range of 187Re/188Os (0.3764-0.4443) and 187Os/188Os (0.12599-0.12717), and high but variable Re and Os abundances (3209-41,820 ppb Os). In contrast, CAIs that show depletions in highly refractory elements and strongly fractionated REE patterns (group II) also show a much larger range in 187Re/188Os (0.409-0.535) and 187Os/188Os (0.12695-0.13770), and greater than an order of magnitude lower Re and Os abundances than other groups (e.g., 75.7-680.2 ppb Os). Sixteen bulk CAIs and CAI splits plot within analytical uncertainty of a 4558 Ga reference isochron, as is expected for materials of this antiquity. Eight samples, however, plot off the isochron. Several possible reasons for these deviations are discussed. Data for multiple splits of one CAI indicate that the nonisochronous behavior for at least this CAI is the result of Re-Os reequilibration at approximately 1.6 Ga. Thus, the most likely explanation for the deviations of most of the nonisochronous CAIs is late-stage open-system behavior of Re and Os in the asteroidal environment. The 187Os/188Os-Os systematics of CAIs are consistent with previous models that indicate group II CAIs are mixtures of components that lost the bulk of their highly refractory elements in a previous condensation event and a minor second component that provided refractory elements at chondritic relative proportions. The high Re/Os of group II CAIs relative to other CAIs and chondrite bulk rocks may have been caused by variable mobilization of Re and Os during medium- to low-temperature parent body alteration ??4.5 Ga ago. This model is favored over nebular models, which

Deformation of Ordinary Chondrite Under Very Reducing Conditons: Implications for Liquid Metal Compositions, HSE Partitioning and Enstatite Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Rushmer, T.; Corgne, A.

2008-12-01

One important method in which to gain insight into metallic liquid compositions and their ability to control HSE (highly siderophile element) distribution is through experimentation. Deformation experiments can additionally provide information into mechanisms and chemical consequences of dynamic liquid metal segregation under a variety of conditions. We report results on metallic liquid HSE compositions and their distribution from a set of deformation experiments on a natural H6 ordinary chondrite, performed under very reducing conditions and a series of phase equilibria experiments focused on HSE partitioning between Si-rich and S-rich Fe molten alloys. The deformation experiments were conducted at temperatures between 925°C and 950°C, at 1.3 GPa confining pressure with a strain rate of 10-4/s. Major element analyses of both silicate and metal phases show that they are considerably reduced and the typically lithophile elements are behaving like siderophiles. Fe-Ni-Si compositions are found in the shear zones produced during the deformation experiment. Metallic compositions also include (Mg,Fe,Ca)S, Fe-Ni-Si, FeP, and Fe-Ni-S quench metal. Silicate phases include forsterite (Fo92-96) and enstatite (En98). Highly siderophile element (HSE) concentrations have been measured in the sulphide ((Fe,Mg,Ca)S) and metal (Fe- Ni-Si) phases by LA-ICPMS and compared with results from an earlier set of experiments on the same material but which were not performed under reducing conditions. The partitioning of the PGE is modified by the changing conditions with elements such as Ir and Os having higher DMetal/Sulphide values under reducing conditions. Partitioning experiments between molten FeS and Ni-, Si-bearing molten Fe were performed at 1.5-5.0 GPa and 1500-1750° to further investigate this observation. The starting material is synthetic, doped with a range of trace and HSE elements. The results confirm the preference of the HSE for the metallic phase with DMetal

Water and the thermal evolution of carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimm, R.E.; Mcsween, H.Y. Jr.

1989-01-01

Two hypotheses are proposed for the aqueous alteration of carbonaceous chondrites within their parent bodies, in which respectively the alteration occurs (1) throughout the parent body interior, or (2) in a postaccretional surface regolith; both models assume an initially homogeneous mixture of ice and rock that is heated through the decay of Al-26. Water is seen to exert a powerful influence on chondrite evolution through its role of thermal buffer, permitting substitution of a low temperature aqueous alteration for high temperature recrystallization. It is quantitatively demonstrated that liquid water may be introduced by either hydrothermal circulation, vapor diffusion from below, or venting due to fracture. 104 refs

The early solar system abundance of 244Pu as inferred from the St. Severin chondrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudson, G.B.; Kennedy, B.M.; Podosek, F.A.; Hohenberg, C.M.

1987-03-01

We describe the analysis of Xe released in stepwise heating of neutron-irradiated samples of the St. Severin chondrite. This analysis indicates that at the time of formation of most chondritic meteorites, approximately 4.56 x 10 9 years ago, the atomic ratio of 244 Pu/ 238 U was 0.0068 +- 0.0010 in chondritic meteorites. We believe that this value is more reliable than that inferred from earlier analyses of St. Severin. We feel that this value is currently the best available estimate for the early solar system abundance of 244 Pu. 42 refs., 2 tabs

Extraterrestrial Nucleobases in Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Z.; Botta, O.; Fogel, M.; Sephton, M.; Glavin, D.; Watson, J.; Dworkin, J.; Schwartz, A.; Ehrenfreund, P.

Nucleobases in Carbonaceous Chondrites Z. Martins (1), O. Botta (2), M. L. Fogel (3), M. A. Sephton (4), D. P. Glavin (2), J. S. Watson (5), J. P. Dworkin (2), A. W. Schwartz (6) and P. Ehrenfreund (1,6). (1) Astrobiology Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden, The Netherlands, (2) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Goddard Center for Astrobiology, Greenbelt, MD, USA, (3) GL, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC, USA, (4) Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College, London, UK, (5) Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK, (6) Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. E-mail: z.martins@chem.leidenuniv.nl/Phone:+31715274440 Nucleobases are crucial compounds in terrestrial biochemistry, because they are key components of DNA and RNA. Carbonaceous meteorites have been analyzed for nucleobases by different research groups [1-5]. However, significant quantitative and qualitative differences were observed, leading to the controversial about the origin of these nucleobases. In order to establish the origin of these compounds in carbonaceous chondrites and to assess the plausibility of their exogenous delivery to the early Earth, we have performed formic acid extraction of samples of the Murchison meteorite [6], followed by an extensive purification procedure, analysis and quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV absorption detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our results were qualitatively consistent with previous results [3, 4], but showed significant quantitative differences. Compound specific carbon isotope values were obtained, using gas chromatography-combustion- isotope ratio mass spectrometry. A soil sample collected in the proximity of the Murchison meteorite fall site was subjected to the same extraction, purification and analysis procedure

CIRCUMSTELLAR MAGNETITE FROM THE LAP 031117 CO3.0 CHONDRITE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zega, Thomas J. [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092 (United States); Haenecour, Pierre; Floss, Christine [Laboratory for Space Sciences and Physics Department, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1105, St. Louis, MO 63130 (United States); Stroud, Rhonda M., E-mail: tzega@lpl.arizona.edu [Materials Science and Technology Division, Code 6366, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave, SW Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

2015-07-20

We report the first microstructural confirmation of circumstellar magnetite, identified in a petrographic thin section of the LaPaz Icefield 031117 CO3.0 chondrite. The O-isotopic composition of the grain indicates an origin in a low-mass (∼2.2 M{sub ⊙}), approximately solar metallicity red/asymptotic giant branch (RGB/AGB) star undergoing first dredge-up. The magnetite is a single crystal measuring 750 × 670 nm, is free of defects, and is stoichiometric Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. We hypothesize that the magnetite formed via oxidation of previously condensed Fe dust within the circumstellar envelope of its progenitor star. Using an empirically derived rate constant for this reaction, we calculate that such oxidation could have occurred over timescales ranging from approximately ∼9000–500,000 years. This timescale is within the lifetime of estimates for dust condensation within RGB/AGB stars.

Matrix mineralogy of the Lance CO3 carbonaceous chondrite: A transmission electron microscope study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, L.P.; Buseck, P.R.

1990-01-01

The Lance CO3 carbonaceous chondrite (CC) is less altered than the CI and CM chondrites and so provides a view of the mineralogy and textures resulting from the earliest stages of aqueous alteration of CCs. Matrix olivine in Lance has been partly altered to fine-grained, Fe-bearing serpentine and poorly crystalline Fe 3+ oxide, a process that required both hydration and oxidation. Serpentine occurs as discrete packets separated from the olivine surfaces by the Fe 3+ oxide. The Fe released during the dissolution of olivine was partly incorporated into the serpentine; the remainder was oxidized to form Fe 3+ oxide. Matrix metal was also altered to produce Fe oxides, leaving the residual metal enriched in Ni. Olivine grains in Lance matrix contain channels along their [100] and [001] directions. The formation and convergence of such channels resulted in a grain-size reduction of the olivine. The alteration was pervasive but incomplete, suggesting a limited availability of fluid. A brief study of two other CO chondrites, Kainsaz and Warrenton, shows that these meteorites do not contain phyllosilicates in their matrices, although both contain Fe 3+ oxide between olivine grains. Prior to its alteration, Lance probably resembled Kainsaz, an unaltered CO3 chondrite. The alteration assemblage in Lance is only slightly different from that in Mokoia and essentially the same as that in C3 xenoliths from Murchison. Alteration products in Lance show greater similarities to CI than to CM chondrites

Testing the dark matter origin of the WMAP-Planck haze with radio observations of spiral galaxies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlson, Eric; Linden, Tim; Profumo, Stefano [Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 (United States); Hooper, Dan, E-mail: erccarls@ucsc.edu, E-mail: dhooper@fnal.gov, E-mail: tlinden@ucsc.edu, E-mail: profumo@ucsc.edu [Center for Particle Astrophysics, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL 60510 (United States)

2013-07-01

If the Galactic WMAP radio haze, as recently confirmed by Planck, is produced by dark matter annihilation or decay, similar diffuse radio halos should exist around other galaxies with physical properties comparable to the Milky Way. If instead the haze is due to an astrophysical mechanism peculiar to the Milky Way or to a transient event, a similar halo need not exist around all Milky Way ''twins''. We use radio observations of 66 spiral galaxies to test the dark matter origin of the haze. We select galaxies based on morphological type and maximal rotational velocity, and obtain their luminosities from a 1.49 GHz catalog and additional radio observations at other frequencies. We find many instances of galaxies with radio emission that is less than 5% as bright as naively expected from dark matter models that could produce the Milky Way haze, and at least 3 galaxies that are less than 1% as bright as expected, assuming dark matter distributions, magnetic fields, and cosmic ray propagation parameters equal to those of the Milky Way. For reasonable ranges for the variation of these parameters, we estimate the fraction of galaxies that should be expected to be significantly less bright in radio, and argue that this is marginally compatible with the observed distribution. While our findings therefore cannot rule out a dark matter origin for the radio haze at this time, we find numerous examples (including the Andromeda Galaxy) where, if dark matter is indeed the origin of the Milky Way haze, some mechanism must be in place to suppress the corresponding haze of the external galaxy. We point out that Planck data will offer opportunities to improve this type of constraint in a highly relevant frequency range and for a potentially larger set of candidate galaxies.

Cosmic-ray exposure ages of six chondritic Almahata Sitta fragments

Science.gov (United States)

Riebe, M. E. I.; Welten, K. C.; Meier, M. M. M.; Wieler, R.; Barth, M. I. F.; Ward, D.; Laubenstein, M.; Bischoff, A.; Caffee, M. W.; Nishiizumi, K.; Busemann, H.

2017-11-01

The Almahata Sitta strewn field is dominated by ureilites, but contains a large fraction of chondritic fragments of various types. We analyzed stable isotopes of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, and the cosmogenic radionuclides 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl in six chondritic Almahata Sitta fragments (EL6 breccia, EL6, EL3-5, CB, LL4/5, R-like). The cosmic-ray exposure (CRE) ages of five of the six samples have an average of 19.2 ± 3.3 Ma, close to the average of 19.5 ± 2.5 Ma for four ureilites. The cosmogenic radionuclide concentrations in the chondrites indicate a preatmospheric size consistent with Almahata Sitta. This corroborates that Almahata Sitta chondrite samples were part of the same asteroid as the ureilites. However, MS-179 has a lower CRE age of 11.0 ± 1.4 Ma. Further analysis of short-lived radionuclides in fragment MS-179 showed that it fell around the same time, and from an object of similar size as Almahata Sitta, making it almost certain that MS-179 is an Almahata Sitta fragment. Instead, its low CRE age could be due to gas loss, chemical heterogeneity that may have led to an erroneous 21Ne production-rate, or, perhaps most likely, MS-179 could represent the true 4π exposure age of Almahata Sitta (or an upper limit thereof), while all other samples analyzed so far experienced exposure on the parent body of similar lengths. Finally, MS-179 had an extraordinarily high activity of neutron-capture 36Cl, 600 dpm kg-1, the highest activity observed in any meteorite to date, related to a high abundance of the Cl-bearing mineral lawrencite.

On radiogenic nature of xenon-X in carbonaceous and LL chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerling, Eh.K.

1982-01-01

The nature of Xe-X from the mineral fraction produced during the differential dissolution of carbonaceous and LL chondrites was investigated using literature data on the age of some meteorites and their fractions and quantities of fission 136 Xe contained in them. A graph of lg fission 136 Xe against the age of meteorites was plotted; the decay constant of a hypothetical superheavy nucleus was calculated using the graph and equaled 1x10 - 7 year - 1 . The calculations served as a forcible argument for the radiogenic nature of xenon with 136 and 134 mass in carbonaceous and LL chondrites

Shock-darkening in ordinary chondrites: impact modelling

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Moreau, J.; Kohout, Tomáš; Wünnemann, K.

2016-01-01

Roč. 88, Special volume (2016), s. 285-285 ISSN 0367-5211. [ Nordic Geological Winter Meeting /32./. 13.01.2016-15.01.2016, Helsinki] Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : impact, shock * reflectance spectra * chondrite * meteorite * Chelyabinsk Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics http://www.geologinenseura.fi/bulletin/Special_Volume_1_2016/BGSF-NGWM2016_Abstract_Volume.pdf

The Role of Fe,Ni Metal and Fe,Ni Sulfide Nanoparticles in Catalytic Organic Synthesis in the Early Solar System: Evidence From Carbonaceous Chondrites.

Science.gov (United States)

Brearley, A. J.

2008-12-01

of CO to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. We infer that the Fe,Ni carbides were originally Fe metal grains that were carburized during catalysis. Carbide formation during FTT synthesis on Fe metal catalysts is a well-recognized phenomenon. Based on the presence of poorly- graphitized carbon on the surfaces of most nanoparticles, catalysis within the solar nebula appears to be most likely, because estimated temperatures of aqueous alteration for CM2 chondrites (<50° C) are too low to promote graphitization.

Revisiting 26Al-26Mg systematics of plagioclase in H4 chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Telus, M.; Huss, G. R.; Nagashima, K.; Ogliore, R. C.

2014-06-01

Zinner and Göpel found clear evidence for the former presence of 26Al in the H4 chondrites Ste. Marguerite and Forest Vale. They assumed that the 26Al-26Mg systematics of these chondrites date "metamorphic cooling of the H4 parent body." Plagioclase in these chondrites can have very high Al/Mg ratios and low Mg concentrations, making these ion probe analyses susceptible to ratio bias, which is inversely proportional to the number of counts of the denominator isotope (Ogliore et al.). Zinner and Göpel used the mean of the ratios to calculate the isotope ratios, which exacerbates this problem. We analyzed the Al/Mg ratios and Mg isotopic compositions of plagioclase grains in thin sections of Ste. Marguerite, Forest Vale, Beaver Creek, and Sena to evaluate the possible influence of ratio bias on the published initial 26Al/27Al ratios for these meteorites. We calculated the isotope ratios using total counts, a less biased method of calculating isotope ratios. The results from our analyses are consistent with those from Zinner and Göpel, indicating that ratio bias does not significantly affect 26Al-26Mg results for plagioclase in these chondrites. Ste. Marguerite has a clear isochron with an initial 26Al/27Al ratio indicating that it cooled to below 450 °C 5.2 ± 0.2 Myr after CAIs. The isochrons for Forest Vale and Beaver Creek also show clear evidence that 26Al was alive when they cooled, but the initial 26Al/27Al ratios are not well constrained. Sena does not show evidence that 26Al was alive when it cooled to below the Al-Mg closure temperature. Given that metallographic cooling rates for Ste. Marguerite, Forest Vale, and Beaver Creek are atypical (>5000 °C/Myr at 500 °C) compared with most H4s, including Sena, which have cooling rates of 10-50 °C/Myr at 500 °C (Scott et al.), we conclude that the Al-Mg systematics for Ste. Marguerite, Forest Vale, and Beaver Creek are the result of impact excavation of these chondrites and cooling at the surface of the

The early solar system abundance of /sup 244/Pu as inferred from the St. Severin chondrite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hudson, G.B.; Kennedy, B.M.; Podosek, F.A.; Hohenberg, C.M.

1987-03-01

We describe the analysis of Xe released in stepwise heating of neutron-irradiated samples of the St. Severin chondrite. This analysis indicates that at the time of formation of most chondritic meteorites, approximately 4.56 x 10/sup 9/ years ago, the atomic ratio of /sup 244/Pu//sup 238/U was 0.0068 +- 0.0010 in chondritic meteorites. We believe that this value is more reliable than that inferred from earlier analyses of St. Severin. We feel that this value is currently the best available estimate for the early solar system abundance of /sup 244/Pu. 42 refs., 2 tabs.

Trace-element analysis of Antarctic H chondrites: Chemical weathering and comparisons with their non-Antarctic counterparts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwok, J.E.

1986-01-01

Large numbers of meteorites have been discovered in Antarctica over the last decade (7000 fragments probably representing over 1200 separate events). They are important for their numbers and for their complement of unique or rare specimens; they also have long terrestrial ages (up to 1,000,000 years) compared to non-Antarctic falls (usually < 200 years). We report compositional data for mobile/volatile trace elements Ag, Au, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, In, Rb, Sb, Se, Te, Ti, U, and Zn in a suite of Antarctic H chondrites. Our data show that heavily oxidized H chondrites are leached of a portion of their trace elements and, therefore, have been chemically compromised by their stay in Antarctica. The less oxidized specimens seem to have retained their chemical integrity. We suggest possibilities for using chemical data to measure the degree of a chondrite's chemical weathering. We compare our data to that obtained previously for non-Antarctic H chondrites (Linger et al., 1986), by petrologic type (H4, H5, H6, H4-6) and shock-loading (moderately shocked facies a-c, heavily shocked facies d-f). Many statistically significant differences are found between non-Antarctic and Victoria Land, Antarctica H chondrites of each petrologic type and of shock facies d-f

Magnetic, in situ, mineral characterization of Chelyabinsk meteorite thin section

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Nábělek, Ladislav; Mazanec, M.; Kdyr, S.; Kletetschka, Günther

2015-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 6 (2015), s. 1112-1121 ISSN 1086-9379 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : grain-size * physical-properties * anomalies * asteroids * chondrite * origin * hematite * rocks * Mars Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.819, year: 2015

Mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry of carbonaceous chondritic clasts in the LEW 85300 polymict eucrite

Science.gov (United States)

Zolensky, M. E.; Hewins, R. H.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Lindstrom, M. M.; Xiao, X.; Lipschutz, M. E.

1992-01-01

We have performed a detailed petrologic and mineralogic study of two chondritic clasts from the polymict eucrite Lewis Cliff (LEW) 85300, and performed chemical analyses by INAA and RNAA on one of these. Petrologically, the clasts are identified and are composed of dispersed aggregates, chondrules, and chondrule fragments supported by matrix. The aggregates and chondrules are composed of olivine, orthopyroxene, plus some diopside. The matrix consists of fine-grained olivine, and lesser orthopyroxene and augite. Fine-grained saponite is common in the matrix. The bulk major composition of the clast studied by INAA and RNAA shows unusual abundance patterns for lithophile, siderophile and chalcophile elements but is basically chondritic. The INAA/RNAA data preclude assignment of the LEW 85300,15 clast to any commonly accepted group of carbonaceous chondrite.

Matrix mineralogy of the Lance CO3 carbonaceous chondrite - A transmission electron microscope study

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Lindsay P.; Buseck, Peter R.

1990-01-01

Results are presented on electron microprobe analyses of three CO chondrites, all of which are falls: Lance, Kainsaz, and Warrenton. The TEM mineralogy results of Lance chondrite show that Fe-rich matrix olivines have been altered to Fe-bearing serpentine and Fe(3+) oxide; matrix metal was also altered to produce Fe(3+) oxides, leaving the residual metal enriched in Ni. Olivine grains in Lance's matrix contain channels along their 100-line and 001-line directions; the formation and convergence of such channels resulted in a grain-size reduction of the olivine. A study of Kainsaz and Warrenton showed that these meteorites do not contain phyllosilicates in their matrices, although both contain Fe(3+) oxide between olivine grains. It is suggested that, prior to its alteration, Lance probably resembled Kainsaz, an unaltered CO3 chondrite.

Refractory Inclusion Size Distribution and Fabric Measured in a Large Slab of the Allende CV3 Chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, P.; Simon, Justin I.; Cuzzi, J. N.

2013-01-01

Aggregate textures of chondrites reflect accretion of early-formed particles in the solar nebula. Explanations for the size and density variations of particle populations found among chondrites are debated. Differences could have risen out of formation in different locations in the nebula, and/or they could have been caused by a sorting process [1]. Many ideas on the cause of chondrule sorting have been proposed; some including sorting by mass [2,3], by X-winds [4], turbulent concentration [5], and by photophoresis [6]. However, few similar studies have been conducted for Ca-, Al-rich inclusions (CAIs). These particles are known to have formed early, and their distribution could attest to the early stages of Solar System (ESS) history. Unfortunately, CAIs are not as common in chondrites as chondrules are, reducing the usefulness of studies restricted to a few thin sections. Furthermore, the largest sizes of CAIs are generally much larger than chondrules, and therefore rarely present in most studied chondrite thin sections. This study attempts to perform a more representative sampling of the CAI population in the Allende chondrite by investigating a two decimeter-sized slab.

Beardsley vs. Faith: Physical diversity among H5 chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zbik, M.; Lang, B.

1984-01-01

The microstructure and some physico-mechanical properties of Beardsley and Faith, both H5 chondrites, were compared. Although the bulk sample porosities are respectively 9.1% and 14.5%, suggesting lower consolidation of Faith, the effective porosities are 5.63% and 1.79% - much higher for Beardsley. The material of Faith, characterized by vugs, vesicles and closed channels - abundant but all sized below 0.01 μm - is of higher strength than that of Beardsley, where joints, fissures, open channels and microcracks are sized from 0.1 to 10 μm. The higher elastic properties of Faith are shown by the velocity of the compressional wave of 6.66 km s -1 against that of 5.12 km s -1 for Beardsley. An example of physical diversity among chondrites to the same chemical-petrologic type is therefore demonstrated. (orig.)

Diradicaloids in the insoluble organic matter from the Tagish Lake meteorite: Comparison with the Orgueil and Murchison meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Binet, L.; Gourier, D.; Derenne, S.; Pizzarello, S.; Becker, L.

2004-10-01

The radicals in the insoluble organic matter (IOM) from the Tagish Lake meteorites were studied by electron paramagnetic resonance and compared to those existing in the Orgueil and Murchison meteorites. As in the Orgueil and Murchison meteorites, the radicals in the Tagish Lake meteorite are heterogeneously distributed and comprise a substantial amount (~42%) of species with a thermally acessible triplet state and with the same singlet-triplet gap, ?E ??0.1 eV, as in the Orgueil and Murchison meteorites. These species were identified as diradicaloid moieties. The existence of similar diradicaloid moieties in three different carbonaceous chondrites but not in terrestrial IOM strongly suggests that these moieties could be "fingerprints" of the extraterrestrial origin of meteoritic IOM and markers of its synthetic pathway before its inclusion into a parent body.

Chemical zoning and homogenization of olivines in ordinary chondrites and implications for thermal histories of chondrules

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamoto, Masamichi; Mckay, David S.; Mckay, Gordon A.; Duke, Michael B.

1986-01-01

The extent and degree of homogenization of chemical zoning of olivines in type 3 ordinary chondrites is studied in order to obtain some constraints on cooling histories of chondrites. Based on Mg-Fe and CaO zoning, olivines in type 3 chondrites are classified into four types. A single chondrule usually contains olivines with the same type of zoning. Microporphyritic olivines show all four zoning types. Barred olivines usually show almost homogenized chemical zoning. The cooling rates or burial depths needed to homogenize the chemical zoning are calculated by solving the diffusion equation, using the zoning profiles as an initial condition. Mg-Fe zoning of olivine may be altered during initial cooling, whereas CaO zoning is hardly changed. Barred olivines may be homogenized during initial cooling because their size is relatively small. To simulated microporphyritic olivine chondrules, cooling from just below the liquidus at moderately high rates is preferable to cooling from above the liquidus at low rates. For postaccumulation metamorphism of type 3 chondrites to keep Mg-Fe zoning unaltered, the maximum metamorphic temperature must be less than about 400 C if cooling rates based on Fe-Ni data are assumed. Calculated cooling rates for both Fa and CaO homogenization are consistent with those by Fe-Ni data for type 4 chondrites. A hot ejecta blanket several tens of meters thick on the surface of a parent body is sufficient to homogenize Mg-Fe zoning if the temperature of the blanket is 600-700 C. Burial depths for petrologic types of ordinary chondrites in a parent body heated by Al-26 are broadly consistent with those previously proposed.

Origin of cancer: an information, energy and matter disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rainer Günter Hanselmann

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Cells are open, highly ordered systems far away from equilibrium. For that reason, the first function of any cell is to prevent the permanent threat of disintegration described by thermo-dynamic laws and to preserve highly ordered cell characteristics like structures, cell cycle and metabolism. In that context, three basic categories play a central role - energy, matter and information. Every single of these three categories is equally important to the cell and depends on the others reciprocally. For that reason, we suggest that either energy loss (e.g. by disturbed mitochondria or disturbance of information (e.g. mutations, aneuploidy or changes in matter composition or exposition (e.g. micro-environmental changes, toxic agents can irreversibly disturb molecular mechanisms leading to increased local entropy of cellular functions and structures. In terms of physics, changes to these normally highly ordered reaction probabilities lead to a biologically irreversibly, imbalanced but thermodynamically more stable state. This primary change independent of the initiator now provokes and drives a complex interplay between energy availability, matter exposition and increasing information disturbance depending on reactions that try to overcome or stabilize this intra-cellular, irreversible disorder described by entropy. Because the return to the original ordered state is not possible due to the thermodynamic reasons cells die, or persist in an meta-stable state and enter into a self-driven adaptive and evolutionary process that generates progressive, disordered cells resulting in a broad spectrum of progeny with different characteristics, and maybe one day one of these cells will show an autonomous and aggressive behavior – a cancer cell.

The mineral chemistry and origin of inclusion matrix and meteorite matrix in the Allende CV3 chondrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kornacki, A.S.; Wood, J.A.; Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA

1984-01-01

The two textural varieties of olivine-rich Allende inclusions consist primarily of a porous, fine-grained mafic constituent that differs from the opaque meteorite matrix of CV3 chondrites by being relatively depleted in sulfides, metal grains, and carbonaceous material. Olivine is the most abundant mineral in Allende inclusion matrix; clinopyroxene, nepheline, sodalite, and Ti-Al-pyroxene occur in lesser amounts. Olivine in unrimmed olivine aggregates is ferrous and has a narrow compositional range. Olivine in rimmed olivine aggregates is, on average, more magnesian, with a wider compositional range. Olivine grains in the granular rims of Type 1B inclusions are zoned, with magnesian cores and ferrous rinds. Ferrous olivines in both varieties of inclusions commonly contain significant amounts of Al 2 O 3 , CaO and TiO 2 , refractory elements that probably occur in submicroscopic inclusions of Ca, Al, Ti-rich glass. Defocussed beam analyses of Allende matrix materials are discussed. (author)

Compound-Specific Carbon, Nitrogen, and Hydrogen Isotopic Ratios for Amino Acids in CM and CR Chondrites and their use in Evaluating Potential Formation Pathways

Science.gov (United States)

Elsila, Jamie E.; Charnley, Steven B.; Burton, Aaron S.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Dworkin, Jason P.

2012-01-01

Stable hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen isotopic ratios (oD, 013C, and olSN) of organic compounds can revcal information about their origin and formation pathways. Several formation mechanisms and environments have been postulated for the amino acids detected in carbonaceous chondrites. As each proposed mechanism utilizes different precursor molecules, the isotopic signatures of the resulting amino acids may indicate the most likely of these pathways. We have applied gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry to measure the compound-specific C, N, and H stable isotopic ratios of amino acids from seven CM and CR carbonaceous chondrites: CM1I2 Allan Hills (ALH) 83100, CM2 Murchison, CM2 Lewis Cliff (LEW) 90500, CM2 Lonewolf Nunataks (LON) 94101, CRZ Graves Nunataks (GRA) 95229, CRZ Elephant Moraine (EET) 92042, and CR3 Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 99177. We compare the isotopic compositions of amino acids in these meteorites with predictions of expected isotopic enrichments from potential formation pathways. We observe trends of decreasing ODC and increasing oD with increasing carbon number in the aH, (l-NH2 amino acids that correspond to predictions made for formation via Streckercyanohydrin synthesis. We also observe light ODC signatures for -alanine, which may indicate either formation via Michael addition or via a pathway that forms primarily small, straight-chain, amine-terminal amino acids (n-ro-amino acids). Higher deuterium enrichments are observed in amethyl amino acids, indicating formation of these amino acids or their precursors in cold interstellar or nebular environments. Finally, individual amino acids are more enriched in deuterium in CR chondrites than CM chondrites, reflecting different parent-body chemistry.

PROTO-PLANETARY DISK CHEMISTRY RECORDED BY D-RICH ORGANIC RADICALS IN CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remusat, Laurent; Robert, Francois; Meibom, Anders; Mostefaoui, Smail; Delpoux, Olivier; Binet, Laurent; Gourier, Didier; Derenne, Sylvie

2009-01-01

Insoluble organic matter (IOM) in primitive carbonaceous meteorites has preserved its chemical composition and isotopic heterogeneity since the solar system formed ∼4.567 billion years ago. We have identified the carrier moieties of isotopically anomalous hydrogen in IOM isolated from the Orgueil carbonaceous chondrite. Data from high spatial resolution, quantitative isotopic NanoSIMS mapping of Orgueil IOM combined with data from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that organic radicals hold all the deuterium excess (relative to the bulk IOM) in distinct, micrometer-sized, D-rich hotspots. Taken together with previous work, the results indicate that an isotopic exchange reaction took place between pre-existing organic compounds characterized by low D/H ratios and D-rich gaseous molecules, such as H 2 D + or HD 2 + . This exchange reaction most likely took place in the diffuse outer regions of the proto-planetary disk around the young Sun, offering a model that reconciles meteoritic and cometary isotopic compositions of organic molecules.

Proto-Planetary Disk Chemistry Recorded by D-Rich Organic Radicals in Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Remusat, Laurent; Robert, François; Meibom, Anders; Mostefaoui, Smail; Delpoux, Olivier; Binet, Laurent; Gourier, Didier; Derenne, Sylvie

2009-06-01

Insoluble organic matter (IOM) in primitive carbonaceous meteorites has preserved its chemical composition and isotopic heterogeneity since the solar system formed ~4.567 billion years ago. We have identified the carrier moieties of isotopically anomalous hydrogen in IOM isolated from the Orgueil carbonaceous chondrite. Data from high spatial resolution, quantitative isotopic NanoSIMS mapping of Orgueil IOM combined with data from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that organic radicals hold all the deuterium excess (relative to the bulk IOM) in distinct, micrometer-sized, D-rich hotspots. Taken together with previous work, the results indicate that an isotopic exchange reaction took place between pre-existing organic compounds characterized by low D/H ratios and D-rich gaseous molecules, such as H2D+ or HD2 +. This exchange reaction most likely took place in the diffuse outer regions of the proto-planetary disk around the young Sun, offering a model that reconciles meteoritic and cometary isotopic compositions of organic molecules.

The Origin of Inertia and Matter as a Superradiant Phase Transition of Quantum Vacuum

Science.gov (United States)

Maxmilian Caligiuri, Luigi

Mass is one of the most important concepts in physics and its real understanding represents the key for the formulation of any consistent physical theory. During the past years, a very interesting model of inertial and gravitational mass as the result of the reaction interaction between the charged particles (electrons and quarks) contained in a given body and a suitable "fraction" of QED Zero Point Fields confined within an ideal resonant cavity, associated to the same body, has been proposed by Haish, Rueda and Puthoff. More recently, the author showed that this interpretation is consistent with a picture of mass (both inertial and gravitational) as the seat of ZPF standing waves whose presence reduces quantum vacuum energy density inside the resonant cavity ideally associated to the body volume. Nevertheless so far, the ultimate physical origin of such resonant cavity as well as the mechanism able to "select" the fraction of ZPF electromagnetic modes interacting within it, remained unrevealed. In this paper, basing on the framework of QED coherence in condensed matter, we'll show mass can be viewed as the result of a spontaneous superradiant phase transition of quantum vacuum giving rise to a more stable, energetically favored, oscopic quantum state characterized by an ensemble of coherence domains, "trapping" the coherent ZPF fluctuations inside a given volume just acting as a resonant cavity. Our model is then able to explain the "natural" emergence of the ideal resonant cavity speculated by Haish, Rueda and Puthoff and its defining parameters as well as the physical mechanism selecting the fraction of ZPF interacting with the body particles. Finally, a generalization of the model to explain the origin of mass of elementary particles is proposed also suggesting a new understanding of Compton's frequency and De Broglie's wavelength. Our results indicates both inertia and matter could truly originate from coherent interaction between quantum matter-wave and

Role of effluent organic matter in the photochemical degradation of compounds of wastewater origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodhipaksha, Laleen C; Sharpless, Charles M; Chin, Yu-Ping; MacKay, Allison A

2017-03-01

The photoreactivity of treated wastewater effluent organic matter differs from that of natural organic matter, and the indirect phototransformation rates of micropollutants originating in wastewater are expected to depend on the fractional contribution of wastewater to total stream flow. Photodegradation rates of four common compounds of wastewater origin (sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine, cimetidine and caffeine) were measured in river water, treated municipal wastewater effluent and mixtures of both to simulate various effluent-stream water mixing conditions that could occur in environmental systems. Compounds were chosen for their unique photodegradation pathways with the photochemically produced reactive intermediates, triplet-state excited organic matter ( 3 OM*), singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), and hydroxyl radicals (OH). For all compounds, higher rates of photodegradation were observed in effluent relative to upstream river water. Sulfamethoxazole degraded primarily via direct photolysis, with some contribution from OH and possibly from carbonate radicals and other unidentified reactive intermediates in effluent-containing samples. Sulfadimethoxine also degraded mainly by direct photolysis, and natural organic matter appeared to inhibit this process to a greater extent than predicted by light screening. In the presence of effluent organic matter, sulfadimethoxine showed additional reactions with OH and 1 O 2 . In all water samples, cimetidine degraded by reaction with 1 O 2 (>95%) and caffeine by reaction with OH (>95%). In river water mixtures, photodegradation rate constants for all compounds increased with increasing fractions of effluent. A conservative mixing model was able to predict reaction rate constants in the case of hydroxyl radical reactions, but it overestimated rate constants in the case of 3 OM* and 1 O 2 pathways. Finally, compound degradation rate constants normalized to the rate of light absorption by water correlated with E 2 /E 3 ratios

Unified Origin for Baryonic Visible Matter and Antibaryonic Dark Matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davoudiasl, Hooman; Morrissey, David E.; Tulin, Sean; Sigurdson, Kris

2010-01-01

We present a novel mechanism for generating both the baryon and dark matter densities of the Universe. A new Dirac fermion X carrying a conserved baryon number charge couples to the standard model quarks as well as a GeV-scale hidden sector. CP-violating decays of X, produced nonthermally in low-temperature reheating, sequester antibaryon number in the hidden sector, thereby leaving a baryon excess in the visible sector. The antibaryonic hidden states are stable dark matter. A spectacular signature of this mechanism is the baryon-destroying inelastic scattering of dark matter that can annihilate baryons at appreciable rates relevant for nucleon decay searches.

Unified origin for baryonic visible matter and antibaryonic dark matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Davoudiasl, Hooman; Morrissey, David E; Sigurdson, Kris; Tulin, Sean

2010-11-19

We present a novel mechanism for generating both the baryon and dark matter densities of the Universe. A new Dirac fermion X carrying a conserved baryon number charge couples to the standard model quarks as well as a GeV-scale hidden sector. CP-violating decays of X, produced nonthermally in low-temperature reheating, sequester antibaryon number in the hidden sector, thereby leaving a baryon excess in the visible sector. The antibaryonic hidden states are stable dark matter. A spectacular signature of this mechanism is the baryon-destroying inelastic scattering of dark matter that can annihilate baryons at appreciable rates relevant for nucleon decay searches.

Evidence from the Semarkona ordinary chondrite for 26Al heating of small planets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutcheon, I.D.

1989-01-01

We report the first observation of radiogenic 26 Mg in non-refractory meteoritic material, a plagio-clase-bearing, olivine-pyroxene clast chondrule in the Semarkona ordinary chondrite. The inferred initial abundance of 26 Al is sufficient to produce incipient melting in well insulated bodies of chondritic composition. We conclude that planetary accretion and differentiation must have begun on a timescale comparable to the half life of 26 Al and that, even if widespread melting did not occur, 26 Al heating played a significant role in thermal metamorphism on small planets. (author)

Radiative origin of all quark and lepton masses through dark matter with flavor symmetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ernest

2014-03-07

The fundamental issue of the origin of mass for all quarks and leptons (including Majorana neutrinos) is linked to dark matter, odd under an exactly conserved Z2 symmetry which may or may not be derivable from an U(1)D gauge symmetry. The observable sector interacts with a proposed dark sector which consists of heavy neutral singlet Dirac fermions and suitably chosen new scalars. Flavor symmetry is implemented in a renormalizable context with just the one Higgs doublet (ϕ(+), ϕ(0)) of the standard model in such a way that all observed fermions obtain their masses radiatively through dark matter.

Effect of NaCrSi2O6 component on Lindsley's pyroxene thermometer: An evaluation based on strongly metamorphosed LL chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamuta, Y.; Urata, K.; Shibata, Y.; Kuwahara, Y.

2017-03-01

In Lindsley's thermometry, a revised sequence of calculation of components is proposed for clinopyroxene, in which kosmochlor component is added. Temperatures obtained for the components calculated by the revised method are about 50 °C lower than those obtained for the components calculated by the Lindsley's original method and agree well with temperatures obtained from orthopyroxenes. Ca-partitioning between clino- and orthopyroxenes is then thought to be equilibrated in types 5 to 7 ordinary chondrites. The temperatures for Tuxtuac (LL5), Dhurmsala (LL6), NWA 2092 (LL6/7), and Dho 011 (LL7) are 767-793°, 818-835°, 872-892°, and 917-936°C, respectively, suggesting that chondrites of higher petrographic types show higher equilibrium temperatures of pyroxenes. The regression equations which relate temperature and Wo and Fs contents in the temperature-contoured pyroxene quadrilateral of 1 atm of Lindsley (1983) are also determined by the least squares method. It is possible to reproduce temperatures with an error less than 20 °C (2SE) using the regression equations.

Fluid-induced organic synthesis in the solar nebula recorded in extraterrestrial dust from meteorites.

Science.gov (United States)

Vollmer, Christian; Kepaptsoglou, Demie; Leitner, Jan; Busemann, Henner; Spring, Nicole H; Ramasse, Quentin M; Hoppe, Peter; Nittler, Larry R

2014-10-28

Isotopically anomalous carbonaceous grains in extraterrestrial samples represent the most pristine organics that were delivered to the early Earth. Here we report on gentle aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy investigations of eight (15)N-rich or D-rich organic grains within two carbonaceous Renazzo-type (CR) chondrites and two interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) originating from comets. Organic matter in the IDP samples is less aromatic than that in the CR chondrites, and its functional group chemistry is mainly characterized by C-O bonding and aliphatic C. Organic grains in CR chondrites are associated with carbonates and elemental Ca, which originate either from aqueous fluids or possibly an indigenous organic source. One distinct grain from the CR chondrite NWA 852 exhibits a rim structure only visible in chemical maps. The outer part is nanoglobular in shape, highly aromatic, and enriched in anomalous nitrogen. Functional group chemistry of the inner part is similar to spectra from IDP organic grains and less aromatic with nitrogen below the detection limit. The boundary between these two areas is very sharp. The direct association of both IDP-like organic matter with dominant C-O bonding environments and nanoglobular organics with dominant aromatic and C-N functionality within one unique grain provides for the first time to our knowledge strong evidence for organic synthesis in the early solar system activated by an anomalous nitrogen-containing parent body fluid.

The hydrogen and deuterium concentrations in chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robert, F.; Merlivat, L.

1978-01-01

Water and isotopic concentration of H 2 O + are reported. It shows a correlation between the water, the deuterium concentrations and the petrologic types of chondrites. The Chainpur meteorite has been divided into several mineralogical fractions and the results are reported. The results of Orgueil are also reported. The correlation shows that as the sulfate content increases, the water and deuterium contents decrease. The terrestrial contamination is discussed and possible deuterium variation models are presented

Using fluorescent dissolved organic matter to trace and distinguish the origin of Arctic surface waters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goncalves-Araujo, Rafael; Granskog, Mats A.; Bracher, Astrid

2016-01-01

were performed in the Fram and Davis Straits, and on the east Greenland Shelf (EGS), in late summer 2012/2013. Meteoric (f(mw)), sea-ice melt, Atlantic and Pacific water fractions were determined and the fluorescence properties of dissolved organic matter (FDOM) were characterized. In Fram Strait...... and EGS, a robust correlation between visible wavelength fluorescence and f(mw) was apparent, suggesting it as a reliable tracer of polar waters. However, a pattern was observed which linked the organic matter characteristics to the origin of polar waters. At depth in Davis Strait, visible wavelength FDOM...

Particle Size Distributions in Chondritic Meteorites: Evidence for Pre-Planetesimal Histories

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, J. I.; Cuzzi, J. N.; McCain, K. A.; Cato, M. J.; Christoffersen, P. A.; Fisher, K. R.; Srinivasan, P.; Tait, A. W.; Olson, D. M.; Scargle, J. D.

2018-01-01

Magnesium-rich silicate chondrules and calcium-, aluminum-rich refractory inclusions (CAIs) are fundamental components of primitive chondritic meteorites. It has been suggested that concentration of these early-formed particles by nebular sorting processes may lead to accretion of planetesimals, the planetary bodies that represent the building blocks of the terrestrial planets. In this case, the size distributions of the particles may constrain the accretion process. Here we present new particle size distribution data for Northwest Africa 5717, a primitive ordinary chondrite (ungrouped 3.05) and the well-known carbonaceous chondrite Allende (CV3). Instead of the relatively narrow size distributions obtained in previous studies (Ebel et al., 2016; Friedrich et al., 2015; Paque and Cuzzi, 1997, and references therein), we observed broad size distributions for all particle types in both meteorites. Detailed microscopic image analysis of Allende shows differences in the size distributions of chondrule subtypes, but collectively these subpopulations comprise a composite "chondrule" size distribution that is similar to the broad size distribution found for CAIs. Also, we find accretionary 'dust' rims on only a subset (approximately 15-20 percent) of the chondrules contained in Allende, which indicates that subpopulations of chondrules experienced distinct histories prior to planetary accretion. For the rimmed subset, we find positive correlation between rim thickness and chondrule size. The remarkable similarity between the size distributions of various subgroups of particles, both with and without fine grained rims, implies a common size sorting process. Chondrite classification schemes, astrophysical disk models that predict a narrow chondrule size population and/or a common localized formation event, and conventional particle analysis methods must all be critically reevaluated. We support the idea that distinct "lithologies" in NWA 5717 are nebular aggregates of

The stable Cr isotopic compositions of chondrites and silicate planetary reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenberg, Ronny; Merdian, Alexandra; Holmden, Chris; Kleinhanns, Ilka C.; Haßler, Kathrin; Wille, Martin; Reitter, Elmar

2016-06-01

The depletion of chromium in Earth's mantle (∼2700 ppm) in comparison to chondrites (∼4400 ppm) indicates significant incorporation of chromium into the core during our planet's metal-silicate differentiation, assuming that there was no significant escape of the moderately volatile element chromium during the accretionary phase of Earth. Stable Cr isotope compositions - expressed as the ‰-difference in 53Cr/52Cr from the terrestrial reference material SRM979 (δ53/52CrSRM979 values) - of planetary silicate reservoirs might thus yield information about the conditions of planetary metal segregation processes when compared to chondrites. The stable Cr isotopic compositions of 7 carbonaceous chondrites, 11 ordinary chondrites, 5 HED achondrites and 2 martian meteorites determined by a double spike MC-ICP-MS method are within uncertainties indistinguishable from each other and from the previously determined δ53/52CrSRM979 value of -0.124 ± 0.101‰ for the igneous silicate Earth. Extensive quality tests support the accuracy of the stable Cr isotope determinations of various meteorites and terrestrial silicates reported here. The uniformity in stable Cr isotope compositions of samples from planetary silicate mantles and undifferentiated meteorites indicates that metal-silicate differentiation of Earth, Mars and the HED parent body did not cause measurable stable Cr isotope fractionation between these two reservoirs. Our results also imply that the accretionary disc, at least in the inner solar system, was homogeneous in its stable Cr isotopic composition and that potential volatility loss of chromium during accretion of the terrestrial planets was not accompanied by measurable stable isotopic fractionation. Small but reproducible variations in δ53/52CrSRM979 values of terrestrial magmatic rocks point to natural stable Cr isotope variations within Earth's silicate reservoirs. Further and more detailed studies are required to investigate whether silicate

Origins and bioavailability of dissolved organic matter in groundwater

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yuan; Chapelle, Francis H.; Strom, Eric W.; Benner, Ronald

2015-01-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwater influences water quality and fuels microbial metabolism, but its origins, bioavailability and chemical composition are poorly understood. The origins and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and bioavailable DOM were monitored during a long-term (2-year) study of groundwater in a fractured-rock aquifer in the Carolina slate belt. Surface precipitation was significantly correlated with groundwater concentrations of DOC, bioavailable DOM and chromophoric DOM, indicating strong hydrological connections between surface and ground waters. The physicochemical and biological processes shaping the concentrations and compositions of DOM during its passage through the soil column to the saturated zone are conceptualized in the regional chromatography model. The model provides a framework for linking hydrology with the processes affecting the transformation, remineralization and microbial production of DOM during passage through the soil column. Lignin-derived phenols were relatively depleted in groundwater DOM indicating substantial removal in the unsaturated zone, and optical properties of chromophoric DOM indicated lower molecular weight DOM in groundwater relative to surface water. The prevalence of glycine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and d-enantiomers of amino acids indicated the DOM was highly diagenetically altered. Bioassay experiments were used to establish DOC-normalized yields of amino acids as molecular indicators of DOM bioavailability in groundwater. A relatively small fraction (8 ± 4 %) of DOC in groundwater was bioavailable. The relatively high yields of specific d-enantiomers of amino acids indicated a substantial fraction (15–34 %) of groundwater DOC was of bacterial origin.

Detection of serpentine in exogenic carbonaceous chondrite material on Vesta from Dawn FC data

Science.gov (United States)

Nathues, Andreas; Hoffmann, Martin; Cloutis, Edward A.; Schäfer, Michael; Reddy, Vishnu; Christensen, Ulrich; Sierks, Holger; Thangjam, Guneshwar Singh; Le Corre, Lucille; Mengel, Kurt; Vincent, Jean-Baptist; Russell, Christopher T.; Prettyman, Tom; Schmedemann, Nico; Kneissl, Thomas; Raymond, Carol; Gutierrez-Marques, Pablo; Hall, Ian; Büttner, Irene

2014-09-01

The Dawn mission’s Framing Camera (FC) observed Asteroid (4) Vesta in 2011 and 2012 using seven color filters and one clear filter from different orbits. In the present paper we analyze recalibrated HAMO color cubes (spatial resolution ∼60 m/pixel) with a focus on dark material (DM). We present a definition of highly concentrated DM based on spectral parameters, subsequently map the DM across the Vestan surface, geologically classify DM, study its spectral properties on global and local scales, and finally, compare the FC in-flight color data with laboratory spectra. We have discovered an absorption band centered at 0.72 μm in localities of DM that show the lowest albedo values by using FC data as well as spectral information from Dawn’s imaging spectrometer VIR. Such localities are contained within impact-exposed outcrops on inner crater walls and ejecta material. Comparisons between spectral FC in-flight data, and laboratory spectra of meteorites and mineral mixtures in the wavelength range 0.4-1.0 μm, revealed that the absorption band can be attributed to the mineral serpentine, which is typically present in CM chondrites. Dark material in its purest form is rare on Vesta’s surface and is distributed globally in a non-uniform manner. Our findings confirm the hypothesis of an exogenic origin of the DM by the infall of carbonaceous chondritic material, likely of CM type. It further confirms the hypothesis that most of the DM was deposited by the Veneneia impact.

Evidence from the Semarkona ordinary chondrite for /sup 26/Al heating of small planets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hutcheon, I D; Hutchison, R

1989-01-19

We report the first observation of radiogenic /sup 26/Mg in non-refractory meteoritic material, a plagio-clase-bearing, olivine-pyroxene clast chondrule in the Semarkona ordinary chondrite. The inferred initial abundance of /sup 26/Al is sufficient to produce incipient melting in well insulated bodies of chondritic composition. We conclude that planetary accretion and differentiation must have begun on a timescale comparable to the half life of /sup 26/Al and that, even if widespread melting did not occur, /sup 26/Al heating played a significant role in thermal metamorphism on small planets.

Search for EPR markers of the history and origin of the insoluble organic matter in extraterrestrial and terrestrial rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Gourier, Didier; Binet, Laurent; Scrzypczak, Audrey; Derenne, Sylvie; Robert, François

2004-05-01

The insoluble organic matter (IOM) of three carbonaceous meteorites (Orgueil, Murchison and Tagish Lake meteorites) and three samples of cherts (microcrystalline SiO 2 rock) containing microfossils with age ranging between 45 million years and 3.5 billion years is studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The age of the meteorites is that of the solar system (4.6 billion years). The purpose of this work was to determine the EPR parameters, which allow us to discriminate between biogenic and extra terrestrial origin for the organic matter. Such indicators should be relevant for the controversy regarding the biogenicity of the organic matter in the oldest cheroot (3.5 billion years) and in Martian meteorites containing microbe-like microstructures. The organic matter of meteorites contains a high concentration of diradicaloid moieties characterised by a diamagnetic ground state S=0 and a thermally accessible triplet state S=1. The three meteorites exhibit the same singlet-triplet gap (ST gap) Δ E≈0.1 eV. To the best of our knowledge, such diradicaloids are unknown in insoluble organic matter of terrestrial origin. We have also shown that the EPR linewidth of insoluble organic matter in cherts and coals decrease logarithmically with the age of the organic matter. We conclude from this result that the organic matter in the oldest cherts (3.5 billion years) has the same age as their SiO 2 matrix, and is not due to a latter contamination by bacteria, as was recently found in meteoritic samples.

Quantification of the carbonaceous matter origin in submicron marine aerosol particles by dual carbon isotope analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ceburnis, D.; Garbaras, A.; Szidat, S.; Rinaldi, M.; Fahrni, S.; Perron, N.; Wacker, L.; Leinert, S.; Remeikis, V.; Facchini, M. C.; Prevot, A. S. H.; Jennings, S. G.; O'Dowd, C. D.

2011-01-01

Dual carbon isotope analysis has been performed for the first time demonstrating a potential in organic matter apportionment between three principal sources: marine, terrestrial (non-fossil) and fossil fuel due to unique isotopic signatures. The results presented here, utilising combinations of dual carbon isotope analysis, provides a conclusive evidence of a dominant biogenic organic fraction to organic aerosol over biologically active oceans. In particular, the NE Atlantic, which is also subjected to notable anthropogenic influences via pollution transport processes, was found to contain 80% organic aerosol matter of biogenic origin directly linked to plankton emissions. The remaining carbonaceous aerosol was of fossil-fuel origin. By contrast, for polluted air advecting out from Europe into the NE Atlantic, the source apportionment is 30% marine biogenic, 40% fossil fuel, and 30% continental non-fossil fuel. The dominant marine organic aerosol source in the atmosphere has significant implications for climate change feedback processes.

New component of the Mezo-Madaras breccia - a microchondrule- and carbon-bearing L-related chondrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel-Levy, M.C.

1988-01-01

Microchondrules with apparent diameters 2-150 microns are found in a black carbon-bearing inclusion in Mazo-Madaras. Some are homogeneous (glassy or microcrystalline); others show two phases (mainly silica and pyroxene-rich glass). The bulk chemical composition of the inclusion is related to the host chondrite, in which silica-pyroxene chondrules are ubiquitous. Small black lumps of the same kind are dispersed in bulk Mezo-madaras. This L-related carbon-bearing material may represent a new specimen of C-rich ordinary chondrite. 13 references

An estimation of influence of humic acid and organic matter originated from bentonite on samarium solubility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanaji, Mariko; Sato, Haruo; Sasahira, Akira

1999-10-01

Organic acids in groundwater are considered to form complexes and increase the solubility of radionuclides released from vitrified waste in a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository. To investigate whether the solubility of samarium (Sm) is influenced by organic substances, we measured Sm solubility in the presence of different organic substances and compared those values with results from thermodynamic predictions. Humic acid (Aldrich) is commercially available and soluble organic matter originated from bentonite were used as organic substances in this study. Consequently, the solubility of Sm showed a tendency to apparently increase with increasing the concentration of humic acid, but in the presence of carbonate, thermodynamic predictions suggested that the dominant species are carbonate complexes and that the effect of organic substances are less than that of carbonate. Based on total organic carbon (TOC), the increase of Sm solubility measured with humic acid (Aldrich) was more significant than that in the case with soluble organic matter originated from bentonite. Since bentonite is presumed to include also simple organic matters of which stability constant for forming complexes is low, the effect of soluble organic matter originated from bentonite on the solubility of Sm is considered to be less effective than that of humic acid (Aldrich). Experimental values were compared with model prediction, proposed by Kim, based on data measured in a low pH region. Tentatively we calculated the increase in Sm solubility assuming complexation with humic acid. Trial calculations were carried out on the premise that the complexation reaction of metal ion with humic acid is based on neutralization process by 1-1 complexation. In this process, it was assumed that one metal ion coordinates with one unit of complexation sites which number of proton exchange sites is equal to ionic charge. Consequently, Kim's model indicated that carbonate complexes should be dominant

The Effect of Aqueous Alteration on Primordial Noble Gases in CM Chondrites

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Weimer, D.; Busemann, H.; Alexander, C. M. O'D.; Maden, C.

2017-07-01

We have analyzed 32 CM chondrites for their noble gas contents and isotopic compositions and calculated CRE ages. Correlated effects of parent body aqueous alteration with primordial noble gas contents were detected.

Diamond xenolith and matrix organic matter in the Sutter's Mill meteorite measured by C-XANES

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Zolensky, Michael E.; Kilcoyne, A. L. David; Rahman, Zia; Jenniskens, Peter; Cody, George D.

2014-11-01

The Sutter's Mill (SM) meteorite fell in El Dorado County, California, on April 22, 2012. This meteorite is a regolith breccia composed of CM chondrite material and at least one xenolithic phase: oldhamite. The meteorite studied here, SM2 (subsample 5), was one of three meteorites collected before it rained extensively on the debris site, thus preserving the original asteroid regolith mineralogy. Two relatively large (10 μm sized) possible diamond grains were observed in SM2-5 surrounded by fine-grained matrix. In the present work, we analyzed a focused ion beam (FIB) milled thin section that transected a region containing these two potential diamond grains as well as the surrounding fine-grained matrix employing carbon and nitrogen X-ray absorption near-edge structure (C-XANES and N-XANES) spectroscopy using a scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM) (Beamline 5.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory). The STXM analysis revealed that the matrix of SM2-5 contains C-rich grains, possibly organic nanoglobules. A single carbonate grain was also detected. The C-XANES spectrum of the matrix is similar to that of insoluble organic matter (IOM) found in other CM chondrites. However, no significant nitrogen-bearing functional groups were observed with N-XANES. One of the possible diamond grains contains a Ca-bearing inclusion that is not carbonate. C-XANES features of the diamond-edges suggest that the diamond might have formed by the CVD process, or in a high-temperature and -pressure environment in the interior of a much larger parent body.

K-Ca Dating of Alkali-Rich Fragments in the Y-74442 and Bhola LL-Chondritic Breccias

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Yokoyama, T; Misawa, K.; Okano, O; Shih, C. -Y.; Nyquist, L. E.; Simon, J. I.; Tappa, M. J.; Yoneda, S.

2013-01-01

Alkali-rich igneous fragments in the brecciated LL-chondrites, Krahenberg (LL5) [1], Bhola (LL3-6) [2], Siena (LL5) [3] and Yamato (Y)-74442 (LL4) [4-6], show characteristic fractionation patterns of alkali and alkaline elements [7]. The alkali-rich fragments in Krahenberg, Bhola and Y-74442 are very similar in mineralogy and petrography, suggesting that they could have come from related precursor materials [6]. Recently we reported Rb-Sr isotopic systematics of alkali-rich igneous rock fragments in Y-74442: nine fragments from Y-74442 yield the Rb-Sr age of 4429 plus or minus 54 Ma (2 sigma) for lambda(Rb-87) = 0.01402 Ga(exp -1) [8] with the initial ratio of Sr-87/Sr-86 = 0.7144 plus or minus 0.0094 (2 sigma) [9]. The Rb-Sr age of the alkali-rich fragments of Y-74442 is younger than the primary Rb-Sr age of 4541 plus or minus 14 Ma for LL-chondrite whole-rock samples [10], implying that they formed after accumulation of LL-chondrite parental bodies, although enrichment may have happened earlier. Marshall and DePaolo [11,12] demonstrated that the K-40 - Ca-40 decay system could be an important chronometer as well as a useful radiogenic tracer for studies of terrestrial rocks. Shih et al. [13,14] and more recently Simon et al. [15] determined K-Ca ages of lunar granitic rocks, and showed the application of the K-Ca chronometer for K-rich planetary materials. Since alkali-rich fragments in the LL-chondritic breccias are highly enriched in K, we can expect enhancements of radiogenic Ca-40. Here, we report preliminary results of K-Ca isotopic systematics of alkali-rich fragments in the LL-chondritic breccias, Y-74442 and Bhola.

Oxygen Isotopes in Chondritic Interplanetary Dust: Parent-Bodies and Nebular Oxygen Reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleon, J; McKeegan, K D; Leshin, L

2006-01-01

Planetary objects have preserved various amounts of oxygen issued from isotopically different oxygen reservoirs reflecting their origin and physico-chemical history. An 16 O-rich component is preserved in refractory inclusions (CAIs) whereas meteorites matrices are enriched in an 16 O-poor component. The origin of these components is still unclear. The most recent models are based on isotope selective photodissociation of CO in a 16 O-rich nebula/presolr cloud resulting in a 16 O-poor gas in the outer part of the nebula. However because most meteorite components are thought to be formed in the inner 3AU of the solar nebula, the precise isotopic composition of outer solar system components is yet unknown. In that respect, the oxygen isotopic composition of cometary dust is a key to understand the origin of the solar system. The Stardust mission will bring back to the Earth dust samples from comet Wild2, a short period comet from the Jupiter family. A precise determination of the oxygen isotope composition of Wild2 dust grains is essential to decipher the oxygen reservoirs of the outer solar system. However, Stardust samples may be extremely fragmented upon impact in the collector. In addition, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected in the stratosphere are likely to contain comet samples. Therefore, they started to investigate the oxygen isotopic composition of a suite of chondritic interplanetary dust particles that includes IDPs of potential cometary origin using a refined procedure to increase the lateral resolution for the analysis of Stardust grains or IDP subcomponents down to ∼ 3 (micro)m. High precision data for 4 IDPs were previously reported, here they have measured 6 additional IDPs

The Oxygen Isotopic Composition of MIL 090001: A CR2 Chondrite with Abundant Refractory Inclusions

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Keller, Lindsay P.; McKeegan, K. D.; Sharp, Z. D.

2012-01-01

MIL 090001 is a large (>6 kg) carbonaceous chondrite that was classified as a member of the CV reduced subgroup (CVred) that was recovered during the 2009-2010 ANSMET field season [1]. Based on the abundance of refractory inclusions and the extent of aqueous alteration, Keller [2] suggested a CV2 classification. Here we report additional mineralogical and petrographic data for MIL 090001, its whole-rock oxygen isotopic composition and ion microprobe analyses of individual phases. The whole rock oxygen isotopic analyses show that MIL 090001 should be classified as a CR chondrite.

Carbonaceous materials in the acid residue from the Orgueil carbonaceous chondrite meteorite

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Garvie, Laurence A. J.; Buseck, Peter R.

2006-04-01

Insoluble organic matter (IOM) dominates the HF/HCl residue of the Orgueil (CI) carbonaceous chondrite meteorite. The IOM is composed primarily of two C-rich particle types. The first has a fluffy texture similar to crumpled tissue paper, and the second type occurs as solid or hollow nanospheres. High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images of the fluffy material show it is poorly ordered, with small, irregularly shaped regions having fringes with 0.34-0.38 nm spacings and locally 0.21 nm cross-fringes. Nanodiamonds occur in the fluffy material. The rounded C-rich particles are common in the residue and their HRTEM images show neither fringes nor nanodiamonds. Both types of carbonaceous materials have a high aromatic component, as revealed by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), with up to 10 at% substitution by S, N, and O. The average compositions of the fluffy material and nanospheres are C100S1.9N3.7O4.9 and C100S2.4N5.0O3.9, respectively. The structural and chemical heterogeneity of the carbonaceous materials may represent material from multiple sources.

MIGHT WE EVENTUALLY UNDERSTAND THE ORIGIN OF THE DARK MATTER VELOCITY ANISOTROPY?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, Steen H.

2009-01-01

The density profile of simulated dark matter structures is fairly well-established, and several explanations for its characteristics have been put forward. In contrast, the radial variation of the velocity anisotropy has still not been explained. We suggest a very simple origin, based on the shapes of the velocity distribution functions, which are shown to differ between the radial and tangential directions. This allows us to derive a radial variation of the anisotropy profile which is in good agreement with both simulations and observations. One of the consequences of this suggestion is that the velocity anisotropy is entirely determined once the density profile is known. We demonstrate how this explains the origin of the γ-β relation, which is the connection between the slope of the density profile and the velocity anisotropy. These findings provide us with a powerful tool, which allows us to close the Jeans equations.

Early inner solar system origin for anomalous sulfur isotopes in differentiated protoplanets.

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Antonelli, Michael A; Kim, Sang-Tae; Peters, Marc; Labidi, Jabrane; Cartigny, Pierre; Walker, Richard J; Lyons, James R; Hoek, Joost; Farquhar, James

2014-12-16

Achondrite meteorites have anomalous enrichments in (33)S, relative to chondrites, which have been attributed to photochemistry in the solar nebula. However, the putative photochemical reactions remain elusive, and predicted accompanying (33)S depletions have not previously been found, which could indicate an erroneous assumption regarding the origins of the (33)S anomalies, or of the bulk solar system S-isotope composition. Here, we report well-resolved anomalous (33)S depletions in IIIF iron meteorites (solar system (solar system S-isotope composition was chondritic (consistent with IAB iron meteorites, Earth, Moon, and Mars). The range of mass-independent sulfur isotope compositions may reflect spatial or temporal changes influenced by photochemical processes. A tentative correlation between S isotopes and Hf-W core segregation ages suggests that the two systems may be influenced by common factors, such as nebular location and volatile content.

On the Origin of the Dark Matter/Energy in the Universe and the Pioneer Anomaly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abraham A. Ungar

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Einstein's special relativity is a theory rich of paradoxes, one of which is the recently discovered Relativistic Invariant Mass Paradox. According to this Paradox, the relativistic invariant mass of a galaxy of moving stars exceeds the sum of the relativistic invariant masses of the constituent stars owing to their motion relative to each other. This excess of mass is the mass of virtual matter that has no physical properties other than positive relativistic invariant mass and, hence, that reveals its presence by no means other than gravity. As such, this virtual matter is the dark matter that cosmologists believe is necessary in order to supply the missing gravity that keeps galaxies stable. Based on the Relativistic Invariant Mass Paradox we offer in this article a model which quantifies the anomalous acceleration of Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts and other deep space missions, and explains the presence of dark matter and dark energy in the universe. It turns out that the origin of dark matter and dark energy in the Universe lies in the Paradox, and that the origin of the Pioneer anomaly results from neglecting the Paradox. In order to appreciate the physical significance of the Paradox within the frame of Einstein's special theory of relativity, following the presentation of the Paradox we demonstrate that the Paradox is responsible for the extension of the kinetic energy theorem and of the additivity of energy and momentum from classical to relativistic mechanics. Clearly, the claim that the acceleration of Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts is anomalous is incomplete, within the frame of Einstein's special relativity, since those who made the claim did not take into account the presence of the Relativistic Invariant Mass Paradox (which is understandable since the Paradox, published in the author's 2008 book, was discovered by the author only recently. It remains to test how well the Paradox accords with observations.

Determination of the origin of suspended matter and sediments in the Elbe estuary using natural tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoer, J.H.

1990-01-01

The clay mineral composition, the concentrations of carbonates, the proportions of carbon and oxygen isotopes in carbonates and organic matter, as well as the concentrations of different nonanthropogenic metals were used to determine the origin of different grain size fractions of sediments and suspended matter in the Elbe estuary. Analysis of the smectite/kaolinite proportion revealed that solid material · 2 μm from the North Sea is transported up the river, about 40 km beyond the most upstream position of the salt wedge. In the 2-20 μm fraction, the 16 O/ 18 O ratio in carbonates and the kaolinite/chlorite proportion demonstrate a transport of North Sea material between 40 and 20 km upstream of the marine water limit. The transport behavior of the 20-63 μm grain size fraction could be determined by the hafnium concentration, representative for the heavy mineral zircon. In this case, the transport distance beyond the salt wedge was up to 20 km. No information was available on the origin of the fine organic matter, whereas the coarser fractions were derived primarily from debris of salt marsh vegetation. The results demonstrate that in the Elbe estuary mixing between marine and fluvial solid material occurs upstream of the salt wedge and is significantly responsible for the observed decrease in the concentration of various pollutants in sediments and suspended matter along the estuary. The cause of the upstream particle transport is probably a scour lag mechanism based on asymmetries of the flood- and ebb-tide current distribution, especially their differing maximum velocities

Oxygen isotope systematics of chondrules in the Murchison CM2 chondrite and implications for the CO-CM relationship

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Chaumard, Noël; Defouilloy, Céline; Kita, Noriko T.

2018-05-01

High-precision oxygen three-isotope measurements of olivine and pyroxene were performed on 29 chondrules in the Murchison CM2 chondrite by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The oxygen isotope ratios of analyzed chondrules all plot very close to the primitive chondrule minerals (PCM) line. In each of 24 chondrules, the olivine and/or pyroxene grains analyzed show indistinguishable oxygen isotope ratios. Exceptions are minor occurrences of isotopically distinguished relict olivine grains, which were found in nine chondrules. The isotope homogeneity of these phenocrysts is consistent with a co-magmatic crystallization of olivine and pyroxene from the final chondrule melts and a significant oxygen isotope exchange between the ambient gas and the melts. Homogeneous type I chondrules with Mg#'s of 98.9-99.5 have host chondrule Δ17O values ranging from -6.0‰ to -4.1‰, with one exception (Δ17O: -1.2‰; Mg#: 99.6). Homogeneous chondrules with Mg#'s poor H2O ice (∼0.3-0.4× the CI dust; Δ17O > 0‰) and at dust enrichments of ∼300-2000×. Regarding the Mg# and oxygen isotope ratios, the chondrule populations sampled by CM and CO chondrites are similar and indistinguishable. The similarity of these 16O-rich components in CO and CM chondrites is also supported by the common Fe/Mn ratio of olivine in type II chondrules. Although they accreted similar high-temperature silicates, CO chondrites are anhydrous compared to CM chondrites, suggesting they derived from different parent bodies formed inside and outside the snow line, respectively. If chondrules in CO and CM chondrites formed at the same disk locations but the CM parent body accreted later than the CO parent body, the snow line might have crossed the common chondrule-forming region towards the Sun between the time of the CO and CM parent bodies accretion.

Presolar silicates in the matrix and fine-grained rims around chondrules in primitive CO3.0 chondrites: Evidence for pre-accretionary aqueous alteration of the rims in the solar nebula

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Haenecour, Pierre; Floss, Christine; Zega, Thomas J.; Croat, Thomas K.; Wang, Alian; Jolliff, Bradley L.; Carpenter, Paul

2018-01-01

To investigate the origin of fine-grained rims around chondrules (FGRs), we compared presolar grain abundances, elemental compositions and mineralogies in fine-grained interstitial matrix material and individual FGRs in the primitive CO3.0 chondrites Allan Hills A77307, LaPaz Icefield 031117 and Dominion Range 08006. The observation of similar overall O-anomalous (∼155 ppm) and C-anomalous grain abundances (∼40 ppm) in all three CO3.0 chondrites suggests that they all accreted from a nebular reservoir with similar presolar grain abundances. The presence of presolar silicate grains in FGRs combined with the observation of similar estimated porosity between interstitial matrix regions and FGRs in LAP 031117 and ALHA77307, as well as the identification of a composite FGR (a small rimmed chondrule within a larger chondrule rim) in ALHA77307, all provide evidence for a formation of FGRs by accretion of dust grains onto freely-floating chondrules in the solar nebula before their aggregation into their parent body asteroids. Our study also shows systematically lower abundances of presolar silicate grains in the FGRs than in the matrix regions of CO3 chondrites, while the abundances of SiC grains are the same in all areas, within errors. This trend differs from CR2 chondrites in which the presolar silicate abundances are higher in the FGRs than in the matrix, but similar to each other within 2σ errors. This observation combined with the identification of localized (micrometer-scaled) aqueous alteration in a FGR of LAP 031117 suggests that the lower abundance of presolar silicates in FGRs reflects pre-accretionary aqueous alteration of the fine-grained material in the FGRs. This pre-accretionary alteration could be due to either hydration and heating of freely floating rimmed chondrules in icy regions of the solar nebula or melted water ice associated with 26Al-related heating inside precursor planetesimals, followed by aggregation of FGRs into the CO chondrite parent-body.

Metamorphism and partial melting of ordinary chondrites: Calculated phase equilibria

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Johnson, T. E.; Benedix, G. K.; Bland, P. A.

2016-01-01

Constraining the metamorphic pressures (P) and temperatures (T) recorded by meteorites is key to understanding the size and thermal history of their asteroid parent bodies. New thermodynamic models calibrated to very low P for minerals and melt in terrestrial mantle peridotite permit quantitative investigation of high-T metamorphism in ordinary chondrites using phase equilibria modelling. Isochemical P-T phase diagrams based on the average composition of H, L and LL chondrite falls and contoured for the composition and abundance of olivine, ortho- and clinopyroxene, plagioclase and chromite provide a good match with values measured in so-called equilibrated (petrologic type 4-6) samples. Some compositional variables, in particular Al in orthopyroxene and Na in clinopyroxene, exhibit a strong pressure dependence when considered over a range of several kilobars, providing a means of recognising meteorites derived from the cores of asteroids with radii of several hundred kilometres, if such bodies existed at that time. At the low pressures (recorders of peak conditions. The intersection of isopleths of these variables may allow pressures to be quantified, even at low P, permitting constraints on the minimum size of parent asteroid bodies. The phase diagrams predict the onset of partial melting at 1050-1100 °C by incongruent reactions consuming plagioclase, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene, whose compositions change abruptly as melting proceeds. These predictions match natural observations well and support the view that type 7 chondrites represent a suprasolidus continuation of the established petrologic types at the extremes of thermal metamorphism. The results suggest phase equilibria modelling has potential as a powerful quantitative tool in investigating, for example, progressive oxidation during metamorphism, the degree of melting and melt loss or accumulation required to produce the spectrum of differentiated meteorites, and whether the onion shell or rubble pile

The Mukundpura meteorite, a new fall of CM chondrite

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Ray, Dwijesh; Shukla, Anil D.

2018-02-01

Mukundpura is a new CM chondrite fell near Jaipur, Rajasthan, India on June 6, 2017 at 5:15 IST. The fall was observed by local villager. According to eyewitness, the meteorite was fragmented into several pieces once the object hit the ground. Based on petrography, mineralogy and bulk composition, Mukundpura is classified as CM2 chondrite. The chondrules are mainly similar to type I (Olivine: Fo99). Olivines are often found associated with pyroxene (Wo10-35En62-87Fs2-7) phenocryst. However, occurrences of forsteritic and fayalitic olivine (Fa58-71) as isolated mineral clast in matrix are not uncommon. Other types of chondrules include porphyritic pyroxene (En86Fs14) and barred olivine (Fa32.7±0.3) clast. Chondrules are commonly rimmed by fine-grained accretionary dust mantles. Phyllosilicates are the most dominant secondary mineral in matrix and largely associated with poorly characterised phases (PCP). FeO/SiO2 and S/SiO2 of PCP are 2.7 and 0.4 respectively. Other phases in matrix generally include calcite (pure CaCO3), Fe-Ni metal and sulphides. Spinel and perovskite occur occasionally as inclusions. The spherical or elliptical shaped metals (within chondrule or in isolated grains) are low-Ni type (kamacite <7.5 wt%) and resembles the solar Ni/Co ratio. However, Ni content in metal rarely exceeds 8.5 wt% (up to 23 wt%, taenite). Pyrrhotite (Fe ∼62 wt%; S ∼38 wt%) and pentlandite (Fe ∼31-33 wt%, Ni ∼28-32 wt%, S ∼33 wt%)) are the common sulphides occur as isolated grains within the matrix, however, the former is the most dominant. The bulk chemical composition of Mukundpura is largely similar to other CM type chondrite (e.g. Paris CM). Based on petrography, we infer a modest aqueous alteration stage for Mukundpura while the effect of thermal metamorphism was negligible.

Origin and availability of organic matter leading to arsenic mobilisation in aquifers of the Red River Delta, Vietnam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eiche, Elisabeth; Berg, Michael; Hönig, Sarah-Madeleine; Neumann, Thomas; Lan, Vi Mai; Pham, Thi Kim Trang; Pham, Hung Viet

2017-01-01

Groundwater arsenic (As) concentrations in the Red River Delta (Vietnam) are often patchy and related to the microbially induced reduction of Fe oxy-hydroxides. In this study, we explored the influence of the origin, composition and availability of natural organic matter on the hydrochemical variability in the aquifers of Van Phuc. Carbon isotope signatures (δ"1"3C_o_r_g) and C/N ratios were assessed in combination with lithology, geochemistry, hydrochemistry, hydrology and the distribution of specific biomarkers. The elationship of C/N ratios and δ"1"3C_o_r_g distinguished four groups of sediment types that differ in their organic carbon sources. This includes organic carbon originating predominantly from vascular C_3 plants (C/N: 15.4–21.0, δ"1"3C_o_r_g: −28.6 to −26.7‰), C_4 plants (C/N: 10.6; δ"1"3C_o_r_g: −14.8‰), freshwater derived particulate organic carbon (C/N: ≤8; δ"1"3C_o_r_g:≤−24‰) as well as mixtures incorporating both sources. At the high As sites, we found particulate organic carbon (POC) being 1–2‰ less depleted in δ"1"3C_o_r_g than at low As sites. More importantly, however, our assessment shows that, the availability of organic matter has to be considered decisive with regard to groundwater As contamination. Fine-grained clayey sediments overlaying sands generally protect organic matter from substantial degradation and its leaching into an adjacent aquifer. However, at the sites that are high in dissolved As in Van Phuc, sediment layers rich in organic matter are hydraulically connected to the underlying aquifer. Here, soluble organic matter seeping into the aquifer can induce and/or enhance reducing conditions, thereby mobilising As from Fe oxy-hydroxides. Our study shows that both the clay content as well as the origin of organic matter are largely controlled by the depositional environment of the sediments. - Highlights: • Particulate organic carbon (POC) from C_3/C_4 plants and freshwater is a main source of

Mineralogical, crystallographic and redox features of the earliest stages of fluid alteration in CM chondrites

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Pignatelli, Isabella; Marrocchi, Yves; Mugnaioli, Enrico; Bourdelle, Franck; Gounelle, Matthieu

2017-07-01

The CM chondrites represent the largest group of hydrated meteorites and span a wide range of conditions, from less altered (i.e., CM2) down to heavily altered (i.e., CM1). The Paris chondrite is considered the least altered CM and thus enables the earliest stages of aqueous alteration processes to be deciphered. Here, we report results from a nanoscale study of tochilinite/cronstedtite intergrowths (TCIs) in Paris-TCIs being the emblematic secondary mineral assemblages of CM chondrites, formed from the alteration of Fe-Ni metal beads (type-I TCIs) and anhydrous silicates (type-II TCIs). We combined high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and electron diffraction tomography to characterize the crystal structure, crystal chemistry and redox state of TCIs. The data obtained are useful to reconstruct the alteration conditions of Paris and to compare them with those of other meteorites. Our results show that tochilinite in Paris is characterized by a high hydroxide layer content (n = 2.1-2.2) regardless of the silicate precursors. When examined alongside other CMs, it appears that the hydroxide layer and iron contents of tochilinites correlate with the degree of alteration experienced by the chondrites. The Fe3+/ΣFe ratios of TCIs are high: 8-15% in tochilinite, 33-60% in cronstedtite and 70-80% in hydroxides. These observations suggest that alteration of CM chondrites took place under oxidizing conditions that could have been induced by significant H2 release during serpentinization. Similar results were recently reported in CR chondrites (Le Guillou et al., 2015), suggesting that the process(es) controlling the redox state of the secondary mineral assemblages were quite similar in the CM and CR parent bodies despite the different alteration conditions. According to our mineralogical and crystallographic survey, the formation of TCIs in Paris occurred at temperatures lower than 100 °C, under neutral, slightly alkaline

Noble gases, nitrogen and cosmic ray exposure age of the Sulagiri chondrite

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Ramakant R. Mahajan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Sulagiri meteorite fell in India on 12 September 2008, LL6 chondrite class is the largest among all the Indian meteorites. Isotopic compositions of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe and nitrogen in the Sulagiri meteorite and cosmic ray exposure history are discussed. Low cosmogenic (22Ne/21Nec ratio is consistent with irradiation in a large body. Cosmogenic noble gases indicate that Sulagiri has a 4π cosmic-ray exposure (CRE age of 27.9 ± 3.4 Ma and is a member of the peak of CRE age distribution of LL chondrites. Radiogenic 4He and 40Ar concentrations in Sulagiri yields the radiogenic ages as 2.29 and 4.56 Ga, indicating the loss of He from the meteorite. Xenon and krypton are mixture of Q and spallogenic components.

Noble gases, nitrogen and cosmic ray exposure age of the Sulagiri chondrite

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ramakant R. Mahajan

2017-01-01

The Sulagiri meteorite fell in India on 12 September 2008, LL6 chondrite class is the largest among all the Indian meteorites. Isotopic compositions of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) and nitrogen in the Sulagiri meteorite and cosmic ray exposure history are discussed. Low cosmogenic (22Ne/21Ne)c ratio is consistent with irradiation in a large body. Cosmogenic noble gases indicate that Sulagiri has a 4πcosmic-ray exposure (CRE) age of 27.9 ± 3.4 Ma and is a member of the peak of CRE age distribution of LL chondrites. Radiogenic 4He and 40Ar concentrations in Sulagiri yields the radiogenic ages as 2.29 and 4.56 Ga, indicating the loss of He from the meteorite. Xenon and krypton are mixture of Q and spallo-genic components.

Organic Matter in Extraterrestrial Water-Bearing Salt Crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Q. H. S.; Zolensky, M. E.; Kebukwa, Y.; Fries, M.; Steele, A.

2017-01-01

the unweathered CR chondrites and less metamorphosed meteorites [6], and are moderately enriched in N-15 (delta N-15 = 106.1-164.5 per mille). The total amino acid distribution and abundance of the Zag matrix (approximately 1,940 parts per billion [ppb]) is comparable to other ordinary chondrites (60-3,330 ppb) [7, 8]. While the Zag matrix is gamma-ABA and EACA-deficient, the halite is shown to exhibit an opposite trend and is almost depleted in amino acids. The striking difference in the amino acid contents between the halite and matrix indicates their separate synthetic origins. Conclusion: Abundant, primitive, and highly-diverse N-15-rich organic compounds were detected in brine-water bearing halite crystals that were synthesized on a cryovolcanically-active asteroid. Our study suggests that the asteroidal parent body where the halite precipitated, potentially Ceres, is a host to abundance large variety organic precursors. Insoluble organic matter and amino acids can be synthesized from similar organic precusors under hydrous conditions [9].We envision that similar organic synthetic processes could have occurred on Ceres that synthesized organic solids as well as biologically relevant molecules.

A divergent heritage for complex organics in Isheyevo lithic clasts

Science.gov (United States)

van Kooten, Elishevah M. M. E.; Nagashima, Kazuhide; Kasama, Takeshi; Wampfler, Susanne F.; Ramsey, Jon P.; Frimann, Søren; Balogh, Zoltan I.; Schiller, Martin; Wielandt, Daniel P.; Franchi, Ian A.; Jørgensen, Jes K.; Krot, Alexander N.; Bizzarro, Martin

2017-05-01

Primitive meteorites are samples of asteroidal bodies that contain a high proportion of chemically complex organic matter (COM) including prebiotic molecules such as amino acids, which are thought to have been delivered to Earth via impacts during the early history of the Solar System. Thus, understanding the origin of COM, including their formation pathway(s) and environment(s), is critical to elucidate the origin of life on Earth as well as assessing the potential habitability of exoplanetary systems. The Isheyevo CH/CBb carbonaceous chondrite contains chondritic lithic clasts with variable enrichments in 15N believed to be of outer Solar System origin. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM-EELS) and in situ isotope analyses (SIMS and NanoSIMS), we report on the structure of the organic matter as well as the bulk H and N isotope composition of Isheyevo lithic clasts. These data are complemented by electron microprobe analyses of the clast mineral chemistry and bulk Mg and Cr isotopes obtained by inductively coupled plasma and thermal ionization mass spectrometry, respectively (MC-ICPMS and TIMS). Weakly hydrated (A) clasts largely consist of Mg-rich anhydrous silicates with local hydrated veins composed of phyllosilicates, magnetite and globular and diffuse organic matter. Extensively hydrated clasts (H) are thoroughly hydrated and contain Fe-sulfides, sometimes clustered with organic matter, as well as magnetite and carbonates embedded in a phyllosilicate matrix. The A-clasts are characterized by a more 15N-rich bulk nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N = 200-650‰) relative to H-clasts (δ15N = 50-180‰) and contain extremely 15N-rich domains with δ15N < 5000‰. The D/H ratios of the clasts are correlated with the degree of clast hydration and define two distinct populations, which we interpret as reflecting mixing between D-poor fluid(s) and distinct organic endmember components that are variably D-rich. High-resolution N isotope data of 15N

Nanodiamonds and silicate minerals in ordinary chondrites as determined by micro-Raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Saikia, Bhaskar J.; Parthasarathy, Gopalakrishnarao; Borah, Rashmi R.

2017-06-01

We present here the Raman spectroscopic study of silicate and carbonaceous minerals in three ordinary chondrites with the aim to improve our understanding the impact process including the peak metamorphic pressures present in carbon-bearing ordinary chondites. The characteristic Raman vibrational peaks of olivines, pyroxenes, and plagioclase have been determined on three ordinary chondrites from India, Dergaon (H5), Mahadevpur (H4/5), and Kamargaon (L6). The Raman spectra of these meteorite samples show the presence of nanodiamonds at 1334-1345 cm-1 and 1591-1619 cm-1. The full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of Raman peaks for Mahadevpur and Dergaon reflect the nature of shock metamorphism in these meteorites. The frequency shift in Raman spectra might be because of shock effects during the formation of the diamond/graphite grains.

Effects of Short-Term Thermal Alteration on Organic Matter in Experimentally-Heated Tagish Lake Observed by Raman Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Q. H. S.; Nakato, A.; Zolensky, M. E.; Nakamura, T.; Kebukawa, Y.; Maisano, J.; Colbert, M.; Martinez, J. E.

2017-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites exhibit a wide range of aqueous and thermal alteration characteristics, while some are known to demonstrate mineralogical and petrologic evidence of having been thermally metamorphosed after aqueous alteration. This group of meteorites are commonly referred as thermally met-amorphosed carbonaceous chondrites (TMCCs), and their reflectance spectra show resemblances to that of C-type asteroids which typically have low albedos. This suggests that the surfaces of the C-type asteroids are also composed of both hydrous and dehydrated minerals, and thus TMCCs are among the best samples that can be studied in laboratory to reveal the true nature of the C-type asteroids. Although TMCCs are usually meteorites that were previously categorized as CI and CM chondrites, they are not strictly CI/CM because they exhibit isotopic and petrographic characteristics that significantly deviate from typical CI/CM. More appropriately, they are called CI-like and/or CM-like chondrites. Typical examples of TMCCs include the C2-ung/CM2TIV Belgica (B)-7904 and Yamato (Y) 86720. Thermal alteration is virtually complete in these meteorites and thus they are considered typical end-members of TMCCs exhibiting complete dehydration of matrix phyllosilicates. The estimated heating conditions are 10 to 103 days at 700 C to 1 to 100 hours at 890 C, i.e. short-term heating induced by impact and/or solar radiation. While the petrology and chemistry of TMCCs have only recently been extensively characterized, we have just begun to study in detail their organic contents. In order to understand how short-term heating affects the maturity of insoluble organic matter (IOM) in hydrous chondrites, we investigated experimentally-heated Tagish Lake meteorite using Raman spectroscopy, as the chemical and bulk oxygen isotopic compositions of the matrix of the carbonate (CO3)-poor lithology of the Tagish Lake (hereafter Tag) meteorite bears similarities to the TMCCs.

Everyone Wins: A Mars-Impact Origin for Carbonaceous Phobos and Deimos

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, M.; Welzenbach, L.; Steele, A.

2016-01-01

Discussions of Phobos' and Deimos' origin(s) tend to feature an orthogonally opposed pair of observations: dynamical studies which favor coalescence of the moons from an orbital debris ring arising from a large impact on Mars; and reflectance spectroscopy of the moons that indicate a carbonaceous composition that is not consistent with Martian surface materials. One way to reconcile this discrepancy is to consider the option of a Mars-impact origin for Phobos and Deimos, followed by surficial decoration of carbon-rich materials by interplanetary dust particles (IDP). The moons experience a high IDP flux because of their location in Mars' gravity well. Calculations show that accreted carbon is sufficient to produce a surface with reflectance spectra resembling carbonaceous chondrites.

Insight into the nature and formation of the organic matter observed on Ceres

Science.gov (United States)

Ammannito, E.; Vinogradoff, V.; De Sanctis, M. C.; De Angelis, S.; Ferrari, M.; Ciarniello, M.; Raponi, A.; Raymond, C. A.; Russell, C. T.

2017-12-01

Observed by the Dawn spacecraft since March 2015, Ceres is a fascinating world [1]. Its surface, covered by phyllosilicates, carbonates, ammoniated-bearing hydrated minerals, water ice, salts and opaque materials indicates a complex chemical environment [1,2,3]. VIR, the Visible and InfraRed mapping spectrometer onboard the Dawn mission, has revealed the presence of aliphatic carbons with the 3.3-3.5 µm bands, near the Ernutet crater [4]. The origin of this OM is likely related to an endogenous source [4] and new issues are raised: what is the origin formation and the true nature of the OM hidden behind these aliphatic signatures? We used the spectral imaging (SPIM) facility in use at the laboratory of IAPS-INAF (spare of the VIR instrument onboard Dawn) to measure organic materials in the range 0.2-5.1 µm. These materials, such as insoluble organic matter (IOM) of chondrites, synthetic polymers, asphaltite, as well as spectra from literature data have been compared to VIR data. The Ceres aliphatic bands might match with an aliphatic branched polymer structure, i.e. with a 1.3 Science, 353 (6303) 1008-1010. [2] De Sanctis et al., (2015) Nature 528, 241-244. [3] De Sanctis et al., (2016) Nature 536, 54- 57. [4] De Sanctis et al., (2017) Science, 355, 719-722. [5] Holm et al., (2015), Astrobiology, 15, 587-600.

Quantifying Matter

CERN Document Server

Angelo, Joseph A

2011-01-01

Quantifying Matter explains how scientists learned to measure matter and quantify some of its most fascinating and useful properties. It presents many of the most important intellectual achievements and technical developments that led to the scientific interpretation of substance. Complete with full-color photographs, this exciting new volume describes the basic characteristics and properties of matter. Chapters include:. -Exploring the Nature of Matter. -The Origin of Matter. -The Search for Substance. -Quantifying Matter During the Scientific Revolution. -Understanding Matter's Electromagnet

Mass spectrometric isotope dilution analyses of palladium, silver, cadmium and tellurium in carbonaceous chondrites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loss, R.D.; Rosman, K.J.R.; De Laeter, J.

1984-01-01

The mass spectrometric isotope dilution technique was used to measure the elemental abundances of Pd, Ag, Cd and Te in Orgueil (C1), Ivuna (C1), Murray (C2) and Allende (C3) chondrites. The Pd abundance of 554 ppb for the Cl chondrites is almost identical to the recommended value of Anders and Ebihara (1982); that for Cd (712 ppb) is approximately 5% higher, whereas that for Ag (198 ppb) is approximately 10% lower than the recommended values. A smooth distribution for the abundances of the odd-A nuclides between 65 128 Te and 130 Te to lie approximately 30% above the r-process peak at A = 130, whereas the new value fits smoothly into the general trend. (author)

A history of violence: Insights into post-accretionary heating in carbonaceous chondrites from volatile element abundances, Zn isotopes and water contents

Science.gov (United States)

Mahan, Brandon; Moynier, Frédéric; Beck, Pierre; Pringle, Emily A.; Siebert, Julien

2018-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites (CCs) may have been the carriers of water, volatile and moderately volatile elements to Earth. Investigating the abundances of these elements, their relative volatility, and isotopes of state-change tracer elements such as Zn, and linking these observations to water contents, provide vital information on the processes that govern the abundances and isotopic signatures of these species in CCs and other planetary bodies. Here we report Zn isotopic data for 28 CCs (20 CM, 6 CR, 1 C2-ung, and 1 CV3), as well as trace element data for Zn, In, Sn, Tl, Pb, and Bi in 16 samples (8 CM, 6 CR, 1 C2-ung, and 1 CV3), that display a range of elemental abundances from case-normative to intensely depleted. We use these data, water content data from literature and Zn isotopes to investigate volatile depletions and to discern between closed and open system heating. Trace element data have been used to construct relative volatility scales among the elements for the CM and CR chondrites. From least volatile to most, the scale in CM chondrites is Pb-Sn-Bi-In-Zn-Tl, and for CR chondrites it is Tl-Zn-Sn-Pb-Bi-In. These observations suggest that heated CM and CR chondrites underwent volatile loss under different conditions to one another and to that of the solar nebula, e.g. differing oxygen fugacities. Furthermore, the most water and volatile depleted samples are highly enriched in the heavy isotopes of Zn. Taken together, these lines of evidence strongly indicate that heated CM and CR chondrites incurred open system heating, stripping them of water and volatiles concomitantly, during post-accretionary shock impact(s).

The use of SEM/EDS method in mineralogical analysis of ordinary chondritic meteorite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Breda Mirtič

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersiveX-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS for determination of mineral phases according to their stoichiometry and assessment of mineral composition of ordinary chondritic meteorite. For the purposes of this study, H3 type ordinary chondritic meteorite Abbott was selected. SEM/EDS allows identification and characterisation of mineralphases, whose size is below the resolution of an optical microscope. Mineral phases in chondrules and interstitial matrix were located in backscattered electron (BSE mode and were assessed from atomic proportions of constituent elements, obtained by the EDS analysis. SEM/EDS analyses of mineral phases showed that Abbott meteorite is characterised by Fe-rich (Fe, Ni-alloy kamacite, Fe-sulphide troilite or pyrrhotite, chromite, Mg-rich olivine, orthopyroxene bronzite or hypersthene, clinopyroxene Al-diopside, acid plagioclase oligoclase, accessory mineral chlorapatite and secondary minerals Fe-hydroxides (goethite or lepidocrocite. Results of semi-quantitative analyses confirmed that most of analysed mineralphases conform well to stoichiometric minerals with minor deviations of oxygen from stoichiometric proportions. Comparison between mineral phases in chondrules and interstitial matrix was also performed, however it showed no significant differences in elemental composition.Differences in chemical composition between minerals in interstitial matrix and chondrules are sometimes too small to be discernedby the SEM/EDS, therefore knowledge of SEM/EDS capabilities is important for correct interpretation of chondrite formation.

Using fluorescent dissolved organic matter to trace and distinguish the origin of Arctic surface waters

Science.gov (United States)

Gonçalves-Araujo, Rafael; Granskog, Mats A.; Bracher, Astrid; Azetsu-Scott, Kumiko; Dodd, Paul A.; Stedmon, Colin A.

2016-01-01

Climate change affects the Arctic with regards to permafrost thaw, sea-ice melt, alterations to the freshwater budget and increased export of terrestrial material to the Arctic Ocean. The Fram and Davis Straits represent the major gateways connecting the Arctic and Atlantic. Oceanographic surveys were performed in the Fram and Davis Straits, and on the east Greenland Shelf (EGS), in late summer 2012/2013. Meteoric (fmw), sea-ice melt, Atlantic and Pacific water fractions were determined and the fluorescence properties of dissolved organic matter (FDOM) were characterized. In Fram Strait and EGS, a robust correlation between visible wavelength fluorescence and fmw was apparent, suggesting it as a reliable tracer of polar waters. However, a pattern was observed which linked the organic matter characteristics to the origin of polar waters. At depth in Davis Strait, visible wavelength FDOM was correlated to apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) and traced deep-water DOM turnover. In surface waters FDOM characteristics could distinguish between surface waters from eastern (Atlantic + modified polar waters) and western (Canada-basin polar waters) Arctic sectors. The findings highlight the potential of designing in situ multi-channel DOM fluorometers to trace the freshwater origins and decipher water mass mixing dynamics in the region without laborious samples analyses. PMID:27667721

Chirality of meteoritic free and IOM-derived monocarboxylic acids and implications for prebiotic organic synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Aponte, José C.; Tarozo, Rafael; Alexandre, Marcelo R.; Alexander, Conel M. O.'D.; Charnley, Steven B.; Hallmann, Christian; Summons, Roger E.; Huang, Yongsong

2014-04-01

The origin of homochirality and its role in the development of life on Earth are among the most intriguing questions in science. It has been suggested that carbonaceous chondrites seeded primitive Earth with the initial organic compounds necessary for the origin of life. One of the strongest pieces of evidence supporting this theory is that certain amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites display a significant L-enantiomeric excess (ee), similar to those use by terrestrial life. Analyses of ee in meteoritic molecules other than amino acids would shed more light on the origins of homochirality. In this study we investigated the stereochemistry of two groups of compounds: (1) free monocarboxylic acids (MCAs) from CM2 meteorites LON 94101 and Murchison; and (2) the aliphatic side chains present in the insoluble organic matter (IOM) and extracted in the form of monocarboxylic acids (MCAs) from EET 87770 (CR2) and Orgueil (CI1). Contrary to the well-known ee observed for amino acids in meteorites, we found that meteoritic branched free and IOM-derived MCAs with 5-8 carbon atoms are essentially racemic. The racemic nature of these compounds is used to discuss the possible influence of ultraviolet circularly polarized light (UVCPL) and aqueous alterations on the parent body on chirality observed in in carbonaceous chondrites.

White matter hyperintensities of presumed vascular origin: a population-based study in rural Ecuador (The Atahualpa Project).

Science.gov (United States)

Del Brutto, Oscar H; Mera, Robertino M; Del Brutto, Victor J; Zambrano, Mauricio; Lama, Julio

2015-04-01

Cerebral small vessel disease is probably one of the most common pathogenetic mechanisms underlying stroke in Latin America. However, the importance of silent markers of small vessel disease, including white matter hyperintensities of presumed vascular origin, has not been assessed so far. The study aims to evaluate prevalence and correlates of white matter hyperintensities in community-dwelling elders living in Atahualpa (rural Ecuador). Atahualpa residents aged ≥ 60 years were identified during a door-to-door survey and invited to undergo brain magnetic resonance imaging for identification and grading white matter hyperintensities and other markers of small vessel disease. Using multivariate logistic regression models, we evaluated whether white matter hyperintensities is associated with demographics, cardiovascular health status, stroke, cerebral microbleeds, and cortical atrophy, after adjusting for the other variables. Out of 258 enrolled persons (mean age, 70 ± 8 years; 59% women), 172 (67%) had white matter hyperintensities, which were moderate to severe in 63. Analyses showed significant associations of white matter hyperintensities presence and severity with age and cardiovascular health status, as well as with overt and silent strokes, and a trend for association with cerebral microbleeds and cortical atrophy. Prevalence and correlates of white matter hyperintensities in elders living in rural Ecuador is almost comparable with that reported from industrialized nations, reinforcing the concept that the burden of small vessel disease is on the rise in underserved Latin American populations. © 2014 World Stroke Organization.

Quantification of the carbonaceous matter origin in submicron marine aerosol by 13C and 14C isotope analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ramonet

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Dual carbon isotope analysis of marine aerosol samples has been performed for the first time demonstrating a potential in organic matter apportionment between three principal sources: marine, terrestrial (non-fossil and fossil fuel due to unique isotopic signatures. The results presented here, utilising combinations of dual carbon isotope analysis, provides conclusive evidence of a dominant biogenic organic fraction to organic aerosol over biologically active oceans. In particular, the NE Atlantic, which is also subjected to notable anthropogenic influences via pollution transport processes, was found to contain 80 % organic aerosol matter of biogenic origin directly linked to plankton emissions. The remaining carbonaceous aerosol was of terrestrial origin. By contrast, for polluted air advected out from Europe into the NE Atlantic, the source apportionment is 30 % marine biogenic, 40 % fossil fuel, and 30 % continental non-fossil fuel. The dominant marine organic aerosol source in the atmosphere has significant implications for climate change feedback processes.

Quantification of the carbonaceous matter origin in submicron marine aerosol by 13C and 14C isotope analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ceburnis, D.; Garbaras, A.; Szidat, S.; Rinaldi, M.; Fahrni, S.; Perron, N.; Wacker, L.; Leinert, S.; Remeikis, V.; Facchini, M. C.; Prevot, A. S. H.; Jennings, S. G.; Ramonet, M.; O'Dowd, C. D.

2011-08-01

Dual carbon isotope analysis of marine aerosol samples has been performed for the first time demonstrating a potential in organic matter apportionment between three principal sources: marine, terrestrial (non-fossil) and fossil fuel due to unique isotopic signatures. The results presented here, utilising combinations of dual carbon isotope analysis, provides conclusive evidence of a dominant biogenic organic fraction to organic aerosol over biologically active oceans. In particular, the NE Atlantic, which is also subjected to notable anthropogenic influences via pollution transport processes, was found to contain 80 % organic aerosol matter of biogenic origin directly linked to plankton emissions. The remaining carbonaceous aerosol was of terrestrial origin. By contrast, for polluted air advected out from Europe into the NE Atlantic, the source apportionment is 30 % marine biogenic, 40 % fossil fuel, and 30 % continental non-fossil fuel. The dominant marine organic aerosol source in the atmosphere has significant implications for climate change feedback processes.

Solar-Radiation Heating as a Possible Heat Source for Dehydration of Hydrous Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, T.; Golabek, G.; Ohtsuka, K.; Matsuoka, M.

2017-07-01

We have calculated time-dependent temperature profiles of near surface layers of primitive Near Sun Asteroid (3200) Phaethon and found that solar radiation heating is a possible heat source for dehydration of carbonaceous chondrites.

Annama H chondrite-Mineralogy, physical properties, cosmic ray exposure, and parent body history

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kohout, Tomáš; Haloda, J.; Halodová, P.; Meiner, M. M. M.; Maden, C.; Busemann, H.; Laubenstein, M.; Caffee, M. W.; Welten, K.C.; Hopp, J.; Trieloff, M.; Mahajan, R. R.; Naik, S.; Trigo-Rodríguez, J.M.; Moyano-Cambero, C. E.; Oshtrakh, M. I.; Maksimova, A. A.; Chukin, A. V.; Semionkin, V. A.; Karabanalov, M. S.; Felner, I.; Petrova, E. V.; Brusnitsyna, E. V.; Grokhovsky, V. I.; Yakovlev, G. A.; Gritsevich, M.; Lyytinen, E.; Moilanen, J.; Kruglikov, N. A.; Ishchenko, A. V.

2017-01-01

Roč. 52, č. 8 (2017), s. 1525-1541 ISSN 1086-9379 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : Annama * chondrite * cosmic-ray exposure * radionuclide Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 2.391, year: 2016

Nitrogen Isotopic Composition of Organic Matter in a Pristine Collection IDP

Science.gov (United States)

Messenger, S.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Keller, L. P.; Clemett, S. J.; Nguyen, A. N.; Walker, Robert M.

2012-01-01

Anhydrous chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles (CP IDPs) are probable cometary materials that show primitive characteristics, such as unequilibrated mineralogy, fragile structure, and abundant presolar grains and organic matter [1-3]. CP IDPs are richer in aliphatic species and N-bearing aromatic hydrocarbons than meteoritic organics and commonly exhibit highly anomalous H and N isotopic compositions [4,5]. Cometary organic matter is of interest in part because it has escaped the hydrothermal processing experienced by meteorites. However, IDPs are collected using silicon oil that must be removed with strong organic solvents such as hexane. This procedure is likely to have removed some fraction of soluble organic phases in IDPs. We recently reported the first stratospheric collection of IDPs without the use of silicone oil [6]. Here we present initial studies of the carbonaceous material in an IDP from this collection.

Understanding the Organo-Carbonate Associations in Carbonaceous Chondrites with the Use of Micro-Raman Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Q. H. S.; Zolensky, M. E.

2015-01-01

Carbonates can potentially provide sites for organic materials to accrue and develop into complex macromolecules. This study examines the organics associated with carbonates in carbonaceous chondrites using micron-Raman imaging.

Strategic field No.5 'the origin of matter and the universe'. Toward interdisciplinary researches in particle, nuclear and astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Shinya

2011-01-01

Four main research subjects in the strategic field No. 5 'The origin of matter and the universe', planned to be investigated on 'Kei' super computer, are explained in detail, by focusing on interdisciplinary aspect of researches among particle, nuclear and astrophysics. (author)

Mineralogy and Textural Characteristics of Fine-grained Rims in the Yamato 791198 CM2 Carbonaceous Chondrite: Constraints on the Location of Aqueous Alteration

Science.gov (United States)

Chizmadia, Lysa J.; Brearley, Adrian J.

2003-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites provide important clues into the nature of physical and chemical processes in the early solar system. A question of key importance concerns the role of water in solar nebular and asteroidal processes. The effects of water on primary mineral assemblages have been widely recognized in chondritic meteorites, especially the CI and CM carbonaceous chondrites. These meteorites have undergone extensive aqueous alteration that occurred prior to their arrival on Earth. In the case of the CM chondrites, this alteration has resulted in the partial to complete replacement of the primary nebular phases with secondary alteration phases. Considerable controversy exists as to the exact location where the alteration of the CM chondrites occurred. Several textural lines of evidence have been cited in support of aqueous alteration prior to the accretion of the final parent asteroid. An important line of evidence to support this hypothesis is the dis-equilibrium nature of fine-grained rims and matrix materials. [2] also noted the juxtaposition of micron-sized Fe-Ni metal grains and apparently unaltered chondrule glass against hydrated rim silicates. Conversely, there is a large body of evidence in favor of parent body alteration such as the occurrence of undisturbed Fe-rich aureoles and the systematic redistribution of elemental components over millimeters, e.g., Mg(+2) into the matrix and Fe(+2) into chondrules etc.

Comparison of Nickel XANES Spectra and Elemental Maps from a Ureilite, a LL3.8 Ordinary Chondrite, Two Carbonaceous Chondrites and Two Large Cluster IDPs

Science.gov (United States)

Wirick, S.; Flynn, G. J.; Sutton, S.; Zolensky, M. E.

2014-01-01

Nickel in the extraterrestrial world is commonly found in both Fe-Ni sulfide and Fe-Ni met-al forms [1] and in the pure metal state in the interior of iron meteorites where it is not easily oxidized. Ni is also found in olivine, pyroxene and glasses and in some melts the partitioning of Ni between the olivines and glass is controlled by the amount of S in the melt [2]. Its most common valence state is Ni(2+) but Ni also occurs as Ni(0), Ni(+), and Ni(3+) and rarely as Ni(2-), Ni(1-) and Ni(4+) [3]. It's valence state in olivines is Ni(2+) in octa-hedral coordination on the M1 site and rarely on the M2 site.[4]. The chemical sensitivity of X-ray absorp-tion near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy is well established and can be used to determine not only va-lence states but also coordination sites [5]. We report here Ni XANES spectroscopy and elemental maps collected from 2 carbonaceous chondrites, 2 large clus-ter IDPs, 1 ureilite and 1 LL3 orginary chondrite.Using XANES it may be possible to find a common trait in the large cluster IDPs that will also be found in mete-orite samples.

Metastable carbon in two chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rietmeijer, F.J.M.; Mackinnon, I.D.R.

1987-01-01

An analytical electron microscope study is presented on carbonaceous material in two chondritic porous aggregates, W7029* A and W7010* A2, from the Johnson Space Center Cosmic Dust Collection. The finding of well-ordered carbon-2H (lonsdaleite) in the two aggregates suggests that a record of hydrocarbon carbonization may be preserved in these materials. This carbon is a metastable phase resulting from hydrous pyrolysis below 300-350 0 C and may be a precursor to poorly graphitized carbons in primitive extra terrestrial materials. (UK)

The Effect of Aqueous Alteration in Antarctic Carbonaceous Chondrites from Comparative ICP-MS Bulk Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Azcarate, J.; Trigo-Rodriguez, J. M.; Moyano-Cambero, C. E.; Zolensky, M.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial ages of Antarctic carbonaceous chondrites (CC) indicate that these meteorites have been preserved in or on ice for, at least, tens of thousands of years. Due to the porous structure of these chondrites formed by the aggregation of silicate-rich chondrules, refractory inclusions, metal grains, and fine-grained matrix materials, the effect of pervasive terrestrial water is relevant. Our community defends that pristine CC matrices are representing samples of scarcely processed protoplanetary disk materials as they contain stellar grains, but they might also trace parent body processes. It is important to study the effects of terrestrial aqueous alteration in promoting bulk chemistry changes, and creating distinctive alteration minerals. Particularly because it is thought that aqueous alteration has particularly played a key role in some CC groups in modifying primordial bulk chemistry, and homogenizing the isotopic content of fine-grained matrix materials. Fortunately, the mineralogy produced by parent-body and terrestrial aqueous alteration processes is distinctive. With the goal to learn more about terrestrial alteration in Antarctica we are obtaining reflectance spectra of CCs, but also performing ICP-MS bulk chemistry of the different CC groups. A direct comparison with the mean bulk elemental composition of recovered falls might inform us on the effects of terrestrial alteration in finds. With such a goal, in the current work we have analyzed some members representative of CO and CM chondrite groups.

Noble gases, nitrogen, cosmic ray exposure history and mineralogy of Beni M'hira (L6) chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Mahajan, Ramakant R.; Nejia, Laridhi Ouazaa; Ray, Dwijesh; Naik, Sekhar

2018-03-01

The concentrations and isotopic composition of noble gases helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon(Xe) and nitrogen were measured in the Beni M'hira L6 chondrite. The cosmic ray exposure age of Beni M'hira is estimated of 15.6 ± 3.7 (Ma). The radiogenic age, of around 485 ± 64 Ma, derived from 4He, and of around 504 ± 51 Ma from 40Ar, suggests an age resetting indicating the event impact. The heavy noble gases (Ar, Kr and Xe) concentrations imply that the gas is a mixture of trapped component Q and solar wind. The measured nitrogen abundance of 0.74 ppm and the isotopic signature of δ15N = 14.6‰ are within the range of ordinary chondrites. The homogeneous chemical composition of olivine (Fa:26 ± 0.25) and low-Ca pyroxene (Fs:22.4 ± 0.29) suggest that the Beni M'hira meteorite is an equilibrated chondrite. This is further corroborated by strong chondrule-matrix textural integration (lack of chondrules, except a few relict clast). Shock metamorphism generally corresponds to S5 (>45 GPa), however, locally disequilibrium melting (shock-melt veins) suggests, that the peak shock metamorphism was at ∼75 GPa, 950 °C.

Evidence for differences in the thermal histories of Antarctic and non-Antarctic H chondrites with cosmic-ray exposure ages less than 20 Ma

Science.gov (United States)

Sears, Derek W. G.; Benoit, Paul; Batchelor, J. David

1991-01-01

Antarctic H chondrites show a different range of induced thermoluminescence properties compared with those of H chondrites that have fallen elsewhere in the world. Recent noble gas data of Schultz et al. (1991) show that this difference is displayed most dramatically by meteorites with cosmic-ray exposure ages less than 20 Ma, and they confirm that the differences cannot be attributed to weathering or to the presence of a great many fragments of an unusual Antarctic meteorite. Annealing experiments on an H5 chondrite, and other measurements on a variety of ordinary chondrites, have shown that induced TL properties are sensitive to the thermal histories of the meteorities. It is concluded that the events(s) that released the less than 20 Ma samples, which are predominantly those with exposure ages of 8 + or - 2 Ma, produced two groups with different thermal histories, one that came to earth several 100,000 years ago and that are currently only found in Antarctica, and one that is currently falling on the earth.

Terrestrial microbes in martian and chondritic meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Airieau, S.; Picenco, Y.; Andersen, G.

2007-08-01

Introduction: The best extraterrestrial analogs for microbiology are meteorites. The chemistry and mineralogy of Asteroid Belt and martian (SNC) meteorites are used as tracers of processes that took place in the early solar system. Meteoritic falls, in particular those of carbonaceous chondrites, are regarded as pristine samples of planetesimal evolution as these rocks are primitive and mostly unprocessed since the formation of the solar system 4.56 billion years ago. Yet, questions about terrestrial contamination and its effects on the meteoritic isotopic, chemical and mineral characteristics often arise. Meteorites are hosts to biological activity as soon as they are in contact with the terrestrial biosphere, like all rocks. A wide biodiversity was found in 21 chondrites and 8 martian stones, and was investigated with cell culture, microscopy techniques, PCR, and LAL photoluminetry. Some preliminary results are presented here. The sample suite included carbonaceous chondrites of types CR, CV, CK, CO, CI, and CM, from ANSMET and Falls. Past studies documented the alteration of meteorites by weathering and biological activity [1]-[4]. Unpublished observations during aqueous extraction for oxygen isotopic analysis [5], noted the formation of biofilms in water in a matter of days. In order to address the potential modification of meteoritic isotopic and chemical signatures, the culture of microbial contaminating species was initiated in 2005, and after a prolonged incubation, some of the species obtained from cell culture were analyzed in 2006. The results are preliminary, and a systematic catalog of microbial contaminants is developing very slowly due to lack of funding. Methods: The primary method was cell culture and PCR. Chondrites. Chondritic meteorite fragments were obtained by breaking stones of approximately one gram in sterile mortars. The core of the rocks, presumably less contaminated than the surface, was used for the present microbial study, and the

Micro-X-ray diffraction assessment of shock stage in enstatite chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Izawa, Matthew R. M.; Flemming, Roberta L.; Banerjee, Neil R.; McCausland, Philip J. A.

2011-05-01

A new method for assessing the shock stage of enstatite chondrites has been developed, using in situ micro-X-ray diffraction (μXRD) to measure the full width at half maximum (FWHMχ) of peak intensity distributed along the direction of the Debye rings, or chi angle (χ), corresponding to individual lattice reflections in two-dimensional XRD patterns. This μXRD technique differs from previous XRD shock characterization methods: it does not require single crystals or powders. In situ μXRD has been applied to polished thin sections and whole-rock meteorite samples. Three frequently observed orthoenstatite reflections were measured: (020), (610), and (131); these were selected as they did not overlap with diffraction lines from other phases. Enstatite chondrites are commonly fine grained, stained or darkened by weathering, shock-induced oxidation, and metal/sulfide inclusions; furthermore, most E chondrites have little olivine or plagioclase. These characteristics inhibit transmitted-light petrography, nevertheless, shock stages have been assigned MacAlpine Hills (MAC) 02837 (EL3) S3, Pecora Escarpment (PCA) 91020 (EL3) S5, MAC 02747 (EL4) S4, Thiel Mountains (TIL) 91714 (EL5) S2, Allan Hills (ALHA) 81021 (EL6) S2, Elephant Moraine (EET) 87746 (EH3) S3, Meteorite Hills (MET) 00783 (EH4) S4, EET 96135 (EH4-5) S2, Lewis Cliff (LEW) 88180 (EH5) S2, Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 94204 (EH7) S2, LaPaz Icefield (LAP) 02225 (EH impact melt) S1; for the six with published shock stages, there is agreement with the published classification. FWHMχ plotted against petrographic shock stage demonstrates positive linear correlation. FWHMχ ranges corresponding to shock stages were assigned as follows: S1 3.5°, S6—not measured. Slabs of Abee (EH impact-melt breccia), and Northwest Africa (NWA) 2212 (EL6) were examined using μXRD alone; FWHMχ values place both in the S2 range, consistent with literature values. Micro-XRD analysis may be applicable to other shocked orthopyroxene

A review of observations of organic matter in fogs and clouds: Origin, processing and fate

Science.gov (United States)

Herckes, Pierre; Valsaraj, Kalliat T.; Collett, Jeffrey L.

2013-10-01

While fog and cloud composition has been studied for decades, most of the research was limited to inorganic species and fog acidity. Recently the focus has shifted towards organic matter in the atmospheric aqueous phase of fogs and clouds: its origin, reactivity and fate. An impressive number of fog and cloud chemistry observational studies have been performed over the last decade throughout the world. In the present work we will review the state of knowledge of atmospheric organic matter processing by fogs, with a focus on field observations. We start by reviewing observational studies in general and then discuss our knowledge on the occurrence of organic matter in fogs, its solubility, characterization and molecular speciation. Organic carbon concentrations can vary widely from approximately 1 mg C/L in remote marine environments to more than 100 mg C/L in polluted radiation fogs, accounting for a substantial part of fogwater solutes. The carbonaceous material can enter the droplets from the gas and particle phase and the scavenging behavior of fogs will be detailed. Observational studies showed evidence of aqueous phase transformation of organic material, in particular secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generation, in fog. Recent observations of biological material in fog suggest also an impact of biological processing within the droplets on fog organic matter. The review will end with a discussion of the impact of fog on the deposition fluxes of organic material and hence its atmospheric lifetime.

Recognition in ants: social origin matters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joël Meunier

Full Text Available The ability of group members to discriminate against foreigners is a keystone in the evolution of sociality. In social insects, colony social structure (number of queens is generally thought to influence abilities of resident workers to discriminate between nestmates and non-nestmates. However, whether social origin of introduced individuals has an effect on their acceptance in conspecific colonies remains poorly explored. Using egg-acceptance bioassays, we tested the influence of social origin of queen-laid eggs on their acceptance by foreign workers in the ant Formica selysi. We showed that workers from both single- and multiple-queen colonies discriminated against foreign eggs from single-queen colonies, whereas they surprisingly accepted foreign eggs from multiple-queen colonies. Chemical analyses then demonstrated that social origins of eggs and workers could be discriminated on the basis of their chemical profiles, a signal generally involved in nestmate discrimination. These findings provide the first evidence in social insects that social origins of eggs interfere with nestmate discrimination and are encoded by chemical signatures.

Uranium-lead Isotope Evidence in the Shelyabinsk LL5 Chondrite Meteorite for Ancient and Recent Thermal Events

Science.gov (United States)

Lapen, T. J.; Kring, D. A.; Zolensky, M. E.; Andreasen, R.; Righter, M.; Swindle, T. D.; Beard, S. P.; Swindle, T. D.

2014-01-01

The impact histories on chondrite parent bodies can be deduced from thermochronologic analyses of materials and isotope systems with distinct apparent closure temperatures. It is especially critical to better understand the geological histories and physical properties of potenally hazardous near-Earth asteroids. Chelyabinsk is an LL5 chondrite meteorite that was dispersed over a wide area tens of kilometers south of the town of Chelyabinsk, Russia by an explosion at an altitude of 27 km at 3:22 UT on 15 Feb 2013 [1,2]. The explosion resulted in significant damage to surrounding areas and over 1500 injuries along with meteorite fragments being spread over a wide area [1].

Contribution of early impact events to metal-silicate separation, thermal annealing, and volatile redistribution: Evidence in the Pułtusk H chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Krzesińska, Agata M.

2017-11-01

Three-dimensional X-ray tomographic reconstructions and petrologic studies reveal voluminous accumulations of metal in Pułtusk H chondrite. At the contact of these accumulations, the chondritic rock is enriched in troilite. The rock contains plagioclase-rich bands, with textures suggesting crystallization from melt. Unusually large phosphates are associated with the plagioclase and consist of assemblages of merrillite, and fluorapatite and chlorapatite. The metal accumulations were formed by impact melting, rapid segregation of metal-sulfide melt and the incorporation of this melt into the fractured crater basement. The impact most likely occurred in the early evolution of the H chondrite parent body, when post-impact heat overlapped with radiogenic heat. This enabled slow cooling and separation of the metallic melt into metal-rich and sulfide-rich fractions. This led to recrystallization of chondritic rock in contact with the metal accumulations and the crystallization of shock melts. Phosphorus was liberated from the metal and subsumed by the silicate shock melt, owing to oxidative conditions upon slow cooling. The melt was also a host for volatiles. Upon further cooling, phosphorus reacted with silicates leading to the formation of merrillite, while volatiles partitioned into the residual halogen-rich, dry fluid. In the late stages, the fluid altered merrillite to patchy Cl/F-apatite. The above sequence of alterations demonstrates that impact during the early evolution of chondritic parent bodies might have contributed to local metal segregation and silicate melting. In addition, postshock conditions supported secondary processes: compositional/textural equilibration, redistribution of volatiles, and fluid alterations.

Comparison of the oxidation state of Fe in comet 81P/Wild 2 and chondritic-porous interplanetary dust particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogliore, Ryan C.; Butterworth, Anna L.; Fakra, Sirine C.; Gainsforth, Zack; Marcus, Matthew A.; Westphal, Andrew J.

2010-07-16

The fragile structure of chondritic-porous interplanetary dust particles (CP-IDPs) and their minimal parent-body alteration have led researchers to believe these particles originate in comets rather than asteroids where aqueous and thermal alterations have occurred. The solar elemental abundances and atmospheric entry speed of CP-IDPs also suggest a cometary origin. With the return of the Stardust samples from Jupiter-family comet 81P/Wild 2, this hypothesis can be tested. We have measured the Fe oxidation state of 15 CP-IDPs and 194 Stardust fragments using a synchrotron-based x-ray microprobe. We analyzed {approx}300 ng of Wild 2 material - three orders of magnitude more material than other analyses comparing Wild 2 and CP-IDPs. The Fe oxidation state of these two samples of material are > 2{sigma} different: the CP-IDPs are more oxidized than the Wild 2 grains. We conclude that comet Wild 2 contains material that formed at a lower oxygen fugacity than the parent-body, or parent bodies, of CP-IDPs. If all Jupiter-family comets are similar, they do not appear to be consistent with the origin of CP-IDPs. However, comets that formed from a different mix of nebular material and are more oxidized than Wild 2 could be the source of CP-IDPs.

Dirac matter

CERN Document Server

Rivasseau, Vincent; Fuchs, Jean-Nöel

2017-01-01

This fifteenth volume of the Poincare Seminar Series, Dirac Matter, describes the surprising resurgence, as a low-energy effective theory of conducting electrons in many condensed matter systems, including graphene and topological insulators, of the famous equation originally invented by P.A.M. Dirac for relativistic quantum mechanics. In five highly pedagogical articles, as befits their origin in lectures to a broad scientific audience, this book explains why Dirac matters. Highlights include the detailed "Graphene and Relativistic Quantum Physics", written by the experimental pioneer, Philip Kim, and devoted to graphene, a form of carbon crystallized in a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice, from its discovery in 2004-2005 by the future Nobel prize winners Kostya Novoselov and Andre Geim to the so-called relativistic quantum Hall effect; the review entitled "Dirac Fermions in Condensed Matter and Beyond", written by two prominent theoreticians, Mark Goerbig and Gilles Montambaux, who consider many other mater...

Cosmogenic Radionuclides in Recently Fallen Chondrites Mihonoseki and Tahara

Science.gov (United States)

Shima, M.; Honda, M.; Yabuki, S.; Takahashi, K.

1993-07-01

Introduction: The chondrite Mihonoseki, L6, 6.38 kg, fell on December 10, 1992 [1]. The other chondrite, Tahara, fell on March 26, 1991, on the deck of car- carrier ship, M.S. Century-Highway No.1 of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., anchored at T-3 berth of Toyota Pier, at Toyohashi harbor, in Tahara-Center, Toyota Motor Corp., Tahara-machi, Atsumi-gun, Aichi-ken, Japan. Although the total mass is estimated to be more than 5 kg, only several fragments were recovered by crews. In fact, this was recognized by the event of Mihonoseki. Tahara was classified as H5 [2]. Gamma-Ray Counting: With whole mass of Mihonoseki, nondestructive gamma-ray countings started on December 15, 1992, using a pure Ge detector (ORTEC), 45 mm x 39 mm, horizontal type. Data collections were performed every day in the beginning and later about every week through February 3, 1993. A sample chamber was shielded with 15-cm-thick lead, 6-cm-thick iron, and 0.5-cm-thick plastic plates. For Tahara, another set (Canberra), 44 mm x 42 mm, coaxial type, was used. The 420-g fragment was mounted in the sample chamber shielded with 15-cm-thick lead, 2-cm-thick iron, 2-cm-thick copper, and 2-cm-thick plastic plates. The counting started in January 1993. The counting efficiencies for gamma rays as a function of energy, ranging between 122 keV (57Co) and 1809 keV (26Al), have been determined using three different standards. A mixed standard solution of nine-species gamma-ray emitters, QCY-44, reference time 12:00 GMT on February 1, 1993, was supplied from Amersham, England. The solution was dropped onto (1) chips of Al-foil, (2) chips of filter paper, or (3) olivine sand. Those standards were mixed thoroughly with mock materials, fine and coarse olivine sand and iron powder, and reagent KCl, standard for 40K, then filled into mock shells of Mihonoseki and Tahara, which were made of hard plastic and aluminum foil with epoxy resin, respectively. For Tahara, mocks with all three types of standards were examined for

Evolution of organic matter in Orgueil, Murchison and Renazzo during parent body aqueous alteration: In situ investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Le Guillou, Corentin; Bernard, Sylvain; Brearley, Adrian J.; Remusat, Laurent

2014-04-01

Chondrites accreted the oldest solid materials in the solar system including dust processed in the protoplanetary disk and diverse organic compounds. After accretion, asteroidal alteration may have impacted organic particles in various ways. To constrain these processes, we conducted a comprehensive study of organics disseminated within the matrices of the three carbonaceous chondrite falls, Renazzo (CR2), Murchison (CM2) and Orgueil (CI). By combining synchrotron-based STXM and TEM analyses on FIB sections of samples previously characterized by NanoSIMS, we investigated the influence of aqueous alteration on the morphology, isotopic signature, molecular structure, spatial distribution, and mineralogical environment of the organic matter within the matrices. Two different populations of materials are distinguishable: sub-micrometric individual grains, likely dominated by insoluble compounds and diffuse organic matter, finely interspersed within phyllosilicates and/or (amorphous) nanocarbonates at the nanometer scale. We suggest that this latter component, which is depleted in aromatics and enriched in carboxylic functional groups, may be dominated by soluble compounds. Organic matter in Renazzo (CR) mainly consists of chemically-homogeneous individual grains surrounded by amorphous and nanocrystalline phyllosilicates. Evidence of connectivity between organic grains and fractures indicates that redistribution has occurred: some areas containing diffuse organic matter can be observed. This diffuse organic component is more abundant in Murchison (CM) and Orgueil (CI). This is interpreted as resulting from fluid transport at the micrometer scale and encapsulation within recrystallized alteration phases. In contrast to Renazzo, organic grains in Murchison and Orgueil display strong chemical heterogeneities, likely related to chemical evolution during aqueous alteration. The observations suggest that the altering fluid was a brine with elevated concentrations of both

The Insoluble Carbonaceous Material of CM Chondrites as Possible Source of Discrete Organics During the Asteroidal Aqueous Phase

Science.gov (United States)

Yabuta, H.; Williams, L.; Cody, G.; Pizzarello, S.

2005-01-01

The larger portion of the organic carbon in carbonaceous chondrites (CC) is present as a complex and heterogeneous macromolecular material that is insoluble in acids and most solvents (IOM). So far, it has been analyzed only as a whole by microscopy (TEM) and spectroscopy (IR, NMR, EPR), which have offered and overview of its chemical nature, bonding, and functional group composition. Chemical or pyrolytic decomposition has also been used in combination with GC-MS to identify individual compounds released by these processes. Their value in the recognition of the original IOM structure resides in the ability to properly interpret the decomposition pathways for any given process. We report here a preliminary study of IOM from the Murray meteorite that combines both the analytical approaches described above, under conditions that would realistically model the IOM hydrothermal exposure in the meteorite parent body. The aim is to document the possible release of water and solvent soluble organics, determine possible changes in NMR spectral features, and ascertain, by extension, the effect of this loss on the frame of the IOM residue. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

The formation of FeO-rich pyroxene and enstatite in unequilibrated enstatite chondrites: A petrologic-trace element (SIMS) study

Science.gov (United States)

Weisberg, M. K.; Prinz, M.; Fogel, R. A.; Shimizu, N.

1993-01-01

Enstatite (En) chondrites record the most reducing conditions known in the early solar system. Their oxidation state may be the result of condensation in a nebular region having an enhanced C/O ratio, reduction of more oxidized materials in a reducing nebula, reduction during metamorphic reheating in a parent body, or a combination of these events. The presence of more oxidized Fe-rich silicates, two types of En (distinguished by red and blue CL), and the juxtaposition of FeO-rich pyroxenes (Fe-pyx) surrounded by blue En (enstatite) in the UEC's (unequilibrated enstatite chondrites) is intriguing and led to the examination of the question of enstatite chondrite formation. Previously, data was presented on the petrologic-geochemical characteristics of the Fe-pyx and coexisting red and blue En. Here minor and trace element abundances (determined by ion probe-SIMS) on these three types of pyroxenes are reported on in the following meteorites: Kota Kota and LEW87223 (EH3), MAC88136 (EL3), St. Marks (EH4), and Hvittis (EL6). More data are currently being collected.

Matter-antimatter Cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Omnes, R.

1973-01-01

The possible existence of antimatter on a large scale in the universe is evaluated. As a starting point, an attempt was made to understand the origin of matter as being essentially analogous to the origin of backgound thermal radiation. Several theories and models are examined, with particular emphasis on nucleon-antinucleon interactions at intermediate energies. Data also cover annihilation interaction with the matter-antimatter boundary to produce the essential fluid motion known as coalesence.

The extent of aqueous alteration in C-class asteroids, and the survival of presolar isotopic signatures in chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Trigo-Rodriguez, J. M.

2011-05-01

Several sample return missions are being planned by different space agencies for in situ sampling of undifferentiated bodies. Such missions wish to bring back to Earth pristine samples from C-class asteroids and comets to obtain clues on solar system formation conditions. A careful selection of targeted areas is required as many C-class asteroids and periodic comets have been subjected to collisional and space weathering processing since their formation. Their surfaces have been reworked by impacts as pointed out by the brecciated nature of many chondrites arrived to Earth, exhibiting different levels of thermal and aqueous alteration. It is not surprising that pristine chondrites can be considered quite rare in meteorite collections because they were naturally sampled in collisions, but several groups of carbonaceous chondrites contain a few members with promising unaltered properties. The CI and CM groups suffered extensive aqueous alteration [1], but for the most part escaped thermal metamorphism (only a few CMs evidence heating temperature over several hundred K). Both chondrite groups are water-rich, containing secondary minerals as consequence of the pervasive alteration of their primary mineral phases [2]. CO, CV, and CR chondrite groups suffered much less severe aqueous alteration, but some CRs are moderately aqueously altered. All five groups are good candidates to find unequilibrated materials between samples unaffected by aqueous alteration or metamorphism. The water was incorporated during accretion, and was released as consequence of shock after impact compaction, and/or by mild radiogenic heating. Primary minerals were transformed by water into secondary ones. Water soaking the bodies participated in chemical homogenization of the different components [1]. Hydrothermal alteration and collisional metamorphism changed the abundances of isotopically distinguishable presolar silicates [3]. Additional instruments in the landers to identify aqueous

Metal-silicate fractionation in the surface dust layers of accreting planetesimals: Implications for the formation of ordinary chondrites and the nature of asteroid surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shaoxiong; Akridge, Glen; Sears, Derek W. G.

Some of the most primitive solar system materials available for study in the laboratory are the ordinary chondrites, the largest meteorite class. The size and distribution of the chondrules (silicate beads) and metal, which leads to the definition of the H, L, and LL classes, suggest sorting before or during aggregation. We suggest that meteorite parent bodies (probably asteroids) had thick dusty surfaces during their early evolution that were easily mobilized by gases evolving from their interiors. Density and size sorting would have occurred in the surface layers as the upward drag forces of the gases (mainly water) acted against the downward force of gravity. The process is analogous to the industrially important process of fluidization and sorting in pyroclastic volcanics. We calculate that gas flow velocities and gas fluxes for the regolith of an asteroid-sized object heated by the impact of accreting objects or by 26Al would have been sufficient for fluidization. It can also explain, quantitatively in some cases, the observed metal-silicate sorting of ordinary chondrites, which has long been ascribed to processes occurring in the primordial solar nebula. Formation of the chondrites in the thick dynamic regolith is consistent with the major properties of chondritic meteorites (i.e., redox state, petrologic type, cooling rate, matrix abundance). These ideas have implications for the nature of asteroid surfaces and the virtual lack of asteroids with ordinary chondrite-like surfaces.

Detection of a meteorite 'stream' - Observations of a second meteorite fall from the orbit of the Innisfree chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Halliday, I.

1987-03-01

The first observational evidence of multiple meteorite falls from the same orbit is adduced from the February 6, 1980 fall of a meteorite precisely 3 yr after the fall of the Innisfree meteorite. Due consideration of the detection probability for two related objects with the meteorite camera network in western Canada suggests that the Innisfree brecciated LL chondrite was a near-surface fragment from a parent object whose radius was of the order of several tens of meters. A meteorite mass of 1.8 kg is predicted for the new object, whose recovery in the vicinity of Ridgedale, Saskatchewan, is now sought for the sake of comparison with the Innisfree chondrite.

Chromite and olivine in type II chondrules in carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites - Implications for thermal histories and group differences

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Craig A.; Prinz, Martin

1991-01-01

Unequilibrated chromite and olivine margin compositions in type II chondrules are noted to differ systematically among three of the chondrite groups, suggesting that type II liquids differed in composition among the groups. These differences may be interpreted as indicators of different chemical compositions of the precursor solids which underwent melting, or, perhaps, as differences in the extent to which immiscible metal sulfide droplets were lost during chondrule formation. Because zinc is detectable only in type II chromites which have undergone reequilibration, the high zinc contents reported for chondritic chromites in other studies probably reflect redistribution during thermal metamorphism.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Carbonaceous-chondrite Inclusions in the Kapoeta Meteorite: Discovery of Nanodiamonds with New Spectral Features and Astrophysical Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Abdu, Yassir A.; Hawthorne, Frank C.; Varela, Maria E.

2018-03-01

We report the finding of nanodiamonds, coexisting with amorphous carbon, in carbonaceous-chondrite (CC) material from the Kapoeta achondritic meteorite by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. In the C–H stretching region (3100–2600 cm‑1), the FTIR spectrum of the Kapoeta CC material (KBr pellet) shows bands attributable to aliphatic CH2 and CH3 groups, and is very similar to IR spectra of organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites and the diffuse interstellar medium. Nanodiamonds, as evidenced by micro-Raman spectroscopy, were found in a dark region (∼400 μm in size) in the KBr pellet. Micro-FTIR spectra collected from this region are dramatically different from the KBr-pellet spectrum, and their C–H stretching region is dominated by a strong and broad absorption band centered at ∼2886 cm‑1 (3.47 μm), very similar to that observed in IR absorption spectra of hydrocarbon dust in dense interstellar clouds. Micro-FTIR spectroscopy also indicates the presence of an aldehyde and a nitrile, and both of the molecules are ubiquitous in dense interstellar clouds. In addition, IR peaks in the 1500–800 cm‑1 region are also observed, which may be attributed to different levels of nitrogen aggregation in diamonds. This is the first evidence for the presence of the 3.47 μm interstellar IR band in meteorites. Our results further support the assignment of this band to tertiary CH groups on the surfaces of nanodiamonds. The presence of the above interstellar bands and the absence of shock features in the Kapoeta nanodiamonds, as indicated by Raman spectroscopy, suggest formation by a nebular-condensation process similar to chemical-vapor deposition.

The God Machine seeks the origin of the matter; La maquina de dios busca el origen de la materia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin, R.

2015-07-01

Under the green fields of the French-Swiss border, not far from the Alps and Lake Geneva, is hidden underground most strength Earth energy. The generated particles of low mass, subatomic, ue collide with each other in a huge circumference of 27 kilometers, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC English siglasen), an underground infrastructure that seeks to answer big questions of science: the origin of matter we know or dark matter and energy, which together occupy 95% of the universe and that we are not able to see or understand. They call it the 'god machine' and is the largest and most complex built in the world. (Author)

Origin of fine carbonaceous particulate matter in the Western Mediterranean Basin: fossil versus modern sources

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz Minguillón, María.; Perron, Nolwenn; Querol, Xavier; Szidat, Sönke; Fahrni, Simon; Wacker, Lukas; Reche, Cristina; Cusack, Michael; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, André S. H.

2010-05-01

The present work was carried out in the frame of the international field campaign DAURE (Determination of the sources of atmospheric Aerosols in Urban and Rural Environments in the western Mediterranean). The objective of this campaign is to study the aerosol pollution episodes occurring at regional scale during winter and summer in the Western Mediterranean Basin. As part of this campaign, this work focuses on identifying the origin of fine carbonaceous aerosols. To this end, fine particulate matter (PM1) samples were collected during two different seasons (February-March and July 2009) at two sites: an urban site (Barcelona, NE Spain) and a rural European Supersite for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (Montseny, NE Spain). Subsequently, 14C analyses were carried out on these samples, both in the elemental carbon (EC) fraction and the organic carbon (OC) fraction, in order to distinguish between modern carbonaceous sources (biogenic emissions and biomass burning emissions) and fossil carbonaceous sources (mainly road traffic). Preliminary results from the winter period show that 40% of the OC at Barcelona has a fossil origin whereas at Montseny this percentage is 30%. These values can be considered as unexpected given the nature of the sites. Nevertheless, the absolute concentrations of fossil OC at Barcelona and Montseny differ by a factor of 2 (the first being higher), since the total OC at Montseny is lower than at Barcelona. Further evaluation of results and comparison with other measurements carried out during the campaign are required to better evaluate the origin of the fine carbonaceous matter in the Western Mediterranean Basin. Acknowledgements: Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, for a Postdoctoral Grant awarded to M.C. Minguillón in the frame of Programa Nacional de Movilidad de Recursos Humanos del Plan nacional de I-D+I 2008-2011. Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, for the Acción Complementaria DAURE CGL2007-30502-E/CLI.

Redox effects in ordinary chondrites and implications for asteroid spectrophotometry

Science.gov (United States)

Mcsween, Harry Y., Jr.

1992-01-01

The sensitivity of reflectance spectra to mean ferrous iron content and olivine and pyroxene proportion enhancements in the course of metamorphic oxidation is presently used to examine whether metamorphically-induced ranges in mineralogy, and corresponding spectral parameters, may explain the observed variations in S-asteroid rotational spectra. The predicted spectral variations within any one chondrite class are, however, insufficient to account for S-asteroid rotational spectra, and predicted spectral-range slopes have a sign opposite to the rotational measurements. Metamorphic oxidation is found unable to account for S-asteroid rotational spectra.

A divergent heritage for complex organics in Isheyevo lithic clasts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Kooten, Elishevah M.M.E.; Nagashima, Kazuhide; Kasama, Takeshi

2017-01-01

enrichments in 15N believed to be of outer Solar System origin. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM-EELS) and in situ isotope analyses (SIMS and NanoSIMS), we report on the structure of the organic matter as well as the bulk H and N isotope composition of Isheyevo lithic clasts. These data......, we speculate on the accretion regions of the various primitive chondrites and components and the origin of the Solar System’s N and H isotope variability.......Primitive meteorites are samples of asteroidal bodies that contain a high proportion of chemically complex organic matter (COM) including prebiotic molecules such as amino acids, which are thought to have been delivered to Earth via impacts during the early history of the Solar System. Thus...

Correlations Among Microstructure, Morphology, Chemistry, and Isotopic Systematics of Hibonite in CM Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Han, J.; Liu, M.-C..; Keller, L. P.; Davis, A. M.

2017-01-01

Introduction: Hibonite is a primary refractory phase occurring in many CAIs, typically with spinel and perovskite. Our microstructural studies of CAIs from carbonaceous chondrites reveal a range of stacking defect densities and correlated non-stoichiometry in hibonite. We also conducted a series of annealing experiments, demonstrating that the Mg-Al substitution stabilized the formation of defect-structured hibonite. Here, we continue a detailed TEM analysis of hibonite-bearing inclusions from CM chondrites that have been well-characterized isotopically. We examine possible correlations of microstructure, morphology, mineralogy, and chemical and isotopic systematics of CM hibonites in order to better understand the formation history of hibonite in the early solar nebula. Methods: Fifteen hibonite-bearing inclusions from the Paris CM chondrite were analyzed using a JEOL 7600F SEM and a JEOL 8530F electron microprobe. In addition to three hibonite-bearing inclusions from the Murchison CM chondrite previously reported, we selected three inclusions from Paris, Pmt1-6, 1-9, and 1-10, representing a range of 26Al/27Al ratios and minor element concentrations for a detailed TEM study. We extracted TEM sections from hibonite grains using a FEI Quanta 3D field emission gun SEM/FIB. The sections were then examined using a JEOL 2500SE field-emission scanning TEM equipped with a Thermo-Noran thin window EDX spectrometer. Results and Discussion: A total of six hibonite-bearing inclusions, including two platy hibonite crystals (PLACs) and four spinel-hibonite inclusions (SHIBs), were studied. There are notable differences in chemical and isotopic compositions between the inclusions (Table 1), indicative of their different formation environment or timing. Our TEM observations show perfectly-ordered, stoichiometric hibonite crystals without stacking defects in two PLACs, 2-7-1 and 2-8-2, and in three SHIBs, Pmt1-6, 1-9, and 1-10. In contrast, SHIB 1-9-5 hibonite grains contain a

Primitive Liquid Water of the Solar System in an Aqueous Altered Carbonaceous Chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchiyama, A.; Miyake, A.; Kitayama, A.; Matsuno, J.; Takeuchi, A.; Uesugi, K.; Suzuki, Y.; Nakano, T.; Zolensky, M. E.

2016-01-01

Non-destructive 3D observations of the aqueous altered CM chondrite Sutter's Mill using scanning imaging x-ray microscopy (SIXM) showed that some of calcite and enstatite grains contain two-phase inclusion, which is most probably composed of liquid water and bubbles. This water should be primitive water responsible for aqueous alteration in an asteroid in the early solar system.

Natural isotopic composition of nitrogen as a tracer of origin for suspended organic matter in the Scheldt estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariotti, A.; Lancelot, C.; Billen, G.

1984-01-01

The natural isotopic composition of suspended particulate organic nitrogen was determined in the Southern Bight of the North Sea and in the Scheldt estuary. These data show that delta 15 N constitutes a convenient tracer of the origin of the suspended matter. In the winter, in the absence of intensive primary production, the suspended organic matter of the Scheldt estuary is a mixture of two components: a continental detrital component characterized by a low delta value of 1.5per mille and a marine component with a mean delta value of 8per mille. During the phytoplankton flowering period, lasting from early May to October, intensive primary production occurs throughout the estuary giving rise to a third source of organic matter. This material is characterized by high delta values reflecting the isotopic composition of ammonia, the nitrogenous nutrient assimilated by phytoplankton in the estuary. The nitrification process occuring in the mixing area of the Scheldt estuary leads to higher downstream delta values of ammonia (> 20per mille) which permits the distinction between estuarine from fresh-water phytoplankton. Simple isotopic budget calculations show that, both in the upstream part and in the downstream part, autochthonous phytoplanktonic material contributes a major part of the total suspended matter in the Scheldt estuary during summer. (author)

An {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer study of the ordinary chondrite meteorite Lynch 001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elewa, Nancy N., E-mail: nancy.elewa@student.unsw.edu.au; Cadogan, J. M. [The University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences (Australia)

2017-11-15

The Lynch 001 meteorite was found in the Nullarbor Plain region of Western Australia in 1977. This meteorite is classified as an ordinary chondrite of the petrologic group L5/6 that has undergone ‘minor to moderate’ terrestrial weathering. Here, we characterize the Fe-bearing phases in this chondrite using {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy carried out over the temperature range 13 K to room temperature (295 K). The paramagnetic doublets of olivine, pyroxene and a superparamagnetic ferric phase dominate the room temperature Mössbauer spectrum. On the basis of the room temperature quadrupole splitting of the olivine component, we estimate its composition to be Fa {sub 30(5)}. Besides the paramagnetic ferric component, accounting for ∼15 % of the spectral area at room temperature, magnetically ordered ferric phases were also detected. The total relative proportion of the Fe {sup 3+} components allows us to estimate the terrestrial age of Lynch 001 to be 6,500 ± 1,500 yr, consistent with the value of 6,700 ± 1,300 yr determined by {sup 14}C dating.

Formation of chondrules in a moderately high dust enriched disk: Evidence from oxygen isotopes of chondrules from the Kaba CV3 chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Hertwig, Andreas T.; Defouilloy, Céline; Kita, Noriko T.

2018-03-01

Oxygen three-isotope analysis by secondary ion mass spectrometry of chondrule olivine and pyroxene in combination with electron microprobe analysis were carried out to investigate 24 FeO-poor (type I) and 2 FeO-rich (type II) chondrules from the Kaba (CV) chondrite. The Mg#'s of olivine and pyroxene in individual chondrules are uniform, which confirms that Kaba is one of the least thermally metamorphosed CV3 chondrites. The majority of chondrules in Kaba contain olivine and pyroxene that show indistinguishable Δ17O values (= δ17O - 0.52 × δ18O) within analytical uncertainties, as revealed by multiple spot analyses of individual chondrules. One third of chondrules contain olivine relict grains that are either 16O-rich or 16O-poor relative to other indistinguishable olivine and/or pyroxene analyses in the same chondrules. Excluding those isotopically recognized relicts, the mean oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O, δ17O, and Δ17O) of individual chondrules are calculated, which are interpreted to represent those of the final chondrule melt. Most of these isotope ratios plot on or slightly below the primitive chondrule mineral (PCM) line on the oxygen three-isotope diagram, except for the pyroxene-rich type II chondrule that plots above the PCM and on the terrestrial fractionation line. The Δ17O values of type I chondrules range from ∼-8‰ to ∼-4‰; the pyroxene-rich type II chondrule yields ∼0‰, the olivine-rich type II chondrule ∼-2‰. In contrast to the ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094, the Yamato 81020 CO3, and the Allende CV3 chondrite, type I chondrules in Kaba only possess Δ17O values below -3‰ and a pronounced bimodal distribution of Δ17O values, as evident for those other chondrites, was not observed for Kaba. Investigation of the Mg#-Δ17O relationship revealed that Δ17O values tend to increase with decreasing Mg#'s, similar to those observed for CR chondrites though data from Kaba cluster at the high Mg# (>98) and the low Δ17O

Early solar system. Early accretion of water in the inner solar system from a carbonaceous chondrite-like source.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarafian, Adam R; Nielsen, Sune G; Marschall, Horst R; McCubbin, Francis M; Monteleone, Brian D

2014-10-31

Determining the origin of water and the timing of its accretion within the inner solar system is important for understanding the dynamics of planet formation. The timing of water accretion to the inner solar system also has implications for how and when life emerged on Earth. We report in situ measurements of the hydrogen isotopic composition of the mineral apatite in eucrite meteorites, whose parent body is the main-belt asteroid 4 Vesta. These measurements sample one of the oldest hydrogen reservoirs in the solar system and show that Vesta contains the same hydrogen isotopic composition as that of carbonaceous chondrites. Taking into account the old ages of eucrite meteorites and their similarity to Earth's isotopic ratios of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, we demonstrate that these volatiles could have been added early to Earth, rather than gained during a late accretion event. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Shock-darkening in ordinary chondrites: Determination of the pressure-temperature conditions by shock physics mesoscale modeling

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Moreau, J.; Kohout, Tomáš; Wünnemann, K.

2017-01-01

Roč. 52, č. 11 (2017), s. 2375-2390 ISSN 1086-9379 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : chondrites * pressure-temperature conditions * astrophysics Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 2.391, year: 2016

Ion Irradiation Experiments on the Murchison CM2 Carbonaceous Chondrite: Simulating Space Weathering of Primitive Asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, L. P.; Christoffersen, R.; Dukes, C. A.; Baragiola, R. A.; Rahman, Z.

2015-01-01

Remote sensing observations show that space weathering processes affect all airless bodies in the Solar System to some degree. Sample analyses and lab experiments provide insights into the chemical, spectroscopic and mineralogic effects of space weathering and aid in the interpretation of remote- sensing data. For example, analyses of particles returned from the S-type asteroid Itokawa by the Hayabusa mission revealed that space-weathering on that body was dominated by interactions with the solar wind acting on LL ordinary chondrite-like materials [1, 2]. Understanding and predicting how the surface regoliths of primitive carbonaceous asteroids respond to space weathering processes is important for future sample return missions (Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS-REx) that are targeting objects of this type. Here, we report the results of our preliminary ion irradiation experiments on a hydrated carbonaceous chondrite with emphasis on microstructural and infrared spectral changes.

Terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the lewis cliff stranding area, East Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Welten, K. C.; Lindner, L.; Alderliesten, C.; van der Borg, K.

1999-07-01

We determined terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the Lewis Cliff stranding area, East Antarctica, on the basis of the concentrations of cosmogenic 10Be (t1/2 = 1.51 Ma), 26Al (t1/2 = 0.705 Ma) and 36Cl (t1/2 = 0.301 Ma). After an initial 26Al -ray survey of 91 meteorites suggested that many have terrestrial ages larger than 0.1 Ma, we selected 62 meteorites for 10Be and 26Al measurements by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and measured 36Cl in twelve of those. Low terrestrial ages (Ma) were found for about 60% of the meteorites, whereas all others have ages between 0.1 and 0.5 Ma, except for one exceptional age of >2 Ma (Welten et al., 1997). Our major conclusions are: (1) The Lewis Cliff H-chondrites show similar ages as those from the Allan Hills Ice-fields, but the L-chondrites are about a factor of two younger than those from Allan Hills, which indicates that Lewis Cliff is a younger stranding area. (2) The terrestrial age distributions at different parts of the Lewis Cliff stranding area generally agree with simple meteorite concentration models, although differences in weathering rate may also play a role. (3) We confirm that meteorites with natural thermoluminescence (TL) levels >80 krad are associated with low terrestrial ages (Benoit et al., 1992), but conclude that natural TL levels <80 krad can not be used to calculate the terrestrial age of a meteorite. Natural TL levels do seem useful to estimate relative terrestrial ages of large groups of meteorites and to determine differences in surface exposure age of paired meteorite fragments. (4) Of the 62 meteorites measured with AMS, 31 were assigned to eleven different pairing groups, mainly on the basis of their cosmogenic nuclide record. The meteorites are estimated to represent between 42 and 52 distinct falls.

The fate or organic matter during planetary accretion - Preliminary studies of the organic chemistry of experimentally shocked Murchison meteorite

Science.gov (United States)

Tingle, Tracy N.; Tyburczy, James A.; Ahrens, Thomas J.; Becker, Christopher H.

1992-01-01

The fate of organic matter in carbonaceous meteorites during hypervelocity (1-2 km/sec) impacts is investigated using results of experiments in which three samples of the Murchison (CM2) carbonaceous chondrite were shocked to 19, 20, and 36 GPa and analyzed by highly sensitive thermal-desorption photoionization mass spectrometry (SALI). The thermal-desorptive SALI mass spectra of unshocked CM2 material revealed presence of indigenous aliphatic, aromatic, sulfur, and organosulfur compounds, and samples shocked to about 20 GPa showed little or no loss of organic matter. On the other hand, samples shocked to 36 GPa exhibited about 70 percent loss of organic material and a lower alkene/alkane ratio than did the starting material. The results suggest that it is unlikely that the indigenous organic matter in carbonaceous chondritelike planetesimals could have survived the impact on the earth in the later stages of earth's accretion.

Santa Lucia (2008) (L6) Chondrite, a Recent Fall: Composition, Noble Gases, Nitrogen and Cosmic Ray Exposure Age

Science.gov (United States)

Mahajan, Ramakant R.; Varela, Maria Eugenia; Joron, Jean Louis

2016-04-01

The Santa Lucia (2008)—one the most recent Argentine meteorite fall, fell in San Juan province, Argentina, on 23 January 2008. Several masses (total ~6 kg) were recovered. Most are totally covered by fusion crust. The exposed interior is of light-grey colour. Chemical data [olivine (Fa24.4) and low-Ca pyroxene (En77.8 Fs20.7 Wo1.6)] indicate that Santa Luica (2008) is a member of the low iron L chondrite group, corresponding to the equilibrated petrologic type 6. The meteorite name was approved by the Nomenclature Committee (NomCom) of the Meteoritical Society (Meteoritic Bulletin, no. 97). We report about the chemical composition of the major mineral phases, its bulk trace element abundance, its noble gas and nitrogen data. The cosmic ray exposure age based on cosmogenic 3He, 21Ne, and 38Ar around 20 Ma is comparable to one peak of L chondrites. The radiogenic K-Ar age of 2.96 Ga, while the young U, Th-He are of 1.2 Ga indicates that Santa Lucia (2008) lost radiogenic 4He more recently. Low cosmogenic (22Ne/21Ne)c and absence of solar wind noble gases are consistent with irradiation in a large body. Heavy noble gases (Ar/Kr/Xe) indicated trapped gases similar to ordinary chondrites. Krypton and neon indicates irradiation in large body, implying large pre-atmospheric meteoroid.

Sterile neutrinos as the origin of dark and baryonic matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Canetti, Laurent; Drewes, Marco; Shaposhnikov, Mikhail

2013-02-08

We demonstrate for the first time that three sterile neutrinos alone can simultaneously explain neutrino oscillations, the observed dark matter, and the baryon asymmetry of the Universe without new physics above the Fermi scale. The key new point of our analysis is leptogenesis after sphaleron freeze-out, which leads to resonant dark matter production, evading thus the constraints on sterile neutrino dark matter from structure formation and x-ray searches. We identify the range of sterile neutrino properties that is consistent with all known constraints. We find a domain of parameters where the new particles can be found with present day experimental techniques, using upgrades to existing experimental facilities.

D matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiu, Gary; Wang Liantao

2004-01-01

We study the properties and phenomenology of particlelike states originating from D branes whose spatial dimensions are all compactified. They are nonperturbative states in string theory and we refer to them as D matter. In contrast to other nonperturbative objects such as 't Hooft-Polyakov monopoles, D-matter states could have perturbative couplings among themselves and with ordinary matter. The lightest D particle (LDP) could be stable because it is the lightest state carrying certain (integer or discrete) quantum numbers. Depending on the string scale, they could be cold dark matter candidates with properties similar to that of WIMPs or wimpzillas. The spectrum of excited states of D matter exhibits an interesting pattern which could be distinguished from that of Kaluza-Klein modes, winding states, and string resonances. We speculate about possible signatures of D matter from ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and colliders

Micro-Scale Characteristics of Insoluble Organic Matter in Chondrites: A Coordinated TEM, STXM and SIMS Study

Science.gov (United States)

Nittler, L. R.; Alexander, C. M. O'd.; Cody, G. D.; de Gregorio, B. T.; Kilcoyne, A. L. D.; Stroud, R. M.; Tiwari, A.

2009-03-01

A coordinated study of meteoritic insoluble organic matter reveals that hollow organic globules are chemically similar to other IOM, but abundances and sizes of globules vary between meteorites. IOM is sensitive to electron and X-ray induced beam damage.

Common origin of visible and dark universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu Peihong; Sarkar, Utpal

2010-01-01

Dark matter, baryonic matter, and dark energy have different properties but contribute comparable energy density to the present Universe. We point out that they may have a common origin. As the dark energy has a scale far lower than all known scales in particle physics but very close to neutrino masses, while the excess matter over antimatter in the baryonic sector is probably related to the neutrino-mass generation, we unify the origin of the dark and visible universe in a variant of the seesaw model. In our model (i) the dark matter relic density is a dark matter asymmetry emerged simultaneously with the baryon asymmetry from leptogenesis; (ii) the dark energy is due to a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone-Boson associated with the neutrino-mass generation.

Early UV emission from disc-originated matter (DOM) in Type Ia supernovae in the double-degenerate scenario

Science.gov (United States)

Levanon, Naveh; Soker, Noam

2017-09-01

We show that the blue and UV excess emission in the first few days of some Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) can be accounted in the double-degenerate (DD) scenario by the collision of the SN ejecta with circumstellar matter that was blown by the accretion disc formed during the merger process of the two white dwarfs (WDs). We assume that in cases of excess early light, the disc blows the circumstellar matter, that we term disc-originated matter (DOM), hours to days before explosion. To perform our analysis, we first provide a model-based definition for early excess light, replacing the definition of excess light relative to a power-law fit to the rising luminosity. We then examine the light curves of the SNe Ia iPTF14atg and SN 2012cg, and find that the collision of the ejecta with a DOM in the frame of the DD scenario can account for their early excess emission. Thus, early excess light does not necessarily imply the presence of a stellar companion in the frame of the single-degenerate scenario. Our findings further increase the variety of phenomena that the DD scenario can account for, and emphasize the need to consider all different SN Ia scenarios when interpreting observations.

Can Halogen Enrichment in Reduced Enstatite Chondrites Provide Clues to Volatile Accretion in the Early Earth?

Science.gov (United States)

Clay, P. L.; Burgess, R.; Busemann, H.; Ruzié, L.; Joachim, B.; Ballentine, C.

2013-12-01

Understanding how the Earth obtained and ultimately retained its volatiles is important for our overall understanding of large scale planetary evolution. Numerous models exist for the heterogeneous accretion of volatiles to early Earth, but accounting for all elements through accretion of typical planetary building blocks (e.g., CI chondrites) is difficult. Proto-planetary collisions resulting in the accretion of volatile-poor material under reducing conditions followed by accretion of volatile-rich material under oxidizing conditions has been suggested in such models [e.g., 1]. The heavy halogens (Cl, Br and I), a group of moderately volatile elements, are excellent tracers of planetary processing due to their low abundance and incompatible nature. Therefore characterizing halogen abundance and distribution in materials that accreted to form the planets, e.g., primitive meteorites, is crucial. One group of primitive meteorites, the enstatite chondrites (EC's), are amongst the most reduced materials in the solar system as evidenced by their unique mineral assemblage. Yet despite forming under ultra-reducing conditions, they are enriched in the moderately volatile elements, such as the halogens. The ECs are of particular interest owing to their oxygen isotopic composition which plots along the terrestrial fractionation line, linking them isotopically to the Earth-Moon system. These samples can thus potentially provide clues on the accretion of moderately volatile element rich material under reducing conditions, such as it may have existed during the early stages of Earth's accretion. Chlorine, Br and I concentrations in ECs were determined through step-heating small neutron-irradiated samples (0.3 to 3.3 mg) and measured by mass spectrometry using the noble gas proxy isotopes 38ArCl/Cl, 80KrBr/Br and 128XeI/I. The EH chondrites are consistently enriched in the heavy halogens (up to 330 ppm Cl, 2290 ppb Br and 180 ppb I), compared to other ordinary and carbonaceous

Oxygen Isotopes in Early Solar System Materials: A Perspective Based on Microbeam Analyses of Chondrules from CV Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, R. H.; Leshin, L. A.; Guan, Y.

2004-01-01

Some of the biggest challenges to understanding the early history of the solar system include determining the distribution of oxygen isotopes amongst materials that existed in the solar nebula, and interpreting the processes that might have resulted in the observed isotopic distributions. Oxygen isotope ratios in any individual mineral grain from a chondritic meteorite may be the cumulative product of a variety of processes, including stellar nucleosynthetic events, gas/solid interactions in the molecular cloud, mixing of independent isotopic reservoirs in the nebula, mass-independent processing in the nebula, and mass-dependent fractionation effects in various environments. It is not possible to unravel this complex isotopic record unless the distribution of oxygen isotope ratios in chondritic materials is fully understood.

Modification of REE distribution of ordinary chondrites from Atacama (Chile) and Lut (Iran) hot deserts: Insights into the chemical weathering of meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Pourkhorsandi, Hamed; D'Orazio, Massimo; Rochette, Pierre; Valenzuela, Millarca; Gattacceca, Jérôme; Mirnejad, Hassan; Sutter, Brad; Hutzler, Aurore; Aboulahris, Maria

2017-09-01

The behavior of rare earth elements (REEs) during hot desert weathering of meteorites is investigated. Ordinary chondrites (OCs) from Atacama (Chile) and Lut (Iran) deserts show different variations in REE composition during this process. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) data reveal that hot desert OCs tend to show elevated light REE concentrations, relative to OC falls. Chondrites from Atacama are by far the most enriched in REEs and this enrichment is not necessarily related to their degree of weathering. Positive Ce anomaly of fresh chondrites from Atacama and the successive formation of a negative Ce anomaly with the addition of trivalent REEs are similar to the process reported from Antarctic eucrites. In addition to REEs, Sr and Ba also show different concentrations when comparing OCs from different hot deserts. The stability of Atacama surfaces and the associated old terrestrial ages of meteorites from this region give the samples the necessary time to interact with the terrestrial environment and to be chemically modified. Higher REE contents and LREE-enriched composition are evidence of contamination by terrestrial soil. Despite their low degrees of weathering, special care must be taken into account while working on the REE composition of Atacama meteorites for cosmochemistry applications. In contrast, chondrites from the Lut desert show lower degrees of REE modification, despite significant weathering signed by Sr content. This is explained by the relatively rapid weathering rate of the meteorites occurring in the Lut desert, which hampers the penetration of terrestrial material by forming voluminous Fe oxide/oxyhydroxides shortly after the meteorite fall.

Textural variability of ordinary chondrite chondrules: Implications of their formation

Science.gov (United States)

Zinovieva, N. G.; Mitreikina, O. B.; Granovsky, L. B.

1994-01-01

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microprobe examination of the Raguli H3-4, Saratov L3, and Fucbin L5-6 ordinary chondrites and the analysis of preexisted data on other meteorites have shown that the variety of textural types of chondrules depends on the chemical composition of the chondrules. The comparison of bulk-rock chemistries of the chondrules by major components demonstrates that they apparently fall, like basic-ultrabasic rock, into groups of dunitic and pyroxenitic composition. This separation is further validated by the character of zoning in chondrules of the intermediate, peridotitic type. The effect is vividly demonstrated by the 'chondrule-in-chondrule' structure.

Generalized hypothesis of the origin of the living-matter simplest elements, transformation of the Archean atmosphere, and the formation of methane-hydrate deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostrovskii, Viktor E; Kadyshevich, Elena A

2007-01-01

The original hydrate hypothesis of the origin of living-matter simplest elements (LMSEs), i.e., the 'Life Origination Hydrate hypothesis,' abbreviated as the LOH hypothesis, is discussed. It includes notions of the interdependence and interconditionality of processes leading to the life origin, to the transformation of the primary atmosphere, and to the underground methane-hydrate formation. Saturation of the young earth's crust with nebular hydrogen is taken into consideration for the first time. The origin of LMSEs is regarded as a result of regular and thermodynamically caused inevitable chemical transformations and of the universal physical and chemical laws. According to the LOH hypothesis, LMSEs originated repeatedly and, maybe, are now originating from methane (or other simple hydrocarbons), niter, and phosphate within boundary layers of the solid phases of the hydrates of the simplest hydrocarbons. It is assumed that the phenomenon of monochirality of nucleic acids is caused by geometric features of the structure matrix. (reviews of topical problems)

Generalized hypothesis of the origin of the living-matter simplest elements, transformation of the Archean atmosphere, and the formation of methane-hydrate deposits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ostrovskii, Viktor E [L. Ya. Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry, Moscow (Russian Federation); Kadyshevich, Elena A [A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2007-02-28

The original hydrate hypothesis of the origin of living-matter simplest elements (LMSEs), i.e., the 'Life Origination Hydrate hypothesis,' abbreviated as the LOH hypothesis, is discussed. It includes notions of the interdependence and interconditionality of processes leading to the life origin, to the transformation of the primary atmosphere, and to the underground methane-hydrate formation. Saturation of the young earth's crust with nebular hydrogen is taken into consideration for the first time. The origin of LMSEs is regarded as a result of regular and thermodynamically caused inevitable chemical transformations and of the universal physical and chemical laws. According to the LOH hypothesis, LMSEs originated repeatedly and, maybe, are now originating from methane (or other simple hydrocarbons), niter, and phosphate within boundary layers of the solid phases of the hydrates of the simplest hydrocarbons. It is assumed that the phenomenon of monochirality of nucleic acids is caused by geometric features of the structure matrix. (reviews of topical problems)

Thermoluminescence studies of the thermal and radiation histories of chondritic meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melcher, C.L.

1980-01-01

The thermoluminescence properties of chondritic meteorites are investigated to understand the ways in which the stored TL reflects the thermal and radiation histories of these objects. Differences in TL levels measured in recent falls are attributed to small differences in orbital temperatures. In addition, a correlation between TL level and terrestrial age is observed in meteorites of known terrestrial age. The thermoluminescence in chondrites is produced primarily by ionization from galactic cosmic rays with a much smaller contribution from the decay of natural radionuclides (U, Th, K, Rb). The production of most of the TL occurs after the break up of the large parent bodies into meter-size objects which are thus exposed to the ionizing effects of the cosmic rays. Measurements indicate that the low temperature TL represents a dynamic equilibrium between build up from ionizing radiation and thermal draining. The high temperature TL is near saturation. The terrestrial ages currently of greatest interest are those of the recently discovered meteorites in Antarctica. TL measurements were made on 11 of these meteorites and compared with the activities of 14 C, 26 Al, and 36 Cl measured by other workers in terrestrial age studies. A good correlation was found between the TL levels and the activities of cosmogenic radionuclides in these meteorites. Since the TL measurements can be made more rapidly and require much smaller samples (approx. 10 mg) than the radionuclide measurements, TL is most useful as a screening process to select potentially interesting samples for further study by more precise techniques

Common origin of neutrino mass, dark matter and Dirac leptogenesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borah, Debasish [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam 781039 (India); Dasgupta, Arnab, E-mail: dborah@iitg.ernet.in, E-mail: arnab.d@iopb.res.in [Institute of Physics, HBNI, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneshwar 751005 (India)

2016-12-01

We study the possibility of generating tiny Dirac neutrino masses at one loop level through the scotogenic mechanism such that one of the particles going inside the loop can be a stable cold dark matter (DM) candidate. Majorana mass terms of singlet fermions as well as tree level Dirac neutrino masses are prevented by incorporating the presence of additional discrete symmetries in a minimal fashion, which also guarantee the stability of the dark matter candidate. Due to the absence of total lepton number violation, the observed baryon asymmetry of the Universe is generated through the mechanism of Dirac leptogenesis where an equal and opposite amount of leptonic asymmetry is generated in the left and right handed sectors which are prevented from equilibration due to tiny Dirac Yukawa couplings. Dark matter relic abundance is generated through its usual freeze-out at a temperature much below the scale of leptogenesis. We constrain the relevant parameter space from neutrino mass, baryon asymmetry, Planck bound on dark matter relic abundance, and latest LUX bound on spin independent DM-nucleon scattering cross section. We also discuss the charged lepton flavour violation (μ → e γ) and electric dipole moment of electron in this model in the light of the latest experimental data and constrain the parameter space of the model.

Broken symmetries at the origin of matter, at the origin of life and at the origin of culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klinken, J. van

1998-01-01

In earliest cosmic history the universe started with matter and not with antimatter. Shortly after the beginning the electroweak interaction - prominent in nuclear β decay - acted as a left-hander. Much later, in pre biotic evolution, optically left-handed amino acids determined the unique signature of following terrestrial organic life. Again ae- ons later, homo sapiens appears as predominantly right handed and creates cultures with many broken symmetries. Along these pathways of history it was essential that choices were made - left or right, matter or antimatter - but on several instances it seemed less relevant which choice were made. We think that biochirality occurred by global chance; perhaps by local necessity, but without causal links to the PCT theorem. In other cases - e.g. the standardization to right-handed screws - the choice will have been made by causal necessity. (author)

Broken symmetries at the origin of matter, at the origin of life and at the origin of culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Klinken, J.

1998-01-01

In earliest cosmic history the university started with matter and not with antimatter. Shortly after the beginning the electroweak interaction prominent in nuclear beta decay - acted as a lefthander. Much later, in prebiotic evolution, optically left-handed amino acids determined the unique

Broken symmetries at the origin of matter, at the origin of life and at the origin of culture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klinken, J. van [Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, University of Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands)

1998-01-01

In earliest cosmic history the universe started with matter and not with antimatter. Shortly after the beginning the electroweak interaction - prominent in nuclear {beta} decay - acted as a left-hander. Much later, in pre biotic evolution, optically left-handed amino acids determined the unique signature of following terrestrial organic life. Again ae- ons later, homo sapiens appears as predominantly right handed and creates cultures with many broken symmetries. Along these pathways of history it was essential that choices were made - left or right, matter or antimatter - but on several instances it seemed less relevant which choice were made. We think that biochirality occurred by global chance; perhaps by local necessity, but without causal links to the PCT theorem. In other cases - e.g. the standardization to right-handed screws - the choice will have been made by causal necessity. (author) 14 refs, 8 figs, 1 tab

Non-chondritic iron isotope ratios in planetary mantles as a result of core formation

Science.gov (United States)

Elardo, Stephen M.; Shahar, Anat

2017-02-01

Information about the materials and conditions involved in planetary formation and differentiation in the early Solar System is recorded in iron isotope ratios. Samples from Earth, the Moon, Mars and the asteroid Vesta reveal significant variations in iron isotope ratios, but the sources of these variations remain uncertain. Here we present experiments that demonstrate that under the conditions of planetary core formation expected for the Moon, Mars and Vesta, iron isotopes fractionate between metal and silicate due to the presence of nickel, and enrich the bodies' mantles in isotopically light iron. However, the effect of nickel diminishes at higher temperatures: under conditions expected for Earth's core formation, we infer little fractionation of iron isotopes. From our experimental results and existing conceptual models of magma ocean crystallization and mantle partial melting, we find that nickel-induced fractionation can explain iron isotope variability found in planetary samples without invoking nebular or accretionary processes. We suggest that near-chondritic iron isotope ratios of basalts from Mars and Vesta, as well as the most primitive lunar basalts, were achieved by melting of isotopically light mantles, whereas the heavy iron isotope ratios of terrestrial ocean floor basalts are the result of melting of near-chondritic Earth mantle.

Origin of Volatiles in Earth: Indigenous Versus Exogenous Sources Based on Highly Siderophile, Volatile Siderophile, and Light Volatile Elements

Science.gov (United States)

Righter, K.; Danielson, L.; Pando, K. M.; Marin, N.; Nickodem, K.

2015-01-01

Origin of Earth's volatiles has traditionally been ascribed to late accretion of material after major differentiation events - chondrites, comets, ice or other exogenous sources. A competing theory is that the Earth accreted its volatiles as it was built, thus water and other building blocks were present early and during differentiation and core formation (indigenous). Here we discuss geochemical evidence from three groups of elements that suggests Earth's volatiles were acquired during accretion and did not require additional sources after differentiation.

Melting of the Primitive Mercurian Mantle, Insights into the Origin of Its Surface Composition

Science.gov (United States)

Boujibar, A.; Righter, K.; Rapp, J. F.; Ross, D. K.; Pando, K. M.; Danielson, L. R.; Fontaine, E.

2016-01-01

Recent findings of the MESSENGER mission on Mercury have brought new evidence for its reducing nature, widespread volcanism and surface compositional heteregeneity. MESSENGER also provided major elemental ratios of its surface that can be used to infer large-scale differentiation processes and the thermal history of the planet. Mercury is known as being very reduced, with very low Fe-content and high S and alkali contents on its surface. Its bulk composition is therefore likely close to EH enstatite chondrites. In order to elucidate the origin of the chemical diversity of Mercury's surface, we determined the melting properties of EH enstatite chondrites, at pressures between 1 bar and 3 GPa and oxygen fugacity of IW-3 to IW-5, using piston-cylinder experiments, combined with a previous study on EH4 melting at 1 bar. We found that the presence of Ca-rich sulfide melts induces significant decrease of Ca-content in silicate melts at low pressure and low degree of melting (F). Also at pressures lower than 3 GPa, the SiO2-content decreases with F, while it increases at 3 GPa. This is likely due to the chemical composition of the bulk silicate which has a (Mg+Fe+Ca)/Si ratio very close to 1 and to the change from incongruent to congruent melting of enstatite. We then tested whether the various chemical compositions of Mercury's surface can result from mixing between two melting products of EH chondrites. We found that the majority of the geochemical provinces of Mercury's surface can be explained by mixing of two melts, with the exception of the High-Al plains that require an Al-rich source. Our findings indicate that Mercury's surface could have been produced by polybaric melting of a relatively primitive mantle.

Park Forest (L5) and the asteroidal source of shocked L chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Matthias M. M.; Welten, Kees C.; Riebe, My E. I.; Caffee, Marc W.; Gritsevich, Maria; Maden, Colin; Busemann, Henner

2017-08-01

The Park Forest (L5) meteorite fell in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois (USA) on March 26, 2003. It is one of the currently 25 meteorites for which photographic documentation of the fireball enabled the reconstruction of the meteoroid orbit. The combination of orbits with pre-atmospheric sizes, cosmic-ray exposure (CRE), and radiogenic gas retention ages ("cosmic histories") is significant because they can be used to constrain the meteoroid's "birth region," and test models of meteoroid delivery. Using He, Ne, Ar, 10Be, and 26Al, as well as a dynamical model, we show that the Park Forest meteoroid had a pre-atmospheric size close to 180 g cm-2, 0-40% porosity, and a pre-atmospheric mass range of 2-6 tons. It has a CRE age of 14 ± 2 Ma, and (U, Th)-He and K-Ar ages of 430 ± 90 and 490 ± 70 Ma, respectively. Of the meteorites with photographic orbits, Park Forest is the second (after Novato) that was shocked during the L chondrite parent body (LCPB) break-up event approximately 470 Ma ago. The suggested association of this event with the formation of the Gefion family of asteroids has recently been challenged and we suggest the Ino family as a potential alternative source for the shocked L chondrites. The location of the LCPB break-up event close to the 5:2 resonance also allows us to put some constraints on the possible orbital migration paths of the Park Forest meteoroid.

Zhamanshin astrobleme provides evidence for carbonaceous chondrite and post-impact exchange between ejecta and Earth's atmosphere

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Magna, T.; Žák, Karel; Pack, A.; Moynier, F.; Mougel, B.; Peters, S.; Skála, Roman; Jonášová, Šárka; Mizera, Jiří; Řanda, Zdeněk

2017-01-01

Roč. 8, AUG 9 2017 (2017), č. článku 227. ISSN 2041-1723 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-22351S Institutional support: RVO:67985831 ; RVO:61389005 Keywords : chondrite * moldavites * Zhamanshin astrobleme, Kazakhstan Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy; CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation (UJF-V) OBOR OECD: Geology; Analytical chemistry (UJF-V) Impact factor: 12.124, year: 2016

Bright Stuff on Ceres = Sulfates and Carbonates on CI Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Zolensky, Michael; Chan, Queenie H. S.; Gounelle, Matthieu; Fries, Marc

2016-01-01

Recent reports of the DAWN spacecraft's observations of the surface of Ceres indicate that there are bright areas, which can be explained by large amounts of the Mg sulfate hexahydrate (MgSO4•6(H2O)), although the identification appears tenuous. There are preliminary indications that water is being evolved from these bright areas, and some have inferred that these might be sites of contemporary hydro-volcanism. A heat source for such modern activity is not obvious, given the small size of Ceres, lack of any tidal forces from nearby giant planets, probable age and presumed bulk composition. We contend that observations of chondritic materials in the lab shed light on the nature of the bright spots on Ceres

Origin, composition and quality of suspended particulate organic matter in relation to freshwater inflow in a South Texas estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Lebreton, Benoit; Beseres Pollack, Jennifer; Blomberg, Brittany; Palmer, Terence A.; Adams, Leslie; Guillou, Gaël; Montagna, Paul A.

2016-03-01

South Texas has a semi-arid climate with a large interannual variability of freshwater inflows. This study sought to define how changes in freshwater inflow affect the composition, quantity and quality of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) in a South Texas estuary: the Mission-Aransas estuary. The study was implemented 1.5 months after a large rain event in September 2010 and continued for 10 months of drought conditions. The composition of SPOM originating from rivers, the Gulf of Mexico and the estuary were determined using stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S). The quantity and quality of SPOM were assessed using organic carbon content, chlorophyll a concentrations and C/chl a ratios. Our results demonstrated that autochthonous phytoplankton was the dominant component of SPOM in the Mission-Aransas estuary during droughts. Benthic organic matter from local primary producers (i.e., seagrass, salt marsh plants, benthic microalgae) did not influence SPOM composition, either as fresh material or as detritus. A comparison with a positive estuary (i.e., Sabine-Neches estuary, TX) indicates that decreases in freshwater inflow may lead to decreases of terrestrial organic matter inputs and to increase the ratio of autochtonous phytoplanktonic material in SPOM.

40Ar/39Ar age and thermal history of the Kirin chondrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.; McDougall, I.; Tetley, N.; Harrison, T.M.

1980-01-01

The Kirin meteorite, a large (> 2800 kg) H5 chondrite, fell in Kirin Province, China in 1976. A sample from each of the two largest fragments (K-1. K-2) yield 40 Ar/ 39 Ar total fusion ages of 3.63 +- 0.02 b.y. and 2.78 +- 0.02 b.y. respectively. 40 Ar/ 40 Ar age spectra show typical diffusional argon loss profiles. Maximum apparent ages of 4.36 b.y. (K-1) and approx. 4.0 b.y. (K-2) are interpreted as possible minimum estimates for the age of crystallization of the parent body. (orig./ME)

Original Copies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Tim Flohr

2013-01-01

of similarity by looking at artefactual similarity as the results of prototyping and as a production of simulacra. In this light, the concept of copying turns out to be more than simply a matter of trying to imitate an exotic or prestigious original, and it fundamentally raises the question how different a copy...

The Origin of the Chemical Elements, 1

Science.gov (United States)

Selbin, Joel

1973-01-01

The problem of the origin is inextricably interwoven with such matters as the origin of the universe, the structure and evolution of galaxies, stars and other astronomical objects, and with nuclear physics. (Author/DF)

Curie's hypotheses concerning radioactivity and the origin of the elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuroda, P.K.

1999-01-01

Pierre Curie gave two hypotheses at first; (1) It can be supposed that the radioactive substances borrow the energy, which they release, from an external radiation, and their radiation would then be a secondary radiation, (2) It can be supposed that the radioactive substances draw from themselves the energy which they release. The second hypothesis has shown the more fertile in explaining the properties of the radioactive substances. Consequently, the first hypothesis became more or less forgotten. It appears, however, the first hypothesis should play an important role in explaining the phenomena concerning the origin of the elements. The Oklo Phenomenon has demonstrated that a nuclear fire had once existed on our planet earth and formation of heavy elements was occurring in nature. The author pointed out that the difference in the isotopic compositions of xenon found in meteorites, lunar samples and in the earth's atmosphere can only be explained as due to the alterations of the isotropic compositions of xenon by combined effect of (a) mass-fractionation, (b) spallation, and (c) stellar temperature neutron-capture reactions. The strange xenon components are not isotopically pure substance. Instead, xenon-HL is a mixture of the 244 Pu fission xenon and the xenon whose isotopic compositions is severely altered by a combined effect of the processes (a), (b) and (c) mentioned above. These results also indicate that C1 carbonaceous chondrites, which is generally as the most primitive sample of the solar system material, began to retain its xenon 5.1 billion years ago, when the plutonium to uranium ratio in the solar system was as high as almost 0.6 (atom/atom), while the C2 carbonaceous chondrite began to retain their xenon about 150 million years later and the ordinary chondrites and achondrite about 500 to 600 million years later. This means that the birth of the solar system began soon after the last supernova exploded about 5.1 billion years ago, and the generally

Ordinary Chondrites Viewed as Reassembled 'Splash Ejecta'

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, I. S.

1995-09-01

A case has already been made favouring chondrites as re-assembled "splash ejecta" following low velocity collisions between molten planetesimals[1]. Here I briefly review this hypothesis, then develop further arguments in its support. The scenario envisaged may be summarized as follows. Planetesimals grew to radii greater than 30 km in less than 1 Ma after the formation of CAIs, and they were heated rapidly by the decay of 26Al. By 2 Ma each planetesimal had a molten interior insulated by a cool, dusty carapace. Low velocity collisions at this stage released enormous, turbulent, expanding clouds of incandescent spray mixed with dust and solid grains from the carapace. The cloud constituted a rather special, transient nebular environment; as it cooled the melt droplets became chondrules. Much of the cloud's contents re-assembled under gravity onto the surface of the hot, residual planetesimal and the accumulated debris became re-heated and metamorphosed. Collisions recurred over the few million years that relative velocities remained low and planetesimals remained molten. Thus, the cumulative debris contained many recycled and broken chondrules. This scenario is apparently reconcilable with chondrule cooling rates, the preservation of clasts of "planetary" rock in chondrites, the retention of volatiles in chondrules, the preservation of solar chemistry and more than a dozen other features. Is it reasonable to claim that 30 km radius bodies existed by 1 Ma, and were substantially molten by 2 Ma? Cameron[2] argued that CAIs were saved from drifting into the sun by their incorporation, soon after formation, into planetesimals whose mass was sufficient to hold them in orbits, decoupled from the drag of nebular gas. Wetherill's models [3] show that many bodies >100 km radius may have formed on a timescale of 10^5 years. In these terms, the proposed 30 km by 1 Ma is quite conservative. Regarding 26Al heating, the remarkably constant initial ratio of 26Al/27Al (5 x 10

Matter and cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Effenberger, R.

1974-09-01

The author summarizes some of the many questions and answers which have been raised over the years regarding the nature of matter, the origin of its forms and the associated concept of cosmology including the formation of the universe, our place in it and its course of evolution. An examination of the development of the classical concept of matter and its subsequent transformations within the space-time fields of relativity and quantum theory is also presented

Ordered mixed-layer structures in the Mighei carbonaceous chondrite matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Mackinnon, I. D. R.

1982-01-01

High resolution transmission electron microscopy of the Mighei carbonaceous chondrite matrix has revealed the presence of a new mixed layer structure material. This mixed-layer material consists of an ordered arrangement of serpentine-type (S) and brucite-type (B) layers in the sequence SBBSBB. Electron diffraction and imaging techniques show that the basal periodicity is approximately 17 A. Discrete crystals of SBB-type material are typically curved, of small size (less than 1 micron) and show structural variations similar to the serpentine group minerals. Mixed-layer material also occurs in association with planar serpentine. Characteristics of SBB-type material are not consistent with known terrestrial mixed-layer clay minerals. Evidence for formation by a condensation event or by subsequent alteration of pre-existing material is not yet apparent.

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF IRRADIATION-DRIVEN HYDROGEN ISOTOPE FRACTIONATION IN ANALOGS OF PROTOPLANETARY HYDROUS SILICATE DUST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roskosz, Mathieu; Remusat, Laurent [IMPMC, CNRS UMR 7590, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, IRD, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, Paris F-75231 (France); Laurent, Boris; Leroux, Hugues, E-mail: mathieu.roskosz@mnhn.fr [Unité Matériaux et Transformations, Université Lille 1, CNRS UMR 8207, Bâtiment C6, F-59655 Villeneuve d’Ascq (France)

2016-11-20

The origin of hydrogen in chondritic components is poorly understood. Their isotopic composition is heavier than the solar nebula gas. In addition, in most meteorites, hydrous silicates are found to be lighter than the coexisting organic matter. Ionizing irradiation recently emerged as an efficient hydrogen fractionating process in organics, but its effect on H-bearing silicates remains essentially unknown. We report the evolution of the D/H of hydrous silicates experimentally irradiated by electrons. Thin films of amorphous silica, amorphous “serpentine,” and pellets of crystalline muscovite were irradiated at 4 and 30 keV. For all samples, irradiation leads to a large hydrogen loss correlated with a moderate deuterium enrichment of the solid residue. The entire data set can be described by a Rayleigh distillation. The calculated fractionation factor is consistent with a kinetically controlled fractionation during the loss of hydrogen. Furthermore, for a given ionizing condition, the deuteration of the silicate residues is much lower than the deuteration measured on irradiated organic macromolecules. These results provide firm evidence of the limitations of ionizing irradiation as a driving mechanism for D-enrichment of silicate materials. The isotopic composition of the silicate dust cannot rise from a protosolar to a chondritic signature during solar irradiations. More importantly, these results imply that irradiation of the disk naturally induces a strong decoupling of the isotopic signatures of coexisting organics and silicates. This decoupling is consistent with the systematic difference observed between the heavy organic matter and the lighter water typically associated with minerals in the matrix of most carbonaceous chondrites.

Orbital evolution and origin of the Martian satellites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szeto, A.M.K.

1983-01-01

The orbital evolution of the Martian satellites is considered from a dynamical point of view. Celestial mechanics relevant to the calculation of satellite orbital evolution is introduced and the physical parameters to be incorporated in the modeling of tidal dissipation are discussed. Results of extrapolating the satellite orbits backward and forward in time are presented and compared with those of other published work. Collision probability calculations and results for the Martian satellite system are presented and discussed. The implications of these calculations for the origin scenarios of the satellites are assessed. It is concluded that Deimos in its present form could not have been captured, for if it had been, it would have collided with Phobos at some point. An accretion model is therefore preferred over capture, although such a model consistent with the likely carbonaceous chondritic composition of the satellites has yet to be established. 91 references

The role of white matter lesions in cognitive impairment of vascular origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazakov, D.

2003-01-01

Abnormalities involving the cerebral white matter, in particular the centrum semiovale, are a subject of great current interest. Partly this is because modern neuroimaging methods detect white matter changes with increasing frequency in persons older than 60 years and also because these abnormalities may be associated with specific neuro behavioral deficits, including cognitive impairment. The significance of these changes, as well as their pathophysiological background is incompletely understood. The aim of this paper is to critically review the existing knowledge about the role of the white matter lesions, based on the critical analysis of over 100 publications (most appearing in the last decade). (author)

VNIR Reflectance and MIR Emissivity Spectra of Ordinary Chondrite Meteorites Under Simulated Asteroid Surface Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Gemma, M.; Shirley, K.; Glotch, T. D.; Ebel, D. S. S.

2017-12-01

Recent missions have revealed much about the nature of many Near-Earth asteroids, including the NEAR-Shoemaker target 433 Eros and Hayabusa target 25142 Itokawa. Both asteroids appear to have mineralogy consistent with ordinary chondrite meteorites. Laboratory spectral analysis of well-constrained meteorite samples can be employed as a reference tool to characterize and constrain data from current and future asteroid studies. A sample set of ordinary chondrite meteorites was chosen from the collection at the American Museum of Natural History. Six meteorites, spanning groups H, L, and LL, were prepared at four different size fractions (25-63 μm, 63-90 μm, 90-125 μm, 125-250 μm) in an attempt to mimic regolith known to exist on asteroids such as 433 Eros and 25142 Itokawa. At the Center for Planetary Exploration at Stony Brook University, spectra of the ordinary chondrite material were measured under simulated asteroid surface conditions ( 10-6 mbar, 150 K chamber temperature, low intensity illumination). The samples were used in two experiments: one measuring visible and near-infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectra at a series of temperatures, and the other measuring mid-infrared (MIR) emissivity spectra. The emissivity measurements require accurate simulation of the thermal environment within asteroid regolith, achieved by inducing a thermal gradient within the sample that results in a surface brightness temperature around 323 K (similar to the surface of 25142 Itokawa). Mid-IR emissivity spectra were collected for each sample at a surface temperature of 323 K, and reflectance spectra were collected in increments of 10 K, over the range 283 K to 373 K. Preliminary VNIR spectra show spreads similar to those seen in Hinrichs and Lucey (2002). Preliminary MIR emissivity spectra suggest that under asteroid surface conditions, the position of the Christiansen feature shifts to shorter wavelengths and emissivity is lower in the Reststrahlen bands when compared to

57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy studies of chondritic meteorites from the Atacama Desert, Chile: Implications for weathering processes

Science.gov (United States)

Munayco, P.; Munayco, J.; Valenzuela, M.; Rochette, P.; Gattacceca, J.; Scorzelli, R. B.

2014-01-01

Some terrestrial areas have climatic and geomorphologic features that favor the preservation, and therefore, accumulation of meteorites. The Atacama Desert in Chile is among the most important of such areas, known as dense collection areas. This desert is the driest on Earth, one of the most arid, uninhabitable locals with semi-arid, arid and hyper-arid conditions. The meteorites studied here were collected from within the dense collection area of San Juan at the Central Depression and Coastal Range of Atacama Desert. 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used for quantitative analysis of the degree of weathering of the meteorites, through the determination of the proportions of the various Fe-bearing phases and in particular the amount of oxidized iron in the terrestrial alteration products. The abundance of ferric ions in weathered chondrites can be related to specific precursor compositions and to the level of terrestrial weathering. The aim of the study was the identification, quantification and differentiation of the weathering products in the ordinary chondrites found in the San Juan area of Atacama Desert.

Early Solar System Alkali Fractionation Events Recorded by K-Ca Isotopes in the Yamato-74442 LL-Chondritic Breccia

Science.gov (United States)

Tatsunori, T.; Misawa, K.; Okano, O.; Shih, C.-Y.; Nyquist, L. E.; Simon, J. I.; Tappa, M. J.; Yoneda, S.

2015-01-01

Radiogenic ingrowth of Ca-40 due to decay of K-40 occurred early in the solar system history causing the Ca-40 abundance to vary within different early-former reservoirs. Marshall and DePaolo ] demonstrated that the K-40/Ca-40 decay system could be a useful radiogenic tracer for studies of terrestrial rocks. Shih et al. [3,4] determined 40K/40Ca ages of lunar granitic rock fragments and discussed the chemical characteristics of their source materials. Recently, Yokoyama et al. [5] showed the application of the K-40/Ca-40 chronometer for high K/Ca materials in ordinary chondrites (OCs). High-precision calcium isotopic data are needed to constrain mixing processes among early solar system materials and the time of planetesimal formation. To better constrain the solar system calcium isotopic compositions among astromaterials, we have determined the calcium isotopic compositions of OCs and an angrite. We further estimated a source K/Ca ratio for alkali-rich fragments in a chondritic breccia using the estimated solar system initial Ca-40/Ca-44.

Origin and fate of particulate and dissolved organic matter in a naturally iron-fertilized region of the Southern Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, L.; Caparros, J.; Leblanc, K.; Obernosterer, I.

2015-01-01

Natural iron fertilization of high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) waters induces annually occurring spring phytoplankton blooms off the Kerguelen Islands (Southern Ocean). To examine the origin and fate of particulate and dissolved organic matter (POM and DOM), D- and L-amino acids (AA) were quantified at bloom and HNLC stations. Total hydrolyzable AA accounted for 21-25% of surface particulate organic carbon (%POCAA) at the bloom sites, but for 10% at the HNLC site. A marked decrease in %POCAA with depth was observed at the most productive stations leading to values between 3 and 5% below 300 m depth. AA contributed to only 0.9-4.4% of dissolved organic carbon (%DOCAA) at all stations. The only consistent vertical trend was observed at the most productive station (A3-2) where %DOCAA decreased from ~ 2% in the surface waters to 0.9% near 300 m. These AA yields revealed that POM and DOM were more rapidly altered or mineralized at the bloom sites compared to the HNLC site. Alteration state was also assessed by trends in C / N ratio, %D-AA and degradation index. Different molecular markers indicated that POM mostly originated from diatoms and bacteria. The estimated average proportion of POM from intact phytoplankton cells in surface waters was 45% at the bloom station A3-2, but 14% at the HNLC site. Estimates based on D-AA yields indicated that ~ 15% of POM and ~ 30% of DOM was of bacterial origin (cells and cell fragments) at all stations. Surprisingly, the DOM in HNLC waters appeared less altered than the DOM from the bloom, had slightly higher dissolved AA concentrations, and showed no sign of alteration within the water column. Unfavorable conditions for bacterial degradation in HNLC regions can explain these findings. In contrast, large inputs of labile organic molecules and iron likely stimulate the degradation of organic matter (priming effect) and the production of more recalcitrant DOM (microbial carbon pump) during iron-fertilized blooms.

Common Origin of Neutrino Mass, Dark Matter, and Baryogenesis

OpenAIRE

Ma, Ernest

2006-01-01

Combining one established idea with two recent ones, it is pointed out for the first time that three of the outstanding problems of particle physics and cosmology, i.e. neutrino mass, dark matter, and baryogenesis, may have a common solution, arising from the interactions of a single term, with experimentally verifiable consequences.

Gamma-ray lines from radiative dark matter decay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garny, Mathias; Ibarra, Alejandro; Tran, David; Weniger, Christoph

2011-01-01

The decay of dark matter particles which are coupled predominantly to charged leptons has been proposed as a possible origin of excess high-energy positrons and electrons observed by cosmic-ray telescopes PAMELA and Fermi LAT. Even though the dark matter itself is electrically neutral, the tree-level decay of dark matter into charged lepton pairs will generically induce radiative two-body decays of dark matter at the quantum level. Using an effective theory of leptophilic dark matter decay, we calculate the rates of radiative two-body decays for scalar and fermionic dark matter particles. Due to the absence of astrophysical sources of monochromatic gamma rays, the observation of a line in the diffuse gamma-ray spectrum would constitute a strong indication of a particle physics origin of these photons. We estimate the intensity of the gamma-ray line that may be present in the energy range of a few TeV if the dark matter decay interpretation of the leptonic cosmic-ray anomalies is correct and comment on observational prospects of present and future Imaging Cherenkov Telescopes, in particular the CTA

with dark matter

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2012-11-16

Nov 16, 2012 ... November 2012 physics pp. 1271–1274. Radiative see-saw formula in ... on neutrino physics, dark matter and all fermion masses and mixings. ... as such, high-energy accelerators cannot directly test the underlying origin of ...

Early history of Earth's crust-mantle system inferred from hafnium isotopes in chondrites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bizzarro, Martin; Haack, Henning; Rosing, M.

2003-01-01

for the chondrite-forming event. This ¿176 value indicates that Earth's oldest minerals were derived from melts of a mantle source with a time-integrated history of depletion rather than enrichment. The depletion event must have occurred no later than 320 Myr after planetary accretion, consistent with timing......The Lu to Hf decay series has been widely used to understand the nature of Earth's early crust-mantle system. The interpretation, however, of Lu-Hf isotope data requires accurate knowledge of the radioactive decay constant of Lu (¿176), as well as bulk-Earth reference parameters. A recent...

Tracing the origin of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in subterranean estuaries using colored DOM and amino acids

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, T.; Kwon, E.; Kim, G.

2011-12-01

In order to determine the origin of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the subterranean estuary (STE), the mixing zone of fresh terrestrial groundwater and recirculating seawater in a coastal permeable aquifer, we conducted water sampling from two STEs with different geological settings: (1) Jeju Island beaches (Hwasun and Samyang), which are composed of volcanic rocks and sandy sediments, and (2) Hampyeong beach, which is located in a large intertidal, sandy flat zone. The distributions of salinity, total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and colored DOM (CDOM) were measured for groundwater samples in these STEs. In the Hwasun STE, the humic-like peak decreases with increasing salinity, whereas the protein-like peak does not show a clear relationship with salinity. In contrast, in the Samyang STE, both humic-like peak and protein-like peak increase with increasing salinity. These contrasting results indicate that DOM in the Hwasun STE originates mainly from terrestrial inputs, while that in the Samyang STE originates mainly from biological and/or microbial activities. In the Hampyeong STE, we observed good correlations among the biodegradation index, alanine D/L ratios, THAA concentrations, DOC, and CDOM index (both humic-like and protein-like). Together with their geographical distribution patterns, these correlations indicate that DOM in the Hampyeong STE is mainly derived from marine sediments in the course of seawater recirculation. Our study shows that CDOM and amino acids are excellent tracers of DOM in the STE where DOM is derived from diverse sources.

Application of Bayesian belief net in modelling the origin and effects of terrigenous dissolved organic matter in a boreal aquatic ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Rahikainen, Mika; Hoikkala, Laura; Soinne, Helena

2013-04-01

Bayesian belief nets (BBN) are capable of developing holistic understanding of the origin, transportation, and effects of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in ecosystems. The role of riverine DOM, transporting carbon and macronutrients N and P into lakes and coastal areas, has been largely neglected in research about processes influencing aquatic ecosystem functions although dissolved organic matter provides a significant nutrient source for primary producers in aquatic environments. This neglect has also contributed to the environmental policies which are focused in the control of inorganic N and P load. It is of great social and economic interest to gain improved knowledge of whether the currently applied policy instruments act in synchrony in mitigating eutrophication caused by N and P versus DOM load. DOM is a complex mixture of compounds that are poorly characterized. DOM export is strongly regulated by land use (urban, forest, agricultural land, peat land), in addition to soil type and soil organic carbon concentration. Furthermore, the composition of DOM varies according to its origin. The fate and effects of DOM loads in the fresh water and coastal environments depend, for example, on their biodegradability. Degradation kinetics again depends on the interactions between composition of the DOM pool and the receiving environment. Impact studies of dissolved organic matter pose a complicated environmental impact assessment challenge for science. There exists strategic uncertainty in the science about the causal dependencies and about the quality of knowledge related to DOM. There is a clear need for systematization in the approach as uncertainty is typically high about many key processes. A cross-sectorial, integrative analysis will aid in focusing on the most relevant issues. A holistic and unambiguous analysis will provide support for policy-decisions and management by indicating which outcome is more probable than another. The task requires coupling complex

Amino Acids and Chirality

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Jamie E.

2012-01-01

Amino acids are among the most heavily studied organic compound class in carbonaceous chondrites. The abundance, distributions, enantiomeric compositions, and stable isotopic ratios of amino acids have been determined in carbonaceous chondrites fi'om a range of classes and petrographic types, with interesting correlations observed between these properties and the class and typc of the chondritcs. In particular, isomeric distributions appear to correlate with parent bodies (chondrite class). In addition, certain chiral amino acids are found in enantiomeric excess in some chondrites. The delivery of these enantiomeric excesses to the early Earth may have contributed to the origin of the homochirality that is central to life on Earth today. This talk will explore the amino acids in carbonaceous chondritcs and their relevance to the origin of life.

Origin and distribution of the organic matter in the distal lobe of the Congo deep-sea fan - A Rock-Eval survey

Science.gov (United States)

Baudin, François; Stetten, Elsa; Schnyder, Johann; Charlier, Karine; Martinez, Philippe; Dennielou, Bernard; Droz, Laurence

2017-08-01

The Congo River, the second largest river in the world, is a major source of organic matter for the deep Atlantic Ocean because of the connection of its estuary to the deep offshore area by a submarine canyon which feeds a vast deep-sea fan. The lobe zone of this deep-sea fan is the final receptacle of the sedimentary inputs presently channelled by the canyon and covers an area of 2500 km². The quantity and the source of organic matter preserved in recent turbiditic sediments from the distal lobe of the Congo deep-sea fan were assessed using Rock-Eval pyrolysis analyses. Six sites, located at approximately 5000 m water-depth, were investigated. The mud-rich sediments of the distal lobe contain high amounts of organic matter ( 3.5 to 4% Corg), the origin of which is a mixture of terrestrial higher-plant debris, soil organic matter and deeply oxidized phytoplanktonic material. Although the respective contribution of terrestrial and marine sources of organic matter cannot be precisely quantified using Rock-Eval analyses, the terrestrial fraction is dominant according to similar hydrogen and oxygen indices of both suspended and bedload sediments from the Congo River and that deposited in the lobe complex. The Rock-Eval signature supports the 70% to 80% of the terrestrial fraction previously estimated using C/N and δ13Corg data. In the background sediment, the organic matter distribution is homogeneous at different scales, from a single turbiditic event to the entire lobe, and changes in accumulation rates only have a limited effect on the quantity and quality of the preserved organic matter. Peculiar areas with chemosynthetic bivalves and/or bacterial mats, explored using ROV Victor 6000, show a Rock-Eval signature similar to background sediment. This high organic carbon content associated to high sedimentation rates (> 2 to 20 mm.yr-1) in the Congo distal lobe complex implies a high burial rate for organic carbon. Consequently, the Congo deep-sea fan represents an

Primordial Molecular Cloud Material in Metal-Rich Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, G. J.

2016-03-01

The menagerie of objects that make up our Solar System reflects the composition of the huge molecular cloud in which the Sun formed, a late addition of short-lived isotopes from an exploding supernova or stellar winds from a neighboring massive star, heating and/or alteration by water in growing planetesimals that modified and segregated the primordial components, and mixing throughout the Solar System. Outer Solar System objects, such as comets, have always been cold, hence minimizing the changes experienced by more processed objects. They are thought to preserve information about the molecular cloud. Elishevah Van Kooten (Natural History Museum of Denmark and the University of Copenhagen) and co-authors in Denmark and at the University of Hawai'i, measured the isotopic compositions of magnesium and chromium in metal-rich carbonaceous chondrites. They found that the meteorites preserve an isotopic signature of primordial molecular cloud materials, providing a potentially detailed record of the molecular cloud's composition and of materials that formed in the outer Solar System.

Molecular and isotope constraints on the formation of the insoluble organic matter of carbonaceous meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Derenne, Sylvie; Robert, François

2017-04-01

The origin of the insoluble organic matter (IOM) of the carbonaceous meteorites remains an unsolved issue despite major achievements in the knowledge of its chemical structure. The latter led us to propose a model for its molecular structure. Based on the relationship between the aromatic moieties of the macromolecular structure and their aliphatic linkages, it was recently suggested that, its synthesis has taken place in the gas phase of the disk surrounding the Sun in its early T-Tauri phase and that organic radicals have played a central role in this organo-synthesis. To test experimentally this pathway, we submitted short hydrocarbons (methane, pentane, octane) to a microwave plasma discharge so as to produce in situ CHx radicals. The black organic residue deposited contained both soluble and insoluble OM. The comparison at the molecular level between the thus synthesized IOM and that of meteorite led to strong similarities thus supporting the proposed pathway for its organo-synthesis. Moreover, in the meteorite IOM, systematic deuterium enrichment relative to the protosolar value is observed at the bulk sample scale and micrometer-sized grains exhibit dramatic enrichments in deuterium interpreted as a heritage of the interstellar medium or resulting from ion-molecule reactions taking place in the diffuse part of the solar disk. In the aforementioned synthesized IOM, NanoSIMS analyses revealed large variations at a sub-micrometric spatial resolution. They likely reflect the differences in the D/H ratios of the CHx radicals whose polymerization is at the origin of the IOM. These isotopic heterogeneities are commensurable with those observed in meteorite IOM. As a consequence, the appearance of organic radicals in the ionized regions of the T-Tauri solar disk may have triggered the formation of organic compounds. This laboratory synthesis thus shed a new light on the formation conditions and pathways of the IOM of carbonaceous chondrites.

Oxygen isotopic composition of relict olivine grains in cosmic spherules: Links to chondrules from carbonaceous chondrites

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rudraswami, N.G.; ShyamPrasad, M.; Nagashima, K.; Jones, R.H.

aluminium rich inclusions (CAIs), amoeboid olivine aggregates (AOAs), and some porphyritic chondrules from carbonaceous chondrites. These grains appear to have recorded the initial oxygen isotopic composition of the inner solar nebula. Three olivine... to the major components of meteorites such as chondrules and calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions (CAIs). CAIs, the first solar system objects in the solar nebula, are formed by condensation of refractory minerals at high temperatures. They are 16O...

Origin of heat-induced structural changes in dissolved organic matter

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Drastík, M.; Novák, František; Kučerík, J.

2013-01-01

Roč. 90, č. 2 (2013), s. 789-795 ISSN 0045-6535 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : dissolved organic matter * humic substances * hydration * hysteresis Subject RIV: DF - Soil Science Impact factor: 3.499, year: 2013

A kinetic study of the formation of organic solids from formaldehyde: Implications for the origin of extraterrestrial organic solids in primitive Solar System objects

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Cody, George D.

2015-03-01

Aqueous organic solid formation from formaldehyde via the formose reaction and subsequent reactions is a possible candidate for the origin of complex primitive chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM) and refractory carbon in comets. The rate of formation of organic solids from formaldehyde was studied as a function of temperature and time, with and without ammonia, in order to derive kinetic expressions for polymer yield. The evolution in molecular structure as a function of time and temperature was studied using infrared spectroscopy. Using these kinetic expressions, the yield of organic solids is estimated for extended time and temperature ranges. For example, the half-life for organic solid formation is ∼5 days at 373 K, ∼200 days at 323 K, and ∼70 years at 273 K with ammonia, and ∼25 days at 373 K, ∼13 years at 323 K, and ∼2 × 104 years at 273 K without ammonia. These results indicate that organic solids could form during the aqueous alteration in meteorite parent bodies. If liquid water existed early in the interiors of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs), formaldehyde could convert into organic solids at temperatures close to 273 K, and possibly even below 273 K in the ammonia-water system.

Origin and composition of particulate organic matter in a macrotidal turbid estuary: The Gironde Estuary, France

Science.gov (United States)

Savoye, Nicolas; David, Valérie; Morisseau, François; Etcheber, Henri; Abril, Gwenaël; Billy, Isabelle; Charlier, Karine; Oggian, Georges; Derriennic, Hervé; Sautour, Benoît

2012-08-01

At the interface between continent and ocean, estuaries receive particles, and especially particulate organic matter (POM) originating from these two reservoirs, but also produce POM, through autochthonous primary production. The origin and composition of surface POM in the Gironde Estuary (SW France) and the environmental forcing of its variability was investigated using the data set produced by the French Coastal Monitoring Network SOMLIT (Service d'Observation en Milieu LITtoral; monthly like sampling during years 2007-2009). This estuary is considered as a model of macrotidal turbid estuaries. Using elemental and isotopic composition of the POM, we estimated that, at the inner estuary space scale and inter-annual time scale, surface particulate organic carbon (POC) was composed of terrestrial POM originated from the turbidity maximum (96.4%; refractory POC) and flood events (1.6%; labile and refractory POC), and of riverine (0.1%), estuarine (0.8%) and marine (1.1%) phytoplankton, i.e. that POC was 98% and 2% of terrestrial and phytoplankton origin, respectively. However, there was a clear spatial gradient: the phytoplankton contribution increases from ca. 1% in the upper and middle estuary to 8.5% in the lower estuary, where light condition is more favourable to plankton growth. The low contribution of phytoplankton to the POC is a characteristic of the Gironde estuary and contrast with other large temperate estuaries. Statistical analysis indicates that salinity, river flow and SPM concentration, and thus associated hydro-dynamic and sedimentary processes, were the only environmental forcings to the composition of surface POC in this system, at intra- and inter-annual time scale. In contrast, temperature and nutrient concentrations, and thus associated processes, do not force this composition of POC. By combining POC fluxes entering the inner estuary (literature data), POC loss as dissolved organic carbon and CO2 and as sediment trapping within the inner

Leptogenesis, Dark Energy, Dark Matter and the neutrinos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkar, Utpal

2007-01-01

In this review we discuss how the models of neutrino masses can accommodate solutions to the problem of matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe, dark energy or cosmological constant problem and dark matter candidates. The matter-antimatter asymmetry is explained by leptogenesis, originating from the lepton number violation associated with the neutrino masses. The dark energy problem is correlated with a mass varying neutrinos, which could originate from a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson. In some radiative models of neutrino masses, there exists a Higgs doublet that does not acquire any vacuum expectation value. This field could be inert and the lightest inert particle could then be a dark matter candidate. We reviewed these scenarios in connection with models of neutrino masses with right-handed neutrinos and with triplet Higgs scalars

Constraining properties of dark matter particles using astrophysical data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Iakubovskyi, Dmytro

2013-01-01

A microscopic origin of dark matter phenomenon is the most plausible hypothesis to explain the mystery of dark matter. The dark matter particle hypothesis necessarily implies an extension of the Standard Model. In this thesis, we undertook a systematic model-independent program of studying the

Abundances of presolar silicon carbide grains in primitive meteorites determined by NanoSIMS

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Jemma; Busemann, Henner; Nittler, Larry R.; Alexander, Conel M. O.'D.; Orthous-Daunay, François-Régis; Franchi, Ian A.; Hoppe, Peter

2014-08-01

It has been suggested that the matrices of all chondrites are dominated by a common material with Ivuna-like (CI) abundances of volatiles, presolar grains and insoluble organic matter (IOM) (e.g., Alexander, 2005). However, matrix-normalized abundances of presolar silicon carbide (SiC) grains estimated from their noble gas components show significant variations in even the most primitive chondrites (Huss and Lewis, 1995; Huss et al., 2003), in contradiction to there being a common chondrite matrix material. Here we report presolar SiC abundances determined by NanoSIMS raster ion imaging of IOM extracted from primitive members of different meteorite groups. We show that presolar SiC abundance determinations are comparable between NanoSIMS instruments located at three different institutes, between residues prepared by different demineralization techniques, and between microtomed and non-microtomed samples. Our derived SiC abundances in CR chondrites are comparable to those found in the CI chondrites (∼30 ppm) and are much higher than previously determined by noble gas analyses. The revised higher CR SiC abundances are consistent with the CRs being amongst the most primitive chondrites in terms of the isotopic compositions and disordered nature of their organic matter. Similar abundances between CR1, CR2, and CR3 chondrites indicate aqueous alteration on the CR chondrite parent body has not progressively destroyed SiC grains in them. A low SiC abundance for the reduced CV3 RBT 04133 can be explained by parent body thermal metamorphism at an estimated temperature of ∼440 °C. Minor differences between primitive members of other meteorite classes, which did not experience such high temperatures, may be explained by prolonged oxidation at lower temperatures under which SiC grains formed outer layers of SiO2 that were not thermodynamically stable, leading to progressive degassing/destruction of SiC.

Spinel-Bearing, Al-Rich Chrondrules in the Unequilibrated Ordinary Chondrite NWA7402

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, D. K.; Simon, J. I.; Cato, M. J.

2017-01-01

Several Al-rich chondrules (ARCs) have been discovered in the unequilibrated ordinary chondrite NWA7402. Two of these three ARCs are spinel-bearing. Here we have characterized these unusual chondrules with respect to their mineralogy and bulk compositions. These objects will be targets for future O and Mg isotope analysis. NWA7402 is clearly unequilibrated, with wide ranges of olivine compositions in chondrules (Fo99-Fo70, excluding rims). Chromium-oxide contents in olivine, and Raman organic spectral parameters support the classification of this meteorite as petrologic type 3.1 [1]. NWA7402 is similar to, and could be paired with NWA5717, in that they both possess light and dark lithologies.

Bioavailability of dissolved organic matter originating from different sources in the River Vantaa

Science.gov (United States)

Hoikkala, Laura; Soinne, Helena; Asmala, Eero; Helin, Janne; Autio, Iida; Rahikainen, Mika

2013-04-01

Most of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool in the Baltic Sea is of terrestrial origin. Organic matter load to the Baltic Sea has been identified as the second greatest environmental pressure both in the Bothnian Bay and in the Gulf of Finland by the HELCOM Holistic Assessment. Loads of terrestrial DOM may increase the productivity, oxygen consumption and light attenuation in the coastal waters. The quantity and quality of DOM loads that enter the Baltic Sea depend on the properties of the catchment area, land use and the runoff as well as ecological processes and water retention time in freshwater systems, and are sensitive to temperature. In this study we investigate DOM loads from River Vantaa, which has a catchment area of 1 685 km2 and flows through the most important population center in Southern Finland into the Gulf of Finland. We focus on the effects of soil type and land-use on the DOM load and on the bioavailability of DOM to bacteria in the Baltic Sea. In addition, samples will be collected from up- and downstream of main water treatment plants to estimate the effect of municipal waste on the DOM loads. Further, we aim to estimate the total DOM loads to the Baltic Sea from samples taken at the river mouth. Water samples are collected from river branches selected according to the main land-use (forest or agricultural land) and soil type (mineral or organic soil) in the catchment area. The DOC, DON and DOP loads will be measured. The bioavailability of DOC is measured by incubating the DOM samples (<0.2 µm) in nutrient replete conditions with bacterial inocula (<0.8 µm, retentate of 100 kD TFF) from either river mouth or the Gulf of Finland for two months at dark. Time courses of DOC and DON concentrations, CDOM absorption and fluorescence, bacterial biomass and respiration will be followed.

Indirect detection of dark matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, J; Lamanna, G; Lavalle, J

2006-01-01

This article is an experimental review of the status and prospects of indirect searches for dark matter. Experiments observe secondary particles such as positrons, antiprotons, antideuterons, gamma-rays and neutrinos which could originate from annihilations of dark matter particles in various locations in the galaxy. Data exist from some experiments which have been interpreted as hints of evidence for dark matter. These data and their interpretations are reviewed together with the new experiments which are planned to resolve the puzzles and make new measurements which could give unambiguous results

Geochemical characterization of the Jurassic Amran deposits from Sharab area (SW Yemen): Origin of organic matter, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate conditions during deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Hakimi, Mohammed Hail; Abdullah, Wan Hasiah; Makeen, Yousif M.; Saeed, Shadi A.; Al-Hakame, Hitham; Al-Moliki, Tareq; Al-Sharabi, Kholah Qaid; Hatem, Baleid Ali

2017-05-01

is attributed to the thermal effect on the original organic matter. This high thermal maturity level is due to the presence of volcanic rocks, which have invaded the Jurassic rocks during Late Oligocene to Early Miocene.

Volatile element trends in gas-rich meteorites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bart, G; Lipschutz, M E [Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN (USA). Dept. of Chemistry

1979-09-01

Study of 10 volatile elements (and non-volatile Co) in co-existing light and dark portions of 5 gas-rich chondrites indicates patterns of distinct but non-uniform enrichment of volatile elements. Only Cs is enriched in all samples; Bi and Tl enrichments covary. The observed enrichments are inconsistent with prior suggestions of admixture of C1 or C2 chondritic matter, whether pristine or partly devolatilized, but suggest that both light and dark portions of each chondrite represents a compositionally more extended sampling of parental nebular material than hitherto known.

Low Mass Dark Matter: Some Perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shaolong

2012-01-01

The low mass (10 GeV scale) dark matter is indicted and favored by several recent dark matter direct detection experimental results, such as DAMA and CoGeNT. In this talk, we discuss some aspects of the low mass dark matter. We study the indirect detection of dark matter through neutrino flux from their annihilation in the center of the Sun, in a class of models where the dark matter-nucleon spin-independent interactions break the isospin symmetry. The indirect detection using neutrino telescopes can impose a relatively stronger constraint and brings tension to such explanation, if the dark matter self-annihilation is dominated by heavy quarks or τ-lepton final states. The asymmetric dark matter doesn't suffer the constraints from the indirect detection results. We propose a model of asymmetric dark matter where the matter and dark matter share the common origin, the asymmetries in both the matter and dark matter sectors are simultaneously generated through leptogenesis, and we explore how this model can be tested in direct search experiments.

Curie's hypotheses concerning radioactivity and the origin of the elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuroda, P.K.

1999-09-01

Pierre Curie gave two hypotheses at first; (1) It can be supposed that the radioactive substances borrow the energy, which they release, from an external radiation, and their radiation would then be a secondary radiation, (2) It can be supposed that the radioactive substances draw from themselves the energy which they release. The second hypothesis has shown the more fertile in explaining the properties of the radioactive substances. Consequently, the first hypothesis became more or less forgotten. It appears, however, the first hypothesis should play an important role in explaining the phenomena concerning the origin of the elements. The Oklo Phenomenon has demonstrated that a nuclear fire had once existed on our planet earth and formation of heavy elements was occurring in nature. The author pointed out that the difference in the isotopic compositions of xenon found in meteorites, lunar samples and in the earth's atmosphere can only be explained as due to the alterations of the isotropic compositions of xenon by combined effect of (a) mass-fractionation, (b) spallation, and (c) stellar temperature neutron-capture reactions. The strange xenon components are not isotopically pure substance. Instead, xenon-HL is a mixture of the {sup 244}Pu fission xenon and the xenon whose isotopic compositions is severely altered by a combined effect of the processes (a), (b) and (c) mentioned above. These results also indicate that C1 carbonaceous chondrites, which is generally as the most primitive sample of the solar system material, began to retain its xenon 5.1 billion years ago, when the plutonium to uranium ratio in the solar system was as high as almost 0.6 (atom/atom), while the C2 carbonaceous chondrite began to retain their xenon about 150 million years later and the ordinary chondrites and achondrite about 500 to 600 million years later. This means that the birth of the solar system began soon after the last supernova exploded about 5.1 billion years ago, and the

Amino acid compositions in heated carbonaceous chondrites and their compound-specific nitrogen isotopic ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Queenie Hoi Shan; Chikaraishi, Yoshito; Takano, Yoshinori; Ogawa, Nanako O.; Ohkouchi, Naohiko

2016-01-01

A novel method has been developed for compound-specific nitrogen isotope compositions with an achiral column which was previously shown to offer high precision for nitrogen isotopic analysis. We applied the method to determine the amino acid contents and stable nitrogen isotopic compositions of individual amino acids from the thermally metamorphosed (above 500 °C) Antarctic carbonaceous chondrites Ivuna-like (CI)1 (or CI-like) Yamato (Y) 980115 and Ornans-like (CO)3.5 Allan Hills (ALH) A77003 with the use of gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry. ALHA77003 was deprived of amino acids due to its extended thermal alteration history. Amino acids were unambiguously identified in Y-980115, and the δ15N values of selected amino acids (glycine +144.8 ‰; α-alanine +121.2 ‰) are clearly extraterrestrial. Y-980115 has experienced an extended period of aqueous alteration as indicated by the presence of hydrous mineral phases. It has also been exposed to at least one post-hydration short-lived thermal metamorphism. Glycine and alanine were possibly produced shortly after the accretion event of the asteroid parent body during the course of an extensive aqueous alteration event and have abstained from the short-term post-aqueous alteration heating due to the heterogeneity of the parent body composition and porosity. These carbonaceous chondrite samples are good analogs that offer important insights into the target asteroid Ryugu of the Hayabusa-2 mission, which is a C-type asteroid likely composed of heterogeneous materials including hydrated and dehydrated minerals.

Origin and distribution of hydrocarbons and organic matter in the surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea)

OpenAIRE

Zaghden, H.; Tedetti, Marc; Sayadi, S.; Serbaji, M. M.; Elleuch, B.; Saliot, A.

2017-01-01

International audience; We investigated the origin and distribution of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs and PAHs)and organic matter (OM) in surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia,Southern Mediterranean Sea). TOC, AH and PAH concentrations ranged 2.3–11.7%, 8–174 μg g−1 sed. dw and175–10,769 ng g−1 sed. dw, respectively. The lowest concentrations were recorded in the channel (mediumsand sediment) and the highest ones in the Sfax harbo...

A New Method of Absorption-Phase Nanotomography for 3D Observation of Mineral-Organic-Water Textiles and its Application to Pristine Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchiyama, A.; Nakato, A.; Matsuno, J.; Sugimoto, M.; Uesugi, K.; Takeuchi, A.; Nakano, T.; Vaccaro, E.; Russel, S.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.;

Foreign matter identification from solid dosage forms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pekka Pajander, Jari; Haugshøj, Kenneth Brian; Bjørneboe, Kathrine

2013-01-01

Despite the increased request for robust quality systems, the end product may contain unidentified defects or discoloured regions. The foreign matter has to be monitored, identified and its source defined in order to prevent further contamination. However, the identification task can be complicated......, since the origin and nature of foreign matter are various. The aim of this study is to provide an efficient foreign matter identification procedure for various substances possibly originating from pharmaceutical manufacturing environment. The surface or cross-section of the uncoated and coated tablets...... was analysed by utilization of different analytical techniques, such as light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (To...

Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorites: the Chronicle of a Potential Evolutionary Path between Stars and Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzarello, Sandra; Shock, Everett

2017-09-01

The biogenic elements, H, C, N, O, P and S, have a long cosmic history, whose evolution can still be observed in diverse locales of the known universe, from interstellar clouds of gas and dust, to pre-stellar cores, nebulas, protoplanetary discs, planets and planetesimals. The best analytical window into this cosmochemical evolution as it neared Earth has been provided so far by the small bodies of the Solar System, some of which were not significantly altered by the high gravitational pressures and temperatures that accompanied the formation of larger planets and may carry a pristine record of early nebular chemistry. Asteroids have delivered such records, as their fragments reach the Earth frequently and become available for laboratory analyses. The Carbonaceous Chondrite meteorites (CC) are a group of such fragments with the further distinction of containing abundant organic materials with structures as diverse as kerogen-like macromolecules and simpler compounds with identical counterparts in Earth's biosphere. All have revealed a lineage to cosmochemical synthetic regimes. Several CC show that asteroids underwent aqueous alteration of their minerals or rock metamorphism but may yet yield clues to the reactivity of organic compounds during parent-body processes, on asteroids as well as larger ocean worlds and planets. Whether the exogenous delivery by meteorites held an advantage in Earth's molecular evolution remains an open question as many others regarding the origins of life are. Nonetheless, the natural samples of meteorites allow exploring the physical and chemical processes that might have led to a selected chemical pool amenable to the onset of life. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Rb-Sr Isotopic Systematics of Alkali-Rich Fragments in the Yamato-74442 LL-Chondritic Breccia

Science.gov (United States)

Yokoyama, T.; Misawa, K.; Okano, O.; Shih, C.-Y.; Nyquist, L. E.; Simo, J. I.; Tappa, M. J.; Yoneda, S.

2012-01-01

Alkali-rich igneous fragments were identified in the brecciated LL-chondrites, Kr henberg (LL5)], Bhola (LL3-6) and Yamato (Y)-74442 (LL4), and show characteristic fractionation patterns of alkaline elements. The K-Rb-Cs-rich fragments in Kr henberg, Bhola, and Y-74442 are very similar in mineralogy and petrography (olivine + pyroxene + glass), suggesting that they could have come from related precursor materials. We have undertaken Rb-Sr isotopic studies on alkali-rich fragments in Y-74442 to precisely determine their crystallization ages and the isotopic signatures of their precursor material(s).

Life Origination Hydrate Hypothesis (LOH-Hypothesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Ostrovskii

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper develops the Life Origination Hydrate Hypothesis (LOH-hypothesis, according to which living-matter simplest elements (LMSEs, which are N-bases, riboses, nucleosides, nucleotides, DNA- and RNA-like molecules, amino-acids, and proto-cells repeatedly originated on the basis of thermodynamically controlled, natural, and inevitable processes governed by universal physical and chemical laws from CH4, niters, and phosphates under the Earth's surface or seabed within the crystal cavities of the honeycomb methane-hydrate structure at low temperatures; the chemical processes passed slowly through all successive chemical steps in the direction that is determined by a gradual decrease in the Gibbs free energy of reacting systems. The hypothesis formulation method is based on the thermodynamic directedness of natural movement and consists ofan attempt to mentally backtrack on the progression of nature and thus reveal principal milestones alongits route. The changes in Gibbs free energy are estimated for different steps of the living-matter origination process; special attention is paid to the processes of proto-cell formation. Just the occurrence of the gas-hydrate periodic honeycomb matrix filled with LMSEs almost completely in its final state accounts for size limitation in the DNA functional groups and the nonrandom location of N-bases in the DNA chains. The slowness of the low-temperature chemical transformations and their “thermodynamic front” guide the gross process of living matter origination and its successive steps. It is shown that the hypothesis is thermodynamically justified and testable and that many observed natural phenomena count in its favor.

Ion microprobe analyses of oxygen three-isotope ratios of chondrules from the Sayh al Uhaymir 290 CH chondrite using a multiple-hole disk

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nakashima, D.; Ushikubo, T.; Gowda, R.N.; Kita, N.T.; Valley, J.W.; Naga, K.

Author version: Meteorit. Planet. Sci., vol.46(6); 2011; 857-874 Ion microprobe analyses of oxygen three isotope ratios of chondrules from the Sayh al Uhaymir 290 CH chondrite using a multiple-hole disk Daisuke Nakashima 1,2,* , Takayuki Ushikubo...

The radiation shielding potential of CI and CM chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, Leos; Britt, Daniel T.

2017-03-01

Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) pose a serious limit on the duration of deep space human missions. A shield composed of a bulk mass of material in which the incident particles deposit their energy is the simplest way to attenuate the radiation. The cost of bringing the sufficient mass from the Earth's surface is prohibitive. The shielding properties of asteroidal material, which is readily available in space, are investigated. Solution of Bethe's equation is implemented for incident protons and the application in composite materials and the significance of various correction terms are discussed; the density correction is implemented. The solution is benchmarked and shows good agreement with the results in literature which implement more correction terms within the energy ranges considered. The shielding properties of CI and CM asteroidal taxonomy groups and major asteroidal minerals are presented in terms of stopping force. The results show that CI and CM chondrites have better stopping properties than Aluminium. Beneficiation is discussed and is shown to have a significant effect on the stopping power.

Genealogy of Iron and Pallasite Meteorites as Revealed by Cr Isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Sanborn, M.; Yin, Q. Z.; Ziegler, K. G.

2017-12-01

The parent bodies and/or chemical reservoirs from which iron and stony-iron meteorites originated are not very well understood. It is unclear if particular groups of iron or stony-iron meteorites originated from melting of already known chondritic parent bodies or are representating new chemical reservoirs. Potential connections between iron meteorites and pallasites and known parent bodies have been suggested based on oxygen isotopes. Proposed genetic relationships include the IVA irons with ordinary chondrites1 and the anomalous pallasite Eagle Station with the CV chondrites2. Here, we use the power of Cr isotopes to further resolve potential connections between IVA irons and pallasites and specific parent bodies. Our new measurements of Cr isotopic composition of silicate inclusions from two IVA irons, Steinbach and São João Nepomuceno, are shown to be indistinguishable from that of the ordinary chondrites. Coupling Cr with oxygen indicates the IVA irons likely originated from the same source as LL chondrites. In contrast with Eagle Station, the new Cr isotope measurements combined with oxygen indicates the MGP Brenham and Krasnojarsk sampled a source material similar to that of the anomalous HEDs. As with Eagle Station, the Milton pallasite exhibits a carbonaceous chondrite (CC) Cr isotope composition, indicating that Eagle Station was not the lone case of a pallasite originating from a CC reservoir. By establishing these genetic relationships using Cr isotopes, it is now evident that the differentiation activity sampled by IVA irons and pallasites represents processes occurring on a diverse set of parent bodies in the early Solar System. [1] Ruzicka and Hutson (2006) MAPS, 41, 1959. [2] Shukolyukov and Lugmair (2006) EPSL, 250, 200.

A Review of Ideas Concerning Life Origin

Science.gov (United States)

Gindilis, L. M.

2014-10-01

Since the times of Antiquity the and for a long time the idea of self-origination of life was the dominant one. It reappeared again after microorganisms were discovered (XVII century). The possibility of abiogenesis at microbial level was discussed for more than a century. Pateur demonstrated that spontaneous origination of microorganisms in sterile broth was due to those same microorganisms transported by dust particles. Thus proving that every form of life originates from the parental life form. So the question arises: how did the first microorganisms appear on the Earth. There are three possible versions: 1) accidental origination of a viable form; 2) primal organisms were transported to the Earth from outer space; 3) they were formed on the Earth in the process of prebiotic chemical evolution. We discuss the problems of prebiotic evolution from simple monomers up to living cells. An important item of nowadays conceptions of life origination is the hypothesis of the ancient world of RNA as possible precursor of life on Earth. The discovery in carbonaceous chondrites of traces of bacterial life evidences the existence of life in the Solar System even before the formation of the Earth. The idea of life as brought to the Earth out of Cosmos originated under the impression of self-origination hypothesis downfall. It went through several stages (Helmholtz, W. Thompson, XIX century; Arrhenius, early XX century; Hoyle and Wickramasinghe, second half of XX century) and presently evokes constantly growing interest. The panspermia theory does not solve the problem of origination of life, only moves it onto other planets. According to V.A. Mazur, the probability of accidental formation of RNA molecule is negligible not only on the Earth, but in the whole Universe over all the time span of its existence. But it is practically equal to unit in the domain formed at the inflation stage of the evolution of the Universe. A.D.Panov considered panspermia in the Galaxy at the level

Gravity-mediated (or Composite) Dark Matter

CERN Document Server

Lee, Hyun Min; Sanz, Veronica

2014-01-01

Dark matter could have an electroweak origin, yet communicate with the visible sector exclusively through gravitational interactions. In a set-up addressing the hierarchy problem, we propose a new dark matter scenario where gravitational mediators, arising from the compactification of extra-dimensions, are responsible for dark matter interactions and its relic abundance in the Universe. We write an explicit example of this mechanism in warped extra-dimensions and work out its constraints. We also develop a dual picture of the model, based on a four-dimensional scenario with partial compositeness. We show that Gravity-mediated Dark Matter is equivalent to a mechanism of generating viable dark matter scenarios in a strongly-coupled, near-conformal theory, such as in composite Higgs models.

Origin(?) of the Universe

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

weaknesses of the big bang cosmology, conceptual as well as observational. ... They argue that this event marks the origin of the ... a change of the lowest energy state of matter, normally designated as ... Rapid expansion of this kind produces some lasting effects in the universe. .... This attitude coupled with attempted ...

Origins of terrestrial organic matter in surface sediments of the East China Sea shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hailong; Xing, Lei; Zhao, Meixun

2017-10-01

Terrestrial organic matter (TOM) is an important component of marine sedimentary OM, and revealing the origins and transport mechanisms of TOM to the East China Sea (ECS) is important for understanding regional carbon cycle. A novel approach combining molecular proxies and compound-specific carbon isotopes is used to quantitatively constrain the origins and transport mechanisms of TOM in surface sediments from the ECS shelf. The content of terrestrial biomarkers of (C27+C29+C31) n-alkanes (52 to 580 ng g-1) revealed a seaward decreasing trend, the δ13CTOC values (-20.6‰ to -22.7‰) were more negative near the coast, and the TMBR (terrestrial and marine biomarker ratio) values (0.06 to 0.40) also revealed a seaward decreasing trend. These proxies all indicated more TOM (up to 48%) deposition in the coastal areas. The Alkane Index, the ratio of C29/(C29+C31) n-alkanes indicated a higher proportion of grass vegetation in the coastal area; While the δ13C values of C29 n-alkane (-29.3‰ to -33.8‰) indicated that terrestrial plant in the sediments of the ECS shelf were mainly derived from C3 plants. Cluster analysis afforded detailed estimates of different-sourced TOM contributions and transport mechanisms. TOM in the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal area was mostly delivered by the Changjiang River, and characterized by higher %TOM (up to 48%), higher %C3 plant OM (68%-85%) and higher grass plant OM (56%-61%); TOM in the mid-shelf area was mostly transported by aerosols, and characterized by low %TOM (less than 17%), slightly lower C3 plant OM (56%-72%) and lower grass plant OM (49%-55%).

Light in Condensed Matter in the Upper Atmosphere as the Origin of Homochirality: Circularly Polarized Light from Rydberg Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Holmlid, Leif

2009-08-01

Clouds of the condensed excited Rydberg matter (RM) exist in the atmospheres of comets and planetary bodies (most easily observed at Mercury and the Moon), where they surround the entire bodies. Vast such clouds are recently proposed to exist in the upper atmosphere of Earth (giving rise to the enormous features called noctilucent clouds, polar mesospheric clouds, and polar mesospheric summer radar echoes). It has been shown in experiments with RM that linearly polarized visible light scattered from an RM layer is transformed to circularly polarized light with a probability of approximately 50%. The circular Rydberg electrons in the magnetic field in the RM may be chiral scatterers. The magnetic and anisotropic RM medium acts as a circular polarizer probably by delaying one of the perpendicular components of the light wave. The delay process involved is called Rabi-flopping and gives delays of the order of femtoseconds. This strong effect thus gives intense circularly polarized visible and UV light within RM clouds. Amino acids and other chiral molecules will experience a strong interaction with this light field in the upper atmospheres of planets. The interaction will vary with the stereogenic conformation of the molecules and in all probability promote the survival of one enantiomer. Here, this strong effect is proposed to be the origin of homochirality. The formation of amino acids in the RM clouds is probably facilitated by the catalytic effect of RM.

Light in condensed matter in the upper atmosphere as the origin of homochirality: circularly polarized light from Rydberg matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmlid, Leif

2009-01-01

Clouds of the condensed excited Rydberg matter (RM) exist in the atmospheres of comets and planetary bodies (most easily observed at Mercury and the Moon), where they surround the entire bodies. Vast such clouds are recently proposed to exist in the upper atmosphere of Earth (giving rise to the enormous features called noctilucent clouds, polar mesospheric clouds, and polar mesospheric summer radar echoes). It has been shown in experiments with RM that linearly polarized visible light scattered from an RM layer is transformed to circularly polarized light with a probability of approximately 50%. The circular Rydberg electrons in the magnetic field in the RM may be chiral scatterers. The magnetic and anisotropic RM medium acts as a circular polarizer probably by delaying one of the perpendicular components of the light wave. The delay process involved is called Rabi-flopping and gives delays of the order of femtoseconds. This strong effect thus gives intense circularly polarized visible and UV light within RM clouds. Amino acids and other chiral molecules will experience a strong interaction with this light field in the upper atmospheres of planets. The interaction will vary with the stereogenic conformation of the molecules and in all probability promote the survival of one enantiomer. Here, this strong effect is proposed to be the origin of homochirality. The formation of amino acids in the RM clouds is probably facilitated by the catalytic effect of RM.

Characterization and origin of EC and OC particulate matter near the Doñana National Park (SW Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

de la Campa, A M Sánchez; Pio, C; de la Rosa, J D; Querol, X; Alastuey, A; González-Castanedo, Y

2009-08-01

In the South of Spain, major industrial estates (e.g. Huelva) exist alongside ecologically interesting zones (e.g. Doñana National Park). Between June 2005 and June 2006, PM10 and PM2.5 were measured, for total mass, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) chemical composition, at a station in an ecologically interesting area located near Doñana National Park and an urban background area with industrial influence. The mean OC concentration is higher in the urban background (3.5 microg m(-3)) than in the rural monitoring station (2.8 microg m(-3)) as a consequence of local emissions (e.g. traffic). A total of 82% of TC is OC in the rural station, while the urban background station reveals 70% and 73% of TC in the PM10 and PM2.5 mass, respectively. The study of air-mass origin and characterization of carbonaceous species in the course of simultaneous sampling in rural and urban background monitoring stations differentiated three long-range air-mass transports: a North-African dust outbreak, Atlantic Advection and Continental (N-NW) episodes, the origins of the first and last of which are more heavily influenced by the anthropogenic emissions from industrial estates located around the city of Huelva (Punta del Sebo and Nuevo Puerto). Higher values were measured for OC and EC in the study area during the North-African dust outbreak, similar to those obtained during the Continental episode (N-NW), which was clearly influenced by industrial emissions, followed by the Atlantic Advection episodes. The comparison of carbon species with air-mass origin can help to discriminate the origin and source of particulate matter, as well as to determine the urban impact on rural areas.

Selected parameters of arabica coffee quality affected by its geographical origin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alica Bobková

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to evaluate selected parameters of Arabica coffee quality. Arabica coffee beans originated from 21 different regions of the world. Parameters of their moisture content, water extract, water extract in dry matter, dry mater, caffeine and caffeine content in dry matter were assessed by the Slovak Technical Standard. Dry matter content ranged from 98.64 to 99.07%, the highest content was measured in sample from Cuba. Minimum dry matter content was detected in coffee beans from Mexico. Caffeine in studied samples ranged from 10 200 mg.kg-1 to 13 500 mg.kg-1. The lowest caffeine content was determined in Panama coffee, the highest was found in the sample from Indonesia. The results of moisture content and caffeine in dry mater were evaluated by the Food Code of the Slovak Republic and all observed parameters in the coffee beans meet the maximum levels given in legislation. By statistical procesing it can be seen that coffee samples originating from Ecuador, Indonesia and Nepal were similar in parameters of caffeine content and caffeine in dry matter. Other similar samples originating from Cuba, Peru, Ethiopia and Panama were statistically similar at dry matter content. Special statistical group was coffee from Salvador at the parameters of water extract and water extract in dry matter. Normal 0 21 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE

Mineralogy and Petrography of MIL 090001, a Highly Altered CV Chondrite from the Reduced Sub-Group

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Lindsay P.

2011-01-01

MIL 090001 is a large (greater than 6 kg) CV chondrite from the reduced subgroup (CV(sub red)) that was recovered during the 2009-2010 ANSMET field season [1]. The CV(sub red) subgroup meteorites retain primitive characteristics and have escaped the Na and Fe meta-somatism that affected the oxidized (CV(sub ox)) subgroups. MIL 090001 is, however, reported to be altered [1], and thus a major objective of this study is to characterize its mineralogy and petrography and the extent of the alteration.

Search for Fluid Inclusions in a Carbonaceous Chondrite Using a New X-Ray Micro-Tomography Technique Combined with FIB Sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchiyama, A.; Miyake, A.; Zolensky, M. E.; Uesugi, K.; Nakano, T.; Takeuchi, A.; Suzuki, Y.; Yoshida, K.

2014-01-01

Early solar system aqueous fluids are preserved in some H chondrites as aqueous fluid inclusions in halite (e.g., [1]). Although potential fluid inclusions are also expected in carbonaceous chondrites [2], they have not been surely confirmed. In order to search for these fluid inclusions, we have developped a new X-ray micro-tomography technique combined with FIB sampling and applied this techniqu to a carbanaceous chondrite. Experimental: A polished thin section of Sutter's Mill meteorite (CM) was observed with an optical microscope and FE-SEM (JEOL 7001F) for chosing mineral grains of carbonates (mainly calcite) and sulfides (FeS and ZnS) 20-50 microns in typical size, which may have aqueous fluid inclusions. Then, a "house" similar to a cube with a roof (20-30 microns in size) is sampled from the mineral grain by using FIB (FEI Quanta 200 3DS). Then, the house was atached to a thin W-needle by FIB and imaged by a SR-based imaging microtomography system with a Fresnel zone plate at beamline BL47XU, SPring-8, Japan. One sample was imaged at two X-ray energies, 7 and 8 keV, to identify mineral phases (dual-enegy microtomography: [3]). The size of voxel (pixel in 3D) was 50-80 nm, which gave the effective spatial resolution of approx. 200 nm. A terrestrial quartz sample with an aqueous fluid inclusion with a bubble was also examined as a test sample by the same method. Results and discussion: A fluid inclusion of 5-8 microns in quartz was clearly identified in a CT image. A bubble of approx. 4 microns was also identified as refraction contrast although the X-ray absorption difference between fluid and bubble is small. Volumes of the fluid and bubble were obtained from the 3D CT images. Fourteen grains of calcite, two grains of iron sulfide and one grain of (Zn,Fe)S were examined. Ten calcite, one iron sulfide and one (Zn,Fe)S grains have inclusions >1 micron in size (the maximum: approx. 5 microns). The shapes are spherical or irregular. Tiny inclusions (tiny solid

Weakly interacting dark matter and baryogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu Peihong; Lindner, Manfred; Sarkar, Utpal; Zhang Xinmin

2011-01-01

In the present Universe visible and dark matter contribute comparable energy density although they have different properties. This phenomenon can be explained if the dark matter relic density, originating from a dark matter asymmetry, is fully determined by the baryon asymmetry. Thus the dark matter mass is not arbitrary; rather, it becomes predictive. We realize this scenario in baryon (lepton) number conserving models where two or more neutral singlet scalars decay into two or three baryonic (leptonic) dark matter scalars, and also decay into quarks (leptons) through other on-shell and/or off-shell exotic scalar bilinears. The produced baryon (lepton) asymmetries in the dark matter scalar and in the standard model quarks (leptons) are thus equal and opposite. The dark matter mass can be predicted in a range from a few GeV to a few TeV, depending on the baryon (lepton) numbers of the decaying scalars and the dark matter scalar. The dark matter scalar can interact with the visible matter through the exchange of the standard model Higgs boson, opening a window for the dark matter direct detection experiments. These models also provide testable predictions in the searches for the exotic scalar bilinears at LHC.

Thermal alteration in carbonaceous chondrites and implications for sublimation in rock comets

Science.gov (United States)

Springmann, Alessondra; Lauretta, Dante S.; Steckloff, Jordan K.

2015-11-01

Rock comets are small solar system bodies in Sun-skirting orbits (perihelion q CO2, etc.). B-class asteroid (3200) Phaethon, considered to be the parent body of the Geminid meteor shower, is the only rock comet currently known to periodically eject dust and form a coma. Thermal fracturing or thermal decomposition of surface materials may be driving Phaethon’s cometary activity (Li & Jewitt, 2013). Phaethon-like asteroids have dynamically unstable orbits, and their perihelia can change rapidly over their ~10 Myr lifetimes (de León et al., 2010), raising the possibility that other asteroids may have been rock comets in the past. Here, we propose using spectroscopic observations of mercury (Hg) as a tracer of an asteroid’s thermal metamorphic history, and therefore as a constraint on its minimum achieved perihelion distance.B-class asteroids such as Phaethon have an initial composition similar to aqueously altered primitive meteorites such as CI- or CM-type meteorites (Clark et al., 2010). Laboratory heating experiments of ~mm sized samples of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites from 300K to 1200K at a rate of 15K/minute show mobilization and volatilization of various labile elements at temperatures that could be reached by Mercury-crossing asteroids. Samples became rapidly depleted in labile elements and, in particular, lost ~75% of their Hg content when heated from ~500-700 K, which corresponds to heliocentric distances of ~0.15-0.3 au, consistent with our thermal models. Mercury has strong emission lines in the UV (~ 185 nm) and thus its presence (or absence) relative to carbonaceous chondrite abundances would indicate if these bodies had perihelia in their dynamical histories inside of 0.15 AU, and therefore may have previously been Phaethon-like rock comets. Future space telescopes or balloon-borne observing platforms equipped with a UV spectrometer could potentially detect the presence or absence of strong ultraviolet mercury lines on rock comets or rock

On the Origin of Gravity, Dark Energy and Matter.

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2011-01-01

Insights from black hole physics and developments in string theory strongly indicate that the gravity is derived from an underlying microscopic description in which it has no a priori meaning. Starting from first principles we argue that inertia and gravity are caused by the fact that phase space volume (or entropy) associated with the underlying microscopic system is influenced by the positions of material objects. Application of these ideas to cosmology leads to surprising new insights into the nature of dark energy and dark matter.

Tracers of the Extraterrestrial Component in Sediments and Inferences for Earth's Accretion History

Science.gov (United States)

Kyte, Frank T.

2003-01-01

The study of extraterrestrial matter in sediments began with the discovery of cosmic spherules during the HMS Challenger Expedition (1873-1876), but has evolved into a multidisciplinary study of the chemical, physical, and isotopic study of sediments. Extraterrestrial matter in sediments comes mainly from dust and large impactors from the asteroid belt and comets. What we know of the nature of these source materials comes from the study of stratospheric dust particles, cosmic spherules, micrometeorites, meteorites, and astronomical observations. The most common chemical tracers of extraterrestrial matter in sediments are the siderophile elements, most commonly iridium and other platinum group elements. Physical tracers include cosmic and impact spherules, Ni-rich spinels, meteorites, fossil meteorites, and ocean-impact melt debris. Three types of isotopic systems have been used to trace extraterrestrial matter. Osmium isotopes cannot distinguish chondritic from mantle sources, but provide a useful tool in modeling long-term accretion rates. Helium isotopes can be used to trace the long-term flux of the fine fraction of the interplanetary dust complex. Chromium isotopes can provide unequivocal evidence of an extraterrestrial source for sediments with high concentrations of meteoritic Cr. The terrestrial history of impacts, as recorded in sediments, is still poorly understood. Helium isotopes, multiple Ir anomalies, spherule beds, and craters all indicate a comet shower in the late Eocene. The Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary impact event appears to have been caused by a single carbonaceous chondrite projectile, most likely of asteroid origin. Little is known of the impact record in sediments from the rest of the Phanerozoic. Several impact deposits are known in the Precambrian, including several possible mega-impacts in the Early Archean.

Determination of elemental content in the Rumanova, Uhrovec, Vel'ke Borove, Kosice and Chelyabinsk chondrites by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kaizer, J.; Kučera, Jan; Kameník, Jan; Porubčan, V.; Povinec, P. P.

2017-01-01

Roč. 311, č. 3 (2017), s. 2085-2096 ISSN 0236-5731 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LM2015056; GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108 Institutional support: RVO:61389005 Keywords : ordinary chondrite * INAA * elemental composition * distriburion patterns * rare earth elements Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation OBOR OECD: Analytical chemistry Impact factor: 1.282, year: 2016

Origin of the Earth–Moon system

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

However, during the course of time some incon- sistencies of the impact hypothesis have surfaced. It is not the ... At the same time, there are some important differences between the composition of the Earth and that of ... primitive carbonaceous chondrites but to a much lesser degree. At first glance, depletion of the Moon in ...

Fe and O EELS Studies of Ion Irradiated Murchison CM2 Carbonaceous Chondrite Matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, L. P.; Christofferson, R.; Dukes, C. A.; Baragiola, R. A.; Rahman, Z.

2015-01-01

Introduction: The physical and chemical response of hydrated carbonaceous chondrite materials to space weathering processes is poorly understood. Improving this understanding is a key part of establishing how regoliths on primitive carbonaceous asteroids respond to space weathering processes, knowledge that supports future sample return missions (Hayabusa 2 and OSIRISREx) that are targeting objects of this type. We previously reported on He+ irradiation of Murchison matrix and showed that the irradiation resulted in amorphization of the matrix phyllosilicates, loss of OH, and surface vesiculation. Here, we report electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) measurements of the irradiated material with emphasis on the Fe and O speciation. Sample and Methods: A polished thin section of the Murchison CM2 carbonaceous chondrite was irradiated with 4 kilovolts He(+) (normal incidence) to a total dose of 1 x 10(exp 18) He(+) per square centimeter. We extracted thin sections from both irradiated and unirradiated regions in matrix using focused ion beam (FIB) techniques with electron beam deposition for the protective carbon strap to minimize surface damage artifacts from the FIB milling. The FIB sections were analyzed using a JEOL 2500SE scanning and transmission electron microscope (STEM) equipped with a Gatan Tridiem imaging filter. EELS spectra were collected from 50 nanometer diameter regions with an energy resolution of 0.7 electronvolts FWHM at the zero loss. EELS spectra were collected at low electron doses to minimize possible artifacts from electron-beam irradiation damage. Results and Discussion: Fe L (sub 2,3) EELS spectra from matrix phyllosilicates in CM chondrites show mixed Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) oxidation states with Fe(3+)/Sigma Fe approximately 0.5. Fe L(sub 2,3) spectra from the irradiated/ amorphized matrix phyllosilicates show higher Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) ratios compared to spectra obtained from pristine material at depths beyond the implantation/amorphization layer. We

Quantitative Study of Ether Group Molecules in Insoluble Organic Matter from Carbonaceous Chondrites by CuO-NaOH Selective Degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Yabuta, H.; Cody, G. D.; Alexander, C. M. O'd.

2006-03-01

CuO-NaOH degradation of the insoluble organic matter (IOM) from the Murchison meteorite was conducted. A variety of carboxylic acids were indentified. Oxalic acid was most abundant. It was estimated that approximately ~30% of the IOM included ether groups containing molecules.

In search of dark matter

CERN Document Server

Freeman, Kenneth C

2006-01-01

The dark matter problem is one of the most fundamental and profoundly difficult to solve problems in the history of science. Not knowing what makes up most of the known universe goes to the heart of our understanding of the Universe and our place in it. In Search of Dark Matter is the story of the emergence of the dark matter problem, from the initial erroneous ‘discovery’ of dark matter by Jan Oort to contemporary explanations for the nature of dark matter and its role in the origin and evolution of the Universe. Written for the educated non-scientist and scientist alike, it spans a variety of scientific disciplines, from observational astronomy to particle physics. Concepts that the reader will encounter along the way are at the cutting edge of scientific research. However the themes are explained in such a way that no prior understanding of science beyond a high school education is necessary.

Solar Extreme UV radiation and quark nugget dark matter model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhitnitsky, Ariel, E-mail: arz@phas.ubc.ca [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z1 (Canada)

2017-10-01

We advocate the idea that the surprising emission of extreme ultra violet (EUV) radiation and soft x-rays from the Sun are powered externally by incident dark matter (DM) particles. The energy and the spectral shape of this otherwise unexpected solar irradiation is estimated within the quark nugget dark matter model. This model was originally invented as a natural explanation of the observed ratio Ω{sub dark} ∼ Ω{sub visible} when the DM and visible matter densities assume the same order of magnitude values. This generic consequence of the model is a result of the common origin of both types of matter which are formed during the same QCD transition and both proportional to the same fundamental dimensional parameter Λ{sub QCD}. We also present arguments suggesting that the transient brightening-like 'nanoflares' in the Sun may be related to the annihilation events which inevitably occur in the solar atmosphere within this dark matter scenario.

Solar Extreme UV radiation and quark nugget dark matter model

Science.gov (United States)

Zhitnitsky, Ariel

2017-10-01

We advocate the idea that the surprising emission of extreme ultra violet (EUV) radiation and soft x-rays from the Sun are powered externally by incident dark matter (DM) particles. The energy and the spectral shape of this otherwise unexpected solar irradiation is estimated within the quark nugget dark matter model. This model was originally invented as a natural explanation of the observed ratio Ωdark ~ Ωvisible when the DM and visible matter densities assume the same order of magnitude values. This generic consequence of the model is a result of the common origin of both types of matter which are formed during the same QCD transition and both proportional to the same fundamental dimensional parameter ΛQCD. We also present arguments suggesting that the transient brightening-like "nanoflares" in the Sun may be related to the annihilation events which inevitably occur in the solar atmosphere within this dark matter scenario.

Irradiated Benzene Ice Provides Clues to Meteoritic Organic Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan, Michael Patrick; Gerakines, Perry Alexander; Martin, Mildred G.; Hudson, Reggie L.; Peeters, Zan

2013-01-01

Aromatic hydrocarbons account for a significant portion of the organic matter in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, as a component of both the low molecular weight, solvent-extractable compounds and the insoluble organic macromolecular material. Previous work has suggested that the aromatic compounds in carbonaceous chondrites may have originated in the radiation-processed icy mantles of interstellar dust grains. Here we report new studies of the organic residue made from benzene irradiated at 19 K by 0.8 MeV protons. Polyphenyls with up to four rings were unambiguously identified in the residue by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Atmospheric pressure photoionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry was used to determine molecular composition, and accurate mass measurements suggested the presence of polyphenyls, partially hydrogenated polyphenyls, and other complex aromatic compounds. The profile of low molecular weight compounds in the residue compared well with extracts from the Murchison and Orgueil meteorites. These results are consistent with the possibility that solid phase radiation chemistry of benzene produced some of the complex aromatics found in meteorites.

QCD Axion Dark Matter with a Small Decay Constant

Science.gov (United States)

Co, Raymond T.; Hall, Lawrence J.; Harigaya, Keisuke

2018-05-01

The QCD axion is a good dark matter candidate. The observed dark matter abundance can arise from misalignment or defect mechanisms, which generically require an axion decay constant fa˜O (1011) GeV (or higher). We introduce a new cosmological origin for axion dark matter, parametric resonance from oscillations of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking field, that requires fa˜(108- 1011) GeV . The axions may be warm enough to give deviations from cold dark matter in large scale structure.

Chiral symmetry, scalar field and confinement: from nucleon structure to nuclear matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chanfray, Guy; Ericson, Magda

2010-01-01

We discuss the relevance of the scalar modes appearing in chiral theories with spontaneous symmetry breaking such as the NJL model for nuclear matter studies. We show that it depends on the relative role of chiral symmetry breaking and confinement in the nucleon mass origin. It is only in the case of a mixed origin that nuclear matter can be stable and reach saturation. We describe models of nucleon structure where this balance is achieved. We show how chiral constarints and confinement modify the QCD sum rules for the mass evolution in nuclear matter.

Magnesium isotope evidence for single stage formation of CB chondrules by colliding planetesimals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Mia Bjørg Stolberg; Schiller, Martin; Krot, Alexander N.

2013-01-01

Chondrules are igneous spherical objects preserved in chondritic meteorites and believed to have formed during transient heating events in the solar protoplanetary disk. Chondrules present in the metal-rich CB chondrites show unusual chemical and petrologic features not observed in other chondrit...... planetesimals. The inferred μMg* value of -3.87 ± 0.93 ppm for the CB parent body is significantly lower than the bulk solar system value of 4.5 ± 1.1 ppm inferred from CI chondrites, suggesting that CB chondrites accreted material comprising an early formed Al-free component.......Chondrules are igneous spherical objects preserved in chondritic meteorites and believed to have formed during transient heating events in the solar protoplanetary disk. Chondrules present in the metal-rich CB chondrites show unusual chemical and petrologic features not observed in other chondrite......, indicating substantial suppression of isotopic fractionation during evaporative loss of Mg, possibly due to evaporation at high Mg partial pressure. Thus, the Mg-isotope data of skeletal chondrules from HH237 are consistent with their origin as melts produced in the impact-generated plume of colliding...

Gravitational waves in cold dark matter

Science.gov (United States)

Flauger, Raphael; Weinberg, Steven

2018-06-01

We study the effects of cold dark matter on the propagation of gravitational waves of astrophysical and primordial origin. We show that the dominant effect of cold dark matter on gravitational waves from astrophysical sources is a small frequency dependent modification of the propagation speed of gravitational waves. However, the magnitude of the effect is too small to be detected in the near future. We furthermore show that the spectrum of primordial gravitational waves in principle contains detailed information about the properties of dark matter. However, depending on the wavelength, the effects are either suppressed because the dark matter is highly nonrelativistic or because it contributes a small fraction of the energy density of the universe. As a consequence, the effects of cold dark matter on primordial gravitational waves in practice also appear too small to be detectable.

Nature and origin of comets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, J.A.; Jockers, K.

1983-01-01

The review examines basic history and morphology, motion, dynamic evolution, physical properties of neutral gaseous matter, vaporization of gases and outflow from the nucleus, chemistry of the coma gases, the comet nucleus, dust particles, solar wind-comet interactions and tail formation and the origin of comets. (U.K.)

Origins of mass

Science.gov (United States)

Wilczek, Frank

2012-10-01

Newtonian mechanics posited mass as a primary quality of matter, incapable of further elucidation. We now see Newtonian mass as an emergent property. That mass-concept is tremendously useful in the approximate description of baryon-dominated matter at low energy — that is, the standard "matter" of everyday life, and of most of science and engineering — but it originates in a highly contingent and non-trivial way from more basic concepts. Most of the mass of standard matter, by far, arises dynamically, from back-reaction of the color gluon fields of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Additional quantitatively small, though physically crucial, contributions come from the intrinsic masses of elementary quanta (electrons and quarks). The equations for massless particles support extra symmetries — specifically scale, chiral, and gauge symmetries. The consistency of the standard model relies on a high degree of underlying gauge and chiral symmetry, so the observed non-zero masses of many elementary particles ( W and Z bosons, quarks, and leptons) requires spontaneous symmetry breaking. Superconductivity is a prototype for spontaneous symmetry breaking and for mass-generation, since photons acquire mass inside superconductors. A conceptually similar but more intricate form of all-pervasive ( i.e. cosmic) superconductivity, in the context of the electroweak standard model, gives us a successful, economical account of W and Z boson masses. It also allows a phenomenologically successful, though profligate, accommodation of quark and lepton masses. The new cosmic superconductivity, when implemented in a straightforward, minimal way, suggests the existence of a remarkable new particle, the so-called Higgs particle. The mass of the Higgs particle itself is not explained in the theory, but appears as a free parameter. Earlier results suggested, and recent observations at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) may indicate, the actual existence of the Higgs particle, with mass m H �

Mass limits on neutralino dark matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilmore, Rudy C.

2007-01-01

We set an upper limit on the mass of a supersymmetric neutralino dark matter particle using the MicrOMEGAS and DarkSUSY software packages and the most recent constraints on relic density from combined Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe and Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. We explore several different possible scenarios within the minimal supersymmetric standard model, including coannihilation with charginos and sfermions and annihilation through a massive Higgs resonance, using low-energy mass inputs. We find that no coannihilation scenario is consistent with dark matter in observed abundance with a mass greater than 2.5 TeV for a W-ino-type particle or 1.8 TeV for a Higgsino-type. Contrived scenarios involving Higgs resonances with finely tuned mass parameters can allow masses as high as 34 TeV. The resulting gamma-ray energy distribution is not in agreement with the recent multi-TeV gamma-ray spectrum observed by H. E. S. S. originating from the center of the Milky Way. Our results are relevant only for dark matter densities resulting from a thermal origin

A molecular and isotopic study of the macromolecular organic matter of the ungrouped C2 WIS 91600 and its relationship to Tagish Lake and PCA 91008

Science.gov (United States)

Yabuta, Hikaru; O'D. Alexander, Conel M.; Fogel, Marilyn L.; Kilcoyne, A. L. David; Cody, George D.

2010-09-01

Insight into the chemical history of an ungrouped type 2 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite, Wisconsin Range (WIS) 91600, is gained through molecular analyses of insoluble organic matter (IOM) using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES), and pyrolysis-gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (pyr-GC/MS), and our previous bulk elemental and isotopic data. The IOM from WIS 91600 exhibits similarities in its abundance and bulk δ15N value with IOM from another ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite Tagish Lake, while it exhibits H/C, δ13C, and δD values that are more similar to IOM from the heated CM, Pecora Escarpment (PCA) 91008. The 13C NMR spectra of IOM of WIS 91600 and Tagish Lake are similar, except for a greater abundance of CHxO species in the latter and sharper carbonyl absorption in the former. Unusual cross-polarization (CP) dynamics is observed for WIS 91600 that indicate the presence of two physically distinct organic domains, in which the degrees of aromatic condensation are distinctly different. The presence of two different organic domains in WIS 91600 is consistent with its brecciated nature. The formation of more condensed aromatics is the likely result of short duration thermal excursions during impacts. The fact that both WIS 91600 and PCA 91008 were subjected to short duration heating that is distinct from the thermal history of type 3 chondrites is confirmed by Carbon-XANES. Finally, after being briefly heated (400 °C for 10 s), the pyrolysis behavior of Tagish Lake IOM is similar to that of WIS 91600 and PCA 91008. We conclude that WIS 91600 experienced very moderate, short duration heating at low temperatures (<500 °C) after an episode of aqueous alteration under conditions that were similar to those experienced by Tagish Lake.

Late Impacts and the Origins of the Atmospheres on the Terrestrial Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhopadhyay, S.; Stewart, S. T.; Lock, S. J.; Parai, R.; Tucker, J. M.

2014-12-01

Models for the origin of terrestrial atmospheres typically require an intricate sequence of events, including hydrodynamic escape, outgassing of mantle volatiles and late delivery. Here we discuss the origin of the atmospheres on the terrestrial planets in light of new ideas about the formation of the Moon, giant impact induced atmospheric loss and recent noble gas measurements. Our new measurements indicate that noble gases in the Earth's atmosphere cannot be derived from any combination of fractionation of a nebular-derived atmosphere followed by outgassing of deep or shallow mantle volatiles. While Ne in the mantle retains a nebular component, the present-day atmosphere has no memory of nebular gases. Rather, atmospheric noble gases have a close affinity to chondrites. On the other hand, Venus's atmosphere has 20 and 70 times higher abundance of 20Ne and 36Ar, respectively, and a 20Ne/22Ne ratio closer to the solar value than Earth's atmosphere. While the present atmosphere of Mars is significantly fractionated in the lighter noble gases due to long term atmospheric escape, the Kr isotopic ratios in Martian atmosphere are identical to solar. Thus, while Earth's atmosphere has no memory of accretion of nebular gases, atmospheres on both Venus and Mars preserve at least a component of nebular gases. To explain the above observations, we propose that a common set of processes operated on the terrestrial planets, and that their subsequent evolutionary divergence is simply explained by planetary size and the stochastic nature of giant impacts. We present geochemical observations and simulations of giant impacts to show that most of Earth's mantle was degassed and the outgassed volatiles were largely lost during the final sequence of giant impacts onto Earth. Earth's noble gases were therefore dominantly derived from late-accreting planetesimals. In contrast, Venus did not suffer substantial atmospheric loss by a late giant impact and retains a higher abundance of

Origin and distribution of hydrocarbons and organic matter in the surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea).

Science.gov (United States)

Zaghden, Hatem; Tedetti, Marc; Sayadi, Sami; Serbaji, Mohamed Moncef; Elleuch, Boubaker; Saliot, Alain

2017-04-15

We investigated the origin and distribution of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs and PAHs) and organic matter (OM) in surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea). TOC, AH and PAH concentrations ranged 2.3-11.7%, 8-174μgg -1 sed.dw and 175-10,769ngg -1 sed.dw, respectively. The lowest concentrations were recorded in the channel (medium sand sediment) and the highest ones in the Sfax harbor (very fine sand sediment). AHs, PAHs and TOC were not correlated for most of the stations. TOC/N and δ 13 C values revealed a mixed origin of OM with both marine and terrestrial sources. Hydrocarbon molecular composition highlighted the dominance of petrogenic AHs and the presence of both petrogenic and pyrogenic PAHs, associated with petroleum products and combustion processes. This work underscores the complex distribution patterns and the multiple sources of OM and hydrocarbons in this highly anthropogenized coastal environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Matter Density Profile Shape Effects at DUNE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, Kevin J. [Northwestern U.; Parke, Stephen J. [Fermilab

2018-02-19

Quantum mechanical interactions between neutrinos and matter along the path of propagation, the Wolfenstein matter effect, are of particular importance for the upcoming long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments, specifically the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). Here, we explore specifically what about the matter density profile can be measured by DUNE, considering both the shape and normalization of the profile between the neutrinos' origin and detection. Additionally, we explore the capability of a perturbative method for calculating neutrino oscillation probabilities and whether this method is suitable for DUNE. We also briefly quantitatively explore the ability of DUNE to measure the Earth's matter density, and the impact of performing this measurement on measuring standard neutrino oscillation parameters.

An 57Fe Mössbauer study of three Australian L5 ordinary-chondrite meteorites: dating Kinclaven–001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadogan, J. M.; Rebbouh, L.; Mills, J. V. J.; Bland, P. A.

2013-01-01

Three L5-type ordinary chondrite meteorites recovered from the Nullarbor Region of Western Australia were studied by 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy: Kinclaven–001, Camel Donga–007 and Gunnadorah–002. The relative amounts of the various Fe-bearing phases including the primary minerals (Olivine, Pyroxene, Troilite and Fe-Ni metal) and the ferric alteration products (Goethite, Maghemite/Magnetite) were obtained to determine the percentage of iron converted to Fe 3 +  by weathering processes. These data allow us to estimate the terrestrial age of Kinclaven–001 at 1,700 ± 1,300 yrs

Looking for the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry. Recent results from the Belle experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katayama, Nobuhiko

2006-01-01

Why is our Universe made of matter and not antimatter? It might be explained if the laws that govern matter and antimatter are different. In 1964, matter-antimatter asymmetry was discovered in the weak decays of elementary particles called Kaons. At the KEKB B factory we have discovered CP violations in B meson decays and have thus established the Kobayashi-Maskawa model of CP violation. The present article reviews the history of CP violation, focusing on recent results from the B factories and prospects in this field. (author)

QCD Axion Dark Matter with a Small Decay Constant.

Science.gov (United States)

Co, Raymond T; Hall, Lawrence J; Harigaya, Keisuke

2018-05-25

The QCD axion is a good dark matter candidate. The observed dark matter abundance can arise from misalignment or defect mechanisms, which generically require an axion decay constant f_{a}∼O(10^{11})  GeV (or higher). We introduce a new cosmological origin for axion dark matter, parametric resonance from oscillations of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking field, that requires f_{a}∼(10^{8}-10^{11})  GeV. The axions may be warm enough to give deviations from cold dark matter in large scale structure.

Origin, structure and evolution of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhi, F.L.

1988-01-01

Recent developments of the origin, structure and evolution of galaxies have been reviewed. The contents of this book are: Inflationary Universe; Cosmic String; Active Galaxies; Intergalactic Medium; Waves in Disk Galaxies; Dark Matter; Gas Dynamics in Disk Galaxies; Equilibrium and Stability of Spiral Galaxies

Radar-Enabled Recovery of the Sutters Mill Meteorite, a Carbonaceous Chondrite Regolith Breccia

Science.gov (United States)

Jenniskens, Petrus M.; Fries, Marc D.; Yin, Qing-Zhu; Zolensky, Michael E.; Krot, Alexander N.; Sandford, Scott A.; Sears, Derek; Beauford, Robert; Ebel, Denton S.; Friedrich, Jon M.;

Indigenous Amino Acids in Iron Meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Elsila, J. E.; Dworkin, J. P.; Glavin, D. P.; Johnson, N. M.

2018-01-01

Understanding the organic content of meteorites and the potential delivery of molecules relevant to the origin of life on Earth is an important area of study in astrobiology. There have been many studies of meteoritic organics, with much focus on amino acids as monomers of proteins and enzymes essential to terrestrial life. The majority of these studies have involved analysis of carbonaceous chondrites, primitive meteorites containing approx. 3-5 wt% carbon. Amino acids have been observed in varying abundances and distributions in representatives of all eight carbonaceous chondrite groups, as well as in ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites, ordinary and R chondrites, ureilites, and planetary achondrites [1 and references therein].

DIFFERENT ORIGINS OR DIFFERENT EVOLUTIONS? DECODING THE SPECTRAL DIVERSITY AMONG C-TYPE ASTEROIDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vernazza, P.; Marsset, M.; Groussin, O.; Lamy, P.; Jorda, L.; Mousis, O.; Delsanti, A.; Castillo-Rogez, J.; Beck, P.; Emery, J.; Brunetto, R.; Djouadi, Z.; Dionnet, Z.; Delbo, M.; Carry, B.; Marchis, F.; Zanda, B.; Borondics, F.

2017-01-01

Anhydrous pyroxene-rich interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) have been proposed as surface analogs for about two-thirds of all C-complex asteroids. However, this suggestion appears to be inconsistent with the presence of hydrated silicates on the surfaces of some of these asteroids, including Ceres. Here, we report the presence of enstatite (pyroxene) on the surface of two C-type asteroids (Ceres and Eugenia) based on their spectral properties in the mid-infrared range. The presence of this component is particularly unexpected in the case of Ceres, because most thermal evolution models predict a surface consisting of hydrated compounds only. The most plausible scenario is that Ceres’ surface has been partially contaminated by exogenous enstatite-rich material, possibly coming from the Beagle asteroid family. This scenario questions a similar origin for Ceres and the remaining C-types, and it possibly supports recent results obtained by the Dawn mission (NASA) that Ceres may have formed in the very outer solar system. Concerning the smaller D  ∼ 200 km C-types such as Eugenia, both their derived surface composition (enstatite and amorphous silicates) and low density (<1.5 g cm −3 ) suggest that these bodies accreted from the same building blocks, namely chondritic porous, pyroxene-rich IDPs and volatiles (mostly water ice), and that a significant volume fraction of these bodies has remained unaffected by hydrothermal activity likely implying a late accretion. In addition, their current heliocentric distance may best explain the presence or absence of water ice at their surfaces. Finally, we raise the possibility that CI chondrites, Tagish-Lake-like material, or hydrated IDPs may be representative samples of the cores of these bodies.

Ordinary matter, dark matter, and dark energy on normal Zeeman space-times

Science.gov (United States)

Imre Szabó, Zoltán

2017-01-01

Zeeman space-times are new, relativistic, and operator based Hamiltonian models representing multi-particle systems. They are established on Lorentzian pseudo Riemannian manifolds whose Laplacian immediately appears in the form of original quantum physical wave operators. In classical quantum theory they emerge, differently, from the Hamilton formalism and the correspondence principle. Nonetheless, this new model does not just reiterate the well known conceptions but holds the key to solving open problems of quantum theory. Most remarkably, it represents the dark matter, dark energy, and ordinary matter by the same ratios how they show up in experiments. Another remarkable agreement with reality is that the ordinary matter appears to be non-expanding and is described in consent with observations. The theory also explains gravitation, moreover, the Hamilton operators of all energy and matter formations, together with their physical properties, are solely derived from the Laplacian of the Zeeman space-time. By this reason, it is called Monistic Wave Laplacian which symbolizes an all-comprehensive unification of all matter and energy formations. This paper only outlines the normal case where the particles do not have proper spin but just angular momentum. The complete anomalous theory is detailed in [Sz2, Sz3, Sz4, Sz5, Sz6, Sz7].

Photochirogenesis: Photochemical Models on the Origin of Biomolecular Homochirality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelia Meinert

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Current research focuses on a better understanding of the origin of biomolecular asymmetry by the identification and detection of the possibly first chiral molecules that were involved in the appearance and evolution of life on Earth. We have reasons to assume that these molecules were specific chiral amino acids. Chiral amino acids have been identified in both chondritic meteorites and simulated interstellar ices. Present research reasons that circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation was identified in interstellar environments and an asymmetric interstellar photon-molecule interaction might have triggered biomolecular symmetry breaking. We review on the possible prebiotic interaction of ‘chiral photons’ in the form of circularly polarized light, with early chiral organic molecules. We will highlight recent studies on enantioselective photolysis of racemic amino acids by circularly polarized light and experiments on the asymmetric photochemical synthesis of amino acids from only one C and one N containing molecules by simulating interstellar environments. Both approaches are based on circular dichroic transitions of amino acids that will be presented as well.

Characterization and quantification by mass spectrometry of mobile organic matter from clay rock: influence of the origin and of the sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huclier-Markai, S.; Landesman, C.; Montavon, G.; Grambow, B.; Monteau, F.; Fernandez, A.M.; Vinsot, A.

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. In environmental studies, Natural Organic Matter (NOM) plays a key role on the bioavailability and the toxicity of metallic compounds. If one wants to evaluate the mobility of heavy metals / radionuclides, which is in natura in most of the cases dependant on their interactions with NOM. One part of the organic inventory in the Callovo-Oxfordian formation (COx) exists as small dissolved compounds in the pore water but the weak content and the weak porosity of the formation (∼ 8 % of water in weight) make the complexation study with metal ions difficult. One part of the organic matter attached to the sediment (∼ 1 % in weight) can be mobilized in a synthetic pore water 1 and can be considered as similar to in situ pore water dissolved organic matter (DOM) regarding its size distribution. The collection of clay pore water has been done through percolation experiment, a unique and original experimental process developed to get pore water from a core sample,that have been described previously. From these experiments, it was shown that mobile organic matter concentration could reach 0.01 mol C/L by application of a pressure gradient up to 100 bars. Since part of the OM from the COx is known to be sensitive to air oxidation, the characterization and quantification of DOM were then performed under anoxic conditions (about - 170 mV vs Standard Hydrogen Electrode SHE). In addition, the chemical composition of NOM contained in the pore water from the argillite clay rock has been determined in in-situ like conditions by ESI-MS and APCI-MS, which are suitable techniques to identify the chemical composition of NOM contained in the COx pore water available from boreholes. Mostly low molecular weight molecules were identified, of whom structural features observed were mainly acidic compounds, fatty acids as well as aldehydes and amino acids. Fulvic and Humic Acids have such low concentrations in the COx formation, leading to a

Origin of the chemical elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tayler, R J

1984-05-01

The subject is discussed in relation to the composition of initially created matter and changes which have occurred during the life history of the universe, with particular reference to our galaxy and nearby galaxies. Headings are: observations of element abundances (stars, gas clouds in our own and nearby galaxies, hot gas in galaxy clusters, the solar system); the originally created matter (Big Bang theory and early nuclear reactions); processes changing observed composition (galactic evolution; nuclear fusion reactions in stellar interiors; chemical composition of a highly evolved massive star); supernovae (production of heavy elements); chemical evolution of the galaxy; production of very heavy elements (s process, r process).

Martian Chemical and Isotopic Reference Standards in Earth-based Laboratories — An Invitation for Geochemical, Astrobiological, and Engineering Dialog on Considering a Weathered Chondrite for Mars Sample Return.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashley, J. W.; Tait, A. W.; Velbel, M. A.; Boston, P. J.; Carrier, B. L.; Cohen, B. A.; Schröder, C.; Bland, P.

2017-12-01

Exogenic rocks (meteorites) found on Mars 1) have unweathered counterparts on Earth; 2) weather differently than indigenous rocks; and 3) may be ideal habitats for putative microorganisms and subsequent biosignature preservation. These attributes show the potential of meteorites for addressing hypothesis-driven science. They raise the question of whether chondritic meteorites, of sufficient weathering intensity, might be considered as candidates for sample return in a potential future mission. Pursuant to this discussion are the following questions. A) Is there anything to be learned from the laboratory study of a martian chondrite that cannot be learned from indigenous materials; and if so, B) is the science value high enough to justify recovery? If both A and B answer affirmatively, then C) what are the engineering constraints for sample collection for Mars 2020 and potential follow-on missions; and finally D) what is the likelihood of finding a favorable sample? Observations relevant to these questions include: i) Since 2005, 24 candidate and confirmed meteorites have been identified on Mars at three rover landing sites, demonstrating their ubiquity and setting expectations for future finds. All have been heavily altered by a variety of physical and chemical processes. While the majority of these are irons (not suitable for recovery), several are weathered stony meteorites. ii) Exogenic reference materials provide the only chemical/isotope standards on Mars, permitting quantification of alteration rates if residence ages can be attained; and possibly enabling the removal of Late Amazonian weathering overprints from other returned samples. iii) Recent studies have established the habitability of chondritic meteorites with terrestrial microorganisms, recommending their consideration when exploring astrobiological questions. High reactivity, organic content, and permeability show stony meteorites to be more attractive for colonization and subsequent biosignature

A Case for Nebula Scale Mixing Between Non-Carbonaceous and Carbonaceous Chondrite Reservoirs: Testing the Grand Tack Model with Chromium Isotopic Composition of Almahata Sitta Stone 91A

Science.gov (United States)

Sanborn, M. E.; Yin, Q.-Z.; Goodrich, C. A.; Zolensky, M.; Fioretti, A. M.

2017-01-01

There is an increasing number of Cr-O-Ti isotope studies that show solar system materials are divided into two main populations, one carbonaceous chondrite (CC)-like and the other is non-carbonaceous (NC)-like, with minimal mixing attributed to a gap opened in the protoplanetary disk due to Jupiter's formation. The Grand Tack model suggests there should be large-scale mixing between S- and C-type asteroids, an idea supported by our recent work on chondrule (Delta)17O-e54Cr isotope systematics. The Almahata Sitta (AhS) meteorite provides a unique opportunity to test the Grand Tack model. The meteorite fell to Earth in October 2008 and has been linked to the asteroid 2008 TC3 which was discovered just prior to the fall of the AhS stones. The AhS meteorite is composed of up to 700 individual pieces with approx.140 of those pieces having some geochemical and/or petrologic studies. Almahata Sitta is an anomalous polymict ureilite with other meteorite components, including enstatite, ordinary, and carbonaceous chondrites with an approximate abundance of 70% ureilites and 30% chondrites. This observation has lead to the suggestion that TC3 2008 was a loosely aggregated rubble pile-like asteroid with the non-ureilite sample clasts within the rubble-pile. Due to the loosely-aggregated nature of AhS, the object disintegrated during atmospheric entry resulting in the weakly held clasts falling predominantly as individual stones in the AhS collection area. However, recent work has identified one sample of AhS, sample 91A, which may represent two different lithologies coexisting within a single stone. The predominate lithology type in 91A appears to be that of a C2 chondrite based on mineralogy but also contains olivine, pyroxene, and albite that have ureilite-like compositions. Previous Cr isotope investigations into AhS stones are sparse and what data is available show nearly uniform isotopic composition similar to that of typical ureilites with negative e54Cr values.

Crystallography of Magnetite Plaquettes and their Significance as Asymmetric Catalysts for the Synthesis of Chiral Organics in Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Q. H. S.; Zolensky, M. E.

2015-01-01

We have previously observed the magnetite plaquettes in carbonaceous chondrites using scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging, examined the crystal orientation of the polished surfaces of magnetite plaquettes in CI Orgueil using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis, and concluded that these magnetite plaquettes are likely naturally asymmetric materials. In this study, we expanded our EBSD observation to other magnetite plaquettes in Orgueil, and further examined the internal structure of these remarkable crystals with the use of X-ray computed microtomography.

Synchrotron Radiation XRD Analysis of Indialite in Y-82094 Ungrouped Carbonaceous Chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Mikouchi, T.; Hagiya, K.; Sawa, N.; Kimura, M.; Ohsumi, K.; Komatsu, M.; Zolensky, M.

2016-01-01

Y-82094 is an ungrouped type 3.2 carbonaceous chondrite, with abundant chondrules making 78 vol.% of the rock. Among these chondrules, an unusual porphyritic Al-rich magnesian chondrule is reported that consists of a cordierite-like phase, Al-rich orthopyroxene, cristobalite, and spinel surrounded by an anorthitic mesostasis. The reported chemical formula of the cordierite-like phase is Na(0.19)Mg(1.95)Fe(0.02)Al(3.66)Si(5.19)O18, which is close to stoichiometric cordierite (Mg2Al3[AlSi5O18]). Although cordierite can be present in Al-rich chondrules, it has a high temperature polymorph (indialite) and it is therefore necessary to determine whether it is cordierite or indialite in order to better constrain its formation conditions. In this abstract we report on our synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD) study of the cordierite-like phase in Y-82094.

Geometric compatibility of IceCube TeV-PeV neutrino excess and its galactic dark matter origin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Yang [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin,University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Lu, Ran [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin,University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Michigan,Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Salvado, Jordi [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin,University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center,West Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States)

2016-01-27

We perform a geometric analysis for the sky map of the IceCube TeV-PeV neutrino excess and test its compatibility with the sky map of decaying dark matter signals in our galaxy. We have found that a galactic decaying dark matter component in general improve the goodness of the fit of our model, although the pure isotropic hypothesis has a better fit than the pure dark matter one. We also consider several representative decaying dark matter, which can provide a good fit to the observed spectrum at IceCube with a dark matter lifetime of around 12 orders of magnitude longer than the age of the universe.

Weathering of ordinary chondrites from the Atacama Desert, Chile, by Mössbauer spectroscopy and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Munayco, Pablo; Munayco, Jimmy; Avillez, Roberto R.; Valenzuela, Millarca; Rochette, Pierre; Gattacceca, JéRôMe; Scorzelli, Rosa B.

2013-03-01

Some terrestrial areas have climatic and geomorphologic features that favor the preservation, and therefore, accumulation of meteorites. The Atacama Desert in Chile is among the most important of such areas, known as DCA. This desert is the driest on Earth, one of the most arid, uninhabitable localities with semiarid, arid, and hyper-arid conditions. The meteorites studied here were collected from within the DCA of San Juan and Pampa de Mejillones, located, respectively, in the Central Depression and the Coastal Range of the Atacama Desert. 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used for quantitative analysis of the degree of weathering of the meteorites, through the determination of the proportions of the various Fe-bearing phases and in particular the amount of oxidized iron in terrestrial alteration products. The abundance of ferric ions in weathered chondrites can be related to specific precursor compositions and to the level of terrestrial weathering. The aim of the study was the identification, quantification, and differentiation of the weathering products in the ordinary chondrites found in the San Juan and the Pampa de Mejillones areas of the Atacama Desert. The 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy study was complemented by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The results allow a clear differentiation of the rate of weathering in meteorite samples collected from the San Juan versus the Pampa de Mejillones areas of the Atacama Desert.

Correlated Amino Acid and Mineralogical Analyses of Milligram and Submilligram Samples of Carbonaceous Chondrite Lonewolf Nunataks 94101

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, S.; Berger, E. L.; Locke, D. R.; Lewis, E. K.

2018-01-01

Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, have been found to be indigenous in the eight carbonaceous chondrite groups. The abundances, structural, enantiomeric and isotopic compositions of amino acids differ significantly among meteorites of different groups and petrologic types. These results suggest parent-body conditions (thermal or aqueous alteration), mineralogy, and the preservation of amino acids are linked. Previously, elucidating specific relationships between amino acids and mineralogy was not possible because the samples analyzed for amino acids were much larger than the scale at which petrologic heterogeneity is observed (sub mm-scale differences corresponding to sub-mg samples); for example, Pizzarello and coworkers measured amino acid abundances and performed X-ray diffraction (XRD) on several samples of the Murchison meteorite, but these analyses were performed on bulk samples that were 500 mg or larger. Advances in the sensitivity of amino acid measurements by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-FD/TOF-MS), and application of techniques such as high resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) for mineralogical characterizations have now enabled coordinated analyses on the scale at which mineral heterogeneity is observed. In this work, we have analyzed samples of the Lonewolf Nunataks (LON) 94101 CM2 carbonaceous chondrite. We are investigating the link(s) between parent body processes, mineralogical context, and amino acid compositions in meteorites on bulk samples (approx. 20mg) and mineral separates (< or = 3mg) from several of spatial locations within our allocated samples. Preliminary results of these analyses are presented here.

A brief introduction to the dark matter problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Yufeng

2011-01-01

Understanding the nature of dark matter is a big challenge to the physics of our time. We briefly review the early history of the discovery of dark matter, the evidence of its existence from observations, its candidates, and the origin of its abundance in particle physics. An overview is given of the latest progress in its direct and indirect detections, and of the recent theoretical studies. (authors)

Neutrinos and Nucleosynthesis in Hot and Dense Matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuller, George [Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)

2016-01-14

The Topical Collaboration for Neutrinos and Nucleosynthesis in Hot and Dense matter brought together researchers from a variety of nuclear science specialties and a number of institutions to address nuclear physics and neutrino physics problems associated with dense matter and the origin of the elements. See attached final technical reports for (1) the UCSD award and (2) a copy of the report for the whole TC

Interstellar matter within elliptical galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Jura, Michael

1988-01-01

Multiwavelength observations of elliptical galaxies are reviewed, with an emphasis on their implications for theoretical models proposed to explain the origin and evolution of the interstellar matter. Particular attention is given to interstellar matter at T less than 100 K (atomic and molecular gas and dust), gas at T = about 10,000 K, and gas at T = 10 to the 6th K or greater. The data are shown to confirm the occurrence of mass loss from evolved stars, significant accretion from companion galaxies, and cooling inflows; no evidence is found for large mass outflow from elliptical galaxies.

Origin of ΔNeff as a result of an interaction between dark radiation and dark matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjaelde, Ole Eggers; Das, Subinoy; Moss, Adam

2012-01-01

Results from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and recently from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) have indicated the possible existence of an extra radiation component in addition to the well known three neutrino species predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics. In this paper, we explore the possibility of the apparent extra dark radiation being linked directly to the physics of cold dark matter (CDM). In particular, we consider a generic scenario where dark radiation, as a result of an interaction, is produced directly by a fraction of the dark matter density effectively decaying into dark radiation. At an early epoch when the dark matter density is negligible, as an obvious consequence, the density of dark radiation is also very small. As the Universe approaches matter radiation equality, the dark matter density starts to dominate thereby increasing the content of dark radiation and changing the expansion rate of the Universe. As this increase in dark radiation content happens naturally after Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), it can relax the possible tension with lower values of radiation degrees of freedom measured from light element abundances compared to that of the CMB. We numerically confront this scenario with WMAP+ACT and WMAP+SPT data and derive an upper limit on the allowed fraction of dark matter decaying into dark radiation

White Matter Hyperintensity Volume and Cerebral Perfusion in Older Individuals with Hypertension Using Arterial Spin-Labeling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dalen, J. W.; Mutsaerts, H. J. M. M.; Nederveen, A. J.; Vrenken, H.; Steenwijk, M. D.; Caan, M. W. A.; Majoie, C. B. L. M.; van Gool, W. A.; Richard, E.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: White matter hyperintensities of presumed vascular origin in elderly patients with hypertension may be part of a general cerebral perfusion deficit, involving not only the white matter hyperintensities but also the surrounding normal-appearing white matter and gray matter. We

Cosmic Origins Program Annual Technology Report

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, Bruce Thai; Neff, Susan Gale

2016-01-01

What is the Cosmic Origins (COR) Program? From ancient times, humans have looked up at the night sky and wondered: Are we alone? How did the universe come to be? How does the universe work? COR focuses on the second question. Scientists investigating this broad theme seek to understand the origin and evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present day, determining how the expanding universe grew into a grand cosmic web of dark matter enmeshed with galaxies and pristine gas, forming, merging, and evolving over time.

PET MRI Coregistration in Intractable Epilepsy and Gray Matter Heterotopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Seniaray, Nikhil; Jain, Anuj

2017-03-01

A 25-year-old woman with intractable seizures underwent FDG PET/MRI for seizure focus localization. MRI demonstrated bilateral carpetlike nodular subependymal gray matter and asymmetrical focal dilatation in the right temporal horn. PET/MRI showed increased FDG within subependymal gray matter with significant hypometabolism in right anterior temporal lobe. EEG and ictal semiology confirmed the right temporal seizure origin. This case highlights the importance of identification of gray matter heterotopia on FDG PET/MRI.

Applicability of FTIR-spectroscopy for characterizing waste organic matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smidt, E.

2001-12-01

State and development of waste organic matter were characterized by means of FTIR-spectroscopy. Due to the interaction of infrared light with matter energy is absorbed by chemical functional groups. Chemical preparation steps are not necessary and therefore this method offers a more holistic information about the material. The first part of experiments was focussed on spectra of different waste materials representing various stages of decomposition. Due to characteristics in the fingerprint- region the identity of wastes is provable. Heights of significant bands in the spectrum were measured and relative absorbances were calculated. Changes of relative absorbances indicate the development of organic matter during decomposition. Organic matter of waste samples was compared to organic matter originating from natural analogous processes (peat, soil). The second part of experiments concentrated on a composting process for a period of 260 days. Spectral characteristics of the samples were compared to their chemical, physical and biological data. The change of relative absorbances was reflected by conventional parameters. According to the development of the entire sample humic acids underwent a change as well. For practical use the method offers several possibilities: monitoring of a process, comparison of different processes, quality control of products originating from waste materials and the proof of their identity. (author)

Dark matter and the dinosaurs the astounding interconnectedness of the universe

CERN Document Server

Randall, Lisa

2015-01-01

In this brilliant exploration of our cosmic environment, the renowned particle physicist and New York Times bestselling author of Warped Passages and Knocking on Heaven’s Door uses her research into dark matter to illuminate the startling connections between the furthest reaches of space and life here on Earth. Sixty-six million years ago, an object the size of a city descended from space to crash into Earth, creating a devastating cataclysm that killed off the dinosaurs, along with three-quarters of the other species on the planet. What was its origin? In Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Lisa Randall proposes it was a comet that was dislodged from its orbit as the Solar System passed through a disk of dark matter embedded in the Milky Way. In a sense, it might have been dark matter that killed the dinosaurs. Working through the background and consequences of this proposal, Randall shares with us the latest findings—established and speculative—regarding the nature and role of dark matter and the origin ...

Planetary Protection Considerations in EVA System Design

Science.gov (United States)

Eppler, Dean B.; Kosmo, Joseph J.

2011-01-01

To better constrain their origin, we have performed systematic studies of the siderophile element distribution in metal from Enstatite achondrites and iron-rich meteorites linked to Enstatite achondrites. Humayun (2010) reported 20 siderophile elements in the metal of Horse Creek, Mt. Egerton and Tucson, three iron meteorites known for their high Si content in their metal. The Horse Creek and Mt. Egerton irons have elemental patterns identical to metallic solids derived from partially molten enstatite chondrites. Tucson has an unusual siderophile element pattern that is reminiscent of IVA irons, except for the most volatile siderophiles with condensation temperatures below that of Cu (Sb, Ge, Sn) which are more depleted. The origin of Tucson metal is likely linked to an impact involving a reduced chondritic body that provided the silicates, and IVA iron. In a related study, van Acken et al. (2010) reported siderophile element abundances in metal and sulfides from aubrites, chondritic inclusions in aubrites, and other enstatite achondrites (including a separate section of Mt. Egerton). They found that aubrite metal was linked to metal in enstatite chondrites by low degree partial melting forming sulfur-rich metallic liquids. A restite origin of aubrites is not consistent with these metal compositions. The link between the metal compositions and cumulate silicates is not simple. The metal must have been incorporated from enstatite chondritic material that was assimilated by the aubrite magma. A manuscript is in preparation (van Acken et al., 2010). In a related study, van Acken et al. (2010, submitted) reported new precise Os isotope ratios and highly siderophile element abundances in Enstatite chondrites, Enstatite achondrites, Rumurutite chondrites to explore the range of nucleosynthetic variation in s-process Os. They observed nucleosynthetic anomalies, deficiencies of s-process Os, in most primitive enstatite chondrites, but showed the Rumurutite chondrites have

Effects of organic matter and ageing on the bioaccessibility of arsenic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meunier, Louise; Koch, Iris; Reimer, Kenneth J.

2011-01-01

Arsenic-contaminated soils may pose a risk to human health. Redevelopment of contaminated sites may involve amending soils with organic matter, which potentially increases arsenic bioaccessibility. The effects of ageing on arsenic-contaminated soils mixed with peat moss were evaluated in a simulated ageing period representing two years, during which arsenic bioaccessibility was periodically measured. Significant increases (p = 0.032) in bioaccessibility were observed for 15 of 31 samples tested, particularly in comparison with samples originally containing >30% bioaccessible arsenic in soils naturally rich in organic matter (>25%). Samples where percent arsenic bioaccessibility was unchanged with age were generally poor in organic matter (average 7.7%) and contained both arsenopyrite and pentavalent arsenic forms that remained unaffected by the organic matter amendments. Results suggest that the addition of organic matter may lead to increases in arsenic bioaccessibility, which warrants caution in the evaluation of risks associated with redevelopment of arsenic-contaminated land. - Highlights: → Adding organic matter to contaminated soils may increase arsenic bioaccessibility. → Ageing soils with >25% organic matter can lead to increased arsenic bioaccessibility. → No changes in arsenic bioaccessibility for soils poor in organic matter (mean 7.7%). → No changes in arsenic bioaccessibility for samples containing arsenopyrite. → Organic matter in soil may favour oxidation of trivalent arsenic to pentavalent form. - Adding organic carbon may increase arsenic bioaccessibility, especially in samples originally containing >30% bioaccessible arsenic in organic carbon-rich soils (>25%).

Schroedinger's Wave Structure of Matter (WSM)

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Milo; Haselhurst, Geoff

2009-10-01

The puzzling electron is due to the belief that it is a discrete particle. Einstein deduced this structure was impossible since Nature does not allow the discrete particle. Clifford (1876) rejected discrete matter and suggested structures in `space'. Schroedinger, (1937) also eliminated discrete particles writing: What we observe as material bodies and forces are nothing but shapes and variations in the structure of space. Particles are just schaumkommen (appearances). He rejected wave-particle duality. Schroedinger's concept was developed by Milo Wolff and Geoff Haselhurst (SpaceAndMotion.com) using the Scalar Wave Equation to find spherical wave solutions in a 3D quantum space. This WSM, the origin of all the Natural Laws, contains all the electron's properties including the Schroedinger Equation. The origin of Newton's Law F=ma is no longer a puzzle; It originates from Mach's principle of inertia (1883) that depends on the space medium and the WSM. Carver Mead (1999) at CalTech used the WSM to design Intel micro-chips correcting errors of Maxwell's magnetic Equations. Applications of the WSM also describe matter at molecular dimensions: alloys, catalysts, biology and medicine, molecular computers and memories. See ``Schroedinger's Universe'' - at Amazon.com

Compound-specific C- and H-isotope compositions of enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks: Implications for source identification of sedimentary organic matter and paleoenvironmental reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong Yongqiang; Wang Yanmei; Wang Yongquan; Xu Shiping

2007-01-01

The Bohai Bay Basin is one of the most important oil-producing provinces in China. Molecular organic geochemical characteristics of Lower Paleozoic source rocks in this area have been investigated by analyzing chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts and acid-released organic matter from the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the Jiyang Sub-basin of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results indicate that enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks has not been recognizably altered by post-depositional processes. Two end-member compositions are suggested for early organic matter trapped in the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks: (1) a source dominated by aquatic organisms and deposited in a relatively deep marine environment and (2) a relatively high saline, evaporative marine depositional environment. In contrast, chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts from these Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks are relatively complicated, not only inheriting original characteristics of their precursors, but also overprinted by various post-depositional alterations, such as thermal maturation, biodegradation and mixing. Therefore, the integration of both organic matter characteristics can provide more useful information on the origin of organic matter present in carbonate rocks and the environments of their deposition

Compound-specific C- and H-isotope compositions of enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks: Implications for source identification of sedimentary organic matter and paleoenvironmental reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiong Yongqiang [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)], E-mail: xiongyq@gig.ac.cn; Wang Yanmei; Wang Yongquan; Xu Shiping [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2007-11-15

The Bohai Bay Basin is one of the most important oil-producing provinces in China. Molecular organic geochemical characteristics of Lower Paleozoic source rocks in this area have been investigated by analyzing chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts and acid-released organic matter from the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the Jiyang Sub-basin of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results indicate that enclosed organic matter in carbonate rocks has not been recognizably altered by post-depositional processes. Two end-member compositions are suggested for early organic matter trapped in the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks: (1) a source dominated by aquatic organisms and deposited in a relatively deep marine environment and (2) a relatively high saline, evaporative marine depositional environment. In contrast, chemical and isotopic compositions of solvent extracts from these Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks are relatively complicated, not only inheriting original characteristics of their precursors, but also overprinted by various post-depositional alterations, such as thermal maturation, biodegradation and mixing. Therefore, the integration of both organic matter characteristics can provide more useful information on the origin of organic matter present in carbonate rocks and the environments of their deposition.

Differential rotation of viscous neutron matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nitsch, J.; Pfarr, J.; Heintzmann, H.

1976-08-01

The reaction of homogeneous sphere of neutron matter set in rotational motion under the influence of an external torque acting on its surface is investigated. For neutron matter with a typical neutron star density of 10 15 gcm -3 and a temperature varying between 10 6 and 10 9 K originally in uniform rotation, a time dependent differential motion sets in, which lasts a time scale of hours to some decades, resulting finally in co-rotation. During these times the braking index of a magnetic neutron sphere very sensitively depends on time

An alternative origin for extraterrestrial biomolecules from the hot and ionized photosphere of the protosolar nebula.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekaert, D. V.; Derenne, S.; Tissandier, L.; Marrocchi, Y.; Anquetil, C.; Marty, B.

2017-12-01

Organic matter (OM) synthesized from plasma experiments (so-called Nebulotron) can provide an insight into the processes of organosynthesis within the ionized gas phase of the protosolar nebula (PSN). Organic materials recovered from Nebulotron experiments have a record of success in reproducing key features of chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM), including the aromatic/aliphatic and soluble/insoluble ratios [1], the occurrence of D/H hot and cold spots [2], spectral features as well as elementary and isotopic patterns observed in trapped noble gases [3]. However, up until now little attention has been paid to the soluble fraction of the recovered OM (SOM). In this study, a high-vacuum plasma setting was designed to produce organic condensates from a CO-N2-H2 gas mixture reminiscent of the PSN. The chemical diversity of the synthetized SOM has been investigated by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Our results show that a large range of biomolecules detected in meteorites and comets could have been directly synthetized from the gas phase of the PSN under high ionization rates and temperatures > 800 K. Among other molecules, urea, formamide, glycerol, hydantoin, carboxylic acids, as well as amino acid and nucleobase derivatives are reported. While photochemical processing of interstellar icy grains or asteroidal aqueous alteration are often advocated for the origin of biomolecules in extraterrestrial samples, our results suggest that biomolecule production was also effective in the hot and ionized photosphere of the PSN. Interestingly, solid-state 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra of the Nebulotron IOM, indicates that they are very low in aromatics relative to extraterrestrial samples. Given that aromatic units in meteoritic IOM likely result from the cyclization/aromatization of aliphatic chains in the gas [1], Nebulotron-like aliphatic materials could represent the initial precursors of meteoritic OM [4]. These materials would be widespread in the

Origins of GEMS Grains

Science.gov (United States)

Messenger, S.; Walker, R. M.

2012-01-01

Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected in the Earth s stratosphere contain high abundances of submicrometer amorphous silicates known as GEMS grains. From their birth as condensates in the outflows of oxygen-rich evolved stars, processing in interstellar space, and incorporation into disks around new stars, amorphous silicates predominate in most astrophysical environments. Amorphous silicates were a major building block of our Solar System and are prominent in infrared spectra of comets. Anhydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) thought to derive from comets contain abundant amorphous silicates known as GEMS (glass with embedded metal and sulfides) grains. GEMS grains have been proposed to be isotopically and chemically homogenized interstellar amorphous silicate dust. We evaluated this hypothesis through coordinated chemical and isotopic analyses of GEMS grains in a suite of IDPs to constrain their origins. GEMS grains show order of magnitude variations in Mg, Fe, Ca, and S abundances. GEMS grains do not match the average element abundances inferred for ISM dust containing on average, too little Mg, Fe, and Ca, and too much S. GEMS grains have complementary compositions to the crystalline components in IDPs suggesting that they formed from the same reservoir. We did not observe any unequivocal microstructural or chemical evidence that GEMS grains experienced prolonged exposure to radiation. We identified four GEMS grains having O isotopic compositions that point to origins in red giant branch or asymptotic giant branch stars and supernovae. Based on their O isotopic compositions, we estimate that 1-6% of GEMS grains are surviving circumstellar grains. The remaining 94-99% of GEMS grains have O isotopic compositions that are indistinguishable from terrestrial materials and carbonaceous chondrites. These isotopically solar GEMS grains either formed in the Solar System or were completely homogenized in the interstellar medium (ISM). However, the

The cosmic large-scale structure, dark matter and the origin of galaxies

CERN Document Server

Frenk, Carlos S

1998-01-01

In this series of lectures, I will review the main events and processes which are thought to have led to the build of structure in the Universe. First, I will provide an overview of some basic ideas such as inflation, Big Bang nucleosynthesis, the microwave background radiation and gravitanional instability. I will then dicuss the evidence for dark matter in the universe and current ideas on the nature and amount of this dark matter, including their consequences for the values of the fundamental cosmological parameters. Next, I will review the processes that give rise to the cosmic large-scale structure, starting with a discussion of the main fluctuation damping mechanisms at early times and finishing with a description of the non-linear phases of evolution. I will discuss how these calculations compare with observations and present the current status of competing cosmological models. Finally I will summarize the most recent and very exciting developments in observational and theoretical studies of gala...

DIFFERENT ORIGINS OR DIFFERENT EVOLUTIONS? DECODING THE SPECTRAL DIVERSITY AMONG C-TYPE ASTEROIDS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vernazza, P.; Marsset, M.; Groussin, O.; Lamy, P.; Jorda, L.; Mousis, O.; Delsanti, A. [Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille (France); Castillo-Rogez, J. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Beck, P. [UJF-Grenoble 1, CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG), UMR 5274, Grenoble F-38041 (France); Emery, J. [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Planetary Geosciences Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410 (United States); Brunetto, R.; Djouadi, Z.; Dionnet, Z. [Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS, UMR-8617, Université Paris-Sud, bâtiment 121, F-91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Delbo, M.; Carry, B. [Laboratoire Lagrange, UNS-CNRS, Observatoire de la Cote d’Azur, Boulevard de l’Observatoire-CS 34229, F-06304 Nice Cedex 4 (France); Marchis, F. [Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043 (United States); Zanda, B. [IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, 77 avenue Denfert-Rochereau, F-75014 Paris Cedex (France); Borondics, F., E-mail: pierre.vernazza@lam.fr [SMIS Beamline, Soleil Synchrotron, BP48, L’Orme des Merisiers, F-91192 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France)

2017-02-01

Anhydrous pyroxene-rich interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) have been proposed as surface analogs for about two-thirds of all C-complex asteroids. However, this suggestion appears to be inconsistent with the presence of hydrated silicates on the surfaces of some of these asteroids, including Ceres. Here, we report the presence of enstatite (pyroxene) on the surface of two C-type asteroids (Ceres and Eugenia) based on their spectral properties in the mid-infrared range. The presence of this component is particularly unexpected in the case of Ceres, because most thermal evolution models predict a surface consisting of hydrated compounds only. The most plausible scenario is that Ceres’ surface has been partially contaminated by exogenous enstatite-rich material, possibly coming from the Beagle asteroid family. This scenario questions a similar origin for Ceres and the remaining C-types, and it possibly supports recent results obtained by the Dawn mission (NASA) that Ceres may have formed in the very outer solar system. Concerning the smaller D  ∼ 200 km C-types such as Eugenia, both their derived surface composition (enstatite and amorphous silicates) and low density (<1.5 g cm{sup −3}) suggest that these bodies accreted from the same building blocks, namely chondritic porous, pyroxene-rich IDPs and volatiles (mostly water ice), and that a significant volume fraction of these bodies has remained unaffected by hydrothermal activity likely implying a late accretion. In addition, their current heliocentric distance may best explain the presence or absence of water ice at their surfaces. Finally, we raise the possibility that CI chondrites, Tagish-Lake-like material, or hydrated IDPs may be representative samples of the cores of these bodies.

The origin of the moon and the early history of the earth - A chemical model. Part 1: The moon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Neill, H. St.C.

1991-01-01

The chemical implications of a giant impact model for the origin of the moon are examined, both for the moon and for the earth. The Impactor is taken to be an approximately Mars-sized body. It is argued that the likeliest bulk chemical composition of the moon is quite similar to that of the earth's mantle, and that this composition may be explained in detail if about 80% of the moon came from the primitive earth's mantle after segregation of the earth's core. The other 20% of the moon is modelled as coming from (a) the Impactor, which is constrained to be an oxidized, probably undifferentiated body of roughly CI chondritic composition (on a volatile free basis) and (b) a late stage veneer, with a composition and oxidation state similar to that of the H-group ordinary chondrites. This latter component is the source of all the volatile elements in the moon, which failed to condense from the earth-and Impactor-derived materials; this component constitutes about 4% of the moon. It is argued that Mo may behave as a volatile element under the relatively oxidising conditions necessary for the condensation of the proto-moon. The model accounts satisfactorily for most of the siderophile elements, including Fe, Ni, Co, W, P, and Cu. The relatively well-constrained lunar abundances of V, Cr, and Mn are also accounted for; their depletion in the moon is inherited from the earth's mantle

Synthesis of Amino Acid Precursors with Organic Solids in Planetesimals with Liquid Water

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Y; Misawa, S.; Matsukuma, J.; Chan, Q. H. S.; Kobayashi, J.; Tachibana, S.; Zolensky, M. E.

2017-01-01

Amino acids are important ingredients of life that would have been delivered to Earth by extraterrestrial sources, e.g., comets and meteorites. Amino acids are found in aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites in good part in the form of precursors that release amino acids after acid hydrolysis. Meanwhile, most of the organic carbon (greater than 70 weight %) in carbonaceous chondrites exists in the form of solvent insoluble organic matter (IOM) with complex macromolecular structures. Complex macromolecular organic matter can be produced by either photolysis of interstellar ices or aqueous chemistry in planetesimals. We focused on the synthesis of amino acids during aqueous alteration, and demonstrated one-pot synthesis of a complex suite of amino acids simultaneously with IOM via hydrothermal experiments simulating the aqueous processing

Mapping Organic Materials in Carbonaceous Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Gasda, P. J.; Taylor, G. J.; Misra, A.; Sharma, S. K.

2012-09-01

We present two new techniques that, together, constitute a quick first order method to characterize the insoluble organic matter (IOM), shedding light on the heterogeneity of the IOM both in its composition and its distribution in meteorites.

The origin of the chemical elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tayler, R.J.

1984-01-01

The subject is discussed in relation to the composition of initially created matter and changes which have occurred during the life history of the universe, with particular reference to our galaxy and nearby galaxies. Headings are: observations of element abundances (stars, gas clouds in our own and nearby galaxies, hot gas in galaxy clusters, the solar system); the originally created matter (Big Bang theory and early nuclear reactions); processes changing observed composition (galactic evolution; nuclear fusion reactions in stellar interiors; chemical composition of a highly evolved massive star); supernovae (production of heavy elements); chemical evolution of the galaxy; production of very heavy elements (s process, r process). (U.K.)

NUCLEOSYNTHETIC TUNGSTEN ISOTOPE ANOMALIES IN ACID LEACHATES OF THE MURCHISON CHONDRITE: IMPLICATIONS FOR HAFNIUM-TUNGSTEN CHRONOMETRY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burkhardt, Christoph; Wieler, Rainer [Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, Clausiusstrasse 25, ETH Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Kleine, Thorsten [Institut fuer Planetologie, Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Strasse 10, D-48149 Muenster (Germany); Dauphas, Nicolas, E-mail: burkhardt@erdw.ethz.ch [Origins Laboratory, Department of the Geophysical Sciences and Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago, 5734 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States)

2012-07-01

Progressive dissolution of the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite with acids of increasing strengths reveals large internal W isotope variations that reflect a heterogeneous distribution of s- and r-process W isotopes among the components of primitive chondrites. At least two distinct carriers of nucleosynthetic W isotope anomalies must be present, which were produced in different nucleosynthetic environments. The co-variation of {sup 182}W/{sup 184}W and {sup 183}W/{sup 184}W in the leachates follows a linear trend that is consistent with a mixing line between terrestrial W and a presumed s-process-enriched component. The composition of the s-enriched component agrees reasonably well with that predicted by the stellar model of s-process nucleosynthesis. The co-variation of {sup 182}W/{sup 184}W and {sup 183}W/{sup 184}W in the leachates provides a means for correcting the measured {sup 182}W/{sup 184}W and {sup 182}W/{sup 183}W of Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAI) for nucleosynthetic anomalies using the isotopic variations in {sup 183}W/{sup 184}W. This new correction procedure is different from that used previously, and results in a downward shift of the initial {epsilon}{sup 182}W of CAI to -3.51 {+-} 0.10 (where {epsilon}{sup 182}W is the variation in 0.01% of the {sup 182}W/{sup 183}W ratio relative to Earth's mantle). This revision leads to Hf-W model ages of core formation in iron meteorite parent bodies that are {approx}2 Myr younger than previously calculated. The revised Hf-W model ages are consistent with CAI being the oldest solids formed in the solar system, and indicate that core formation in some planetesimals occurred within {approx}2 Myr of the beginning of the solar system.

Where are we with the Dark Matter search?

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2012-01-01

By observing the movement and the distribution of stars and galaxies, we learn that about 24% of the Universe is made of Dark Matter – an unknown type of matter whose origin is one of the main mysteries still kept by Nature. The world’s scientists are testing experimental methods to identify the particles of this elusive matter. How long will it stay in the “dark”? How can the LHC experiments participate in the race for discovery?   Figure 1: Dark Matter particles produced at the LHC would presumably escape undetected by the experiments. However, the event should be accompanied by some "missing momentum", which could be a signature of Dark Matter. Within the framework of a simple model for the production of Dark Matter, the CMS analysis significantly complements the sensitivity of direct search experiments. In particular, CMS is sensitive in the low-mass region below 3.5 GeV (the regions above the curves are excluded). Source: CMS Collab...

Melt solidification and late-stage evaporation in the evolution of a FUN inclusion from the Vigarano C3V chondrite

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Andrew M.; Clayton, Robert N.; Mayeda, Toshiko K.; Sylvester, Paul J.; Macpherson, Glenn J.

1991-01-01

Results are presented on a detailed petrologic, chemical, and isotopic study of the so-called FUN inclusion (1623-5) from the Vigarano C3V chondrite. It is shown that the precursor material from which the Vigarano 1623-5 has formed contained some nuclear isotopic anomalies; this precursor was composed of melted and crystallized spinel, olivine, fassaite, and melilite. The results on the petrologic and isotopic properties of 1623-5 indicate unambiguously the action of volatilization in the evolution of this inclusion.

Micro origins for macro behavior in granular media

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhao, J.; Jiang, M.; Soga, K.; Luding, Stefan

2016-01-01

We report the latest advances in understanding, characterization and modeling of key micro mechanisms and origins underpinning the interesting and complex macroscopic behavior of granular matter. Included in this Topical Collection are novel theories, innovative experimental tools and new numerical

Evolution of matter and energy on a cosmic and planetary scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taube, M.

1985-01-01

This book covers the following topics: matter and energy; the interplay of elementary particles and elementary forces; the universe; how is it observed here and now; its past and possible future; the origin and nuclear evolution of matter; chemical evolution and the evolution of life; the cosmic phenomena; the eternal cycle of matter on the earth; the flow of energy on the earth; the biosphere; the coupling of matter and the flow of free energy; is the future development of mankind on this planet possible, and the distant future of mankind: terrestrial or cosmic

Origin and distribution of hydrocarbons and organic matter in the surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaghden, Hatem; Tedetti, Marc; Sayadi, Sami; Serbaji, Mohamed Moncef; Elleuch, Boubaker; Saliot, Alain

2017-01-01

We investigated the origin and distribution of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs and PAHs) and organic matter (OM) in surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea). TOC, AH and PAH concentrations ranged 2.3–11.7%, 8–174 μg g −1 sed. dw and 175–10,769 ng g −1 sed. dw, respectively. The lowest concentrations were recorded in the channel (medium sand sediment) and the highest ones in the Sfax harbor (very fine sand sediment). AHs, PAHs and TOC were not correlated for most of the stations. TOC/N and δ 13 C values revealed a mixed origin of OM with both marine and terrestrial sources. Hydrocarbon molecular composition highlighted the dominance of petrogenic AHs and the presence of both petrogenic and pyrogenic PAHs, associated with petroleum products and combustion processes. This work underscores the complex distribution patterns and the multiple sources of OM and hydrocarbons in this highly anthropogenized coastal environment. - Highlights: • TOC, AHs and PAHs ranged 2–12%, 8–174 μg g −1 sed. dw and 175–10,769 ng g −1 sed. dw. • Lowest concentrations in the Sfax-Kerkennah channel, highest ones in the Sfax harbor • Decoupling between TOC, AH and PAH contents • TOC/N and δ 13 C values revealed a mixed origin of OM with marine and terrestrial sources. • Dominance of petrogenic AHs and presence of both petrogenic and pyrogenic PAHs

IceCube events and decaying dark matter: hints and constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaili, Arman; Kang, Sin Kyu; Dario Serpico, Pasquale

2014-12-01

In the light of the new IceCube data on the (yet unidentified) astrophysical neutrino flux in the PeV and sub-PeV range, we present an update on the status of decaying dark matter interpretation of the events. In particular, we develop further the angular distribution analysis and discuss the perspectives for diagnostics. By performing various statistical tests (maximum likelihood, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Anderson-Darling tests) we conclude that currently the data show a mild preference (below the two sigma level) for the angular distribution expected from dark matter decay vs. the isotropic distribution foreseen for a conventional astrophysical flux of extragalactic origin. Also, we briefly develop some general considerations on heavy dark matter model building and on the compatibility of the expected energy spectrum of decay products with the IceCube data, as well as with existing bounds from gamma-rays. Alternatively, assuming that the IceCube data originate from conventional astrophysical sources, we derive bounds on both decaying and annihilating dark matter for various final states. The lower limits on heavy dark matter lifetime improve by up to an order of magnitude with respect to existing constraints, definitively making these events—even if astrophysical in origin—an important tool for astroparticle physics studies.

IceCube events and decaying dark matter: hints and constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esmaili, Arman; Kang, Sin Kyu; Serpico, Pasquale Dario

2014-01-01

In the light of the new IceCube data on the (yet unidentified) astrophysical neutrino flux in the PeV and sub-PeV range, we present an update on the status of decaying dark matter interpretation of the events. In particular, we develop further the angular distribution analysis and discuss the perspectives for diagnostics. By performing various statistical tests (maximum likelihood, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Anderson-Darling tests) we conclude that currently the data show a mild preference (below the two sigma level) for the angular distribution expected from dark matter decay vs. the isotropic distribution foreseen for a conventional astrophysical flux of extragalactic origin. Also, we briefly develop some general considerations on heavy dark matter model building and on the compatibility of the expected energy spectrum of decay products with the IceCube data, as well as with existing bounds from gamma-rays. Alternatively, assuming that the IceCube data originate from conventional astrophysical sources, we derive bounds on both decaying and annihilating dark matter for various final states. The lower limits on heavy dark matter lifetime improve by up to an order of magnitude with respect to existing constraints, definitively making these events—even if astrophysical in origin—an important tool for astroparticle physics studies

Thermal degradation of N-rich organic laboratory analogues: new insight on the cosmomaterials organic precursor composition

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnet, J.-Y.; Quirico, E.; Buch, A.; Szopa, C.; Fray, N.; Cottin, H.; Thissen, R.

2011-10-01

The observed organic matter in the different objects, carbonaceous chondrites and IDPs, accessible to laboratory analyses is the result of a complex history. This history is divided into several phases the first of which take place into the presolar nebula and is followed by post accretional processes on the parent bodies [1, 2]. In the carbonaceous chondrites organic matter (both soluble and insoluble), nitrogen is a very minor constituent about 2wt%, but in micrometer scale localized zone of some IDPs the nitrogen content can reach values as high as 20wt% [1, 3]. Additionally, the Insoluble Organic Matter (IOM) polyaromatic structure suggests a formation through thermal processes of the organic precursor(s). In this IOM N-bearing cycles have been identified but not chemical functions like amino groups. The precursor(s) of all the organic matter observed in IOM and IDPs could then be nitrogen rich. To test this scenario, N-rich laboratory analogues, (polymeric solids) were thermally degraded at four different temperatures to simulate short time thermal processes in the solar nebula.

STXM-XANES Analysis of Organic Matter in Dark Clasts and Halite Crystals in Zag and Monahans Meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Y.; Zolensky, M. E.; Fries, M.; Nakato, A.; Kilcoyne, A. L. D.; Takeichi, Y.; Suga, H.; Miyamoto, C.; Rahman, Z.; Kobayashi, K.;

Elemental, isotopic, and structural changes in Tagish Lake insoluble organic matter produced by parent body processes

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, C. M. O'd.; Cody, G. D.; Kebukawa, Y.; Bowden, R.; Fogel, M. L.; Kilcoyne, A. L. D.; Nittler, L. R.; Herd, C. D. K.

2014-04-01

Here, we present the results of a multitechnique study of the bulk properties of insoluble organic material (IOM) from the Tagish Lake meteorite, including four lithologies that have undergone different degrees of aqueous alteration. The IOM C contents of all four lithologies are very uniform and comprise about half the bulk C and N contents of the lithologies. However, the bulk IOM elemental and isotopic compositions vary significantly. In particular, there is a correlated decrease in bulk IOM H/C ratios and δD values with increasing degree of alteration—the IOM in the least altered lithology is intermediate between CM and CR IOM, while that in the more altered lithologies resembles the very aromatic IOM in mildly metamorphosed CV and CO chondrites, and heated CMs. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, C X-ray absorption near-edge (XANES), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirm and quantitate this transformation from CR-like, relatively aliphatic IOM functional group chemistry to a highly aromatic one. The transformation is almost certainly thermally driven, and probably occurred under hydrothermal conditions. The lack of a paramagnetic shift in 13C NMR spectra and 1s-σ* exciton in the C-XANES spectra, both typically seen in metamorphosed chondrites, shows that the temperatures were lower and/or the timescales were shorter than experienced by even the least metamorphosed type 3 chondrites. Two endmember models were considered to quantitatively account for the changes in IOM functional group chemistry, but the one in which the transformations involved quantitative conversion of aliphatic material to aromatic material was the more successful. It seems likely that similar processes were involved in producing the diversity of IOM compositions and functional group chemistries among CR, CM, and CI chondrites. If correct, CRs experienced the lowest temperatures, while CM and CI chondrites experienced similar more elevated temperatures

#BlackLivesMatter and Feminist Pedagogy: Teaching a Movement Unfolding

OpenAIRE

Reena N. Goldthree; Aimee Bahng

2016-01-01

What are the stakes of teaching #BlackLivesMatter simultaneously in New Hampshire and in the national media? We draw upon our experiences leading two iterations of a #BlackLivesMatter course at Dartmouth College to consider the feminist pedagogical origins of “experiential learning,” the intersectional dynamics of enacting a teaching collective, and working in dialogue with the movement itself.

Nitrogen-Bearing, Indigenous Carbonaceous Matter in the Nakhla Mars Meteorite

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; Clemett, S. J.; Messenger, S.; Rahman, Z.; Gibson, E. K.; Wentworth, S. J.; McKay, D. S.

2017-01-01

We report the identification of discrete assemblages of nitrogen (N)-rich organic matter entrapped within interior fracture surfaces of the martian meteorite Nakhla. Based on context, composition and isotopic measurements this organic matter is of demonstrably martian origin. The presence of N-bearing organic species is of considerable importance to the habitable potential and chemical evolution of the martian regolith.

Asymmetric Dark Matter Models and the LHC Diphoton Excess

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Mads T.; Shoemaker, Ian M.

2016-01-01

The existence of dark matter (DM) and the origin of the baryon asymmetry are persistent indications that the SM is incomplete. More recently, the ATLAS and CMS experiments have observed an excess of diphoton events with invariant mass of about 750 GeV. One interpretation of this excess is decays...... have for models of asymmetric DM that attempt to account for the similarity of the dark and visible matter abundances....

Origins of mineral matter in peat marsh and peat bog deposits, Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Buendia, A.M. [Unidad Tecnica del Marmol, AIDICO, Cami de Castella, 4, 03660 Novelda, Alicante (Spain); Whateley, M.K.G. [Rio Tinto Technical Services, Castlemead, Lower Castlemead, BS99 7YR Bristol (United Kingdom); Bastida, J.; Urquiola, M.M. [Dpto. Geologia, Univ. Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50. 46100 Burjasot, Valencia (Spain)

2007-07-02

The mineralogy of three back-barrier peat marshes (Torreblanca, Benicasim and Moncofar marshes) from Eastern Spain and one peat bog (Orihuela del Tremedal bog) from central east Spain have been investigated, using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronic microscope (SEM) techniques. A combination of XRD methods was used to quantify the mineralogy of dried bulk peat samples. The water source in the peat marshes is both continental and marine. Water is highly mineralised. Water flow is both low and slow (accumulative system). The water source in the peat bog is continental, draining from the hill. The higher concentration of ions in the water of the back-barrier peat marshes leads to a higher concentration of authigenic minerals in the peat marshes compared to the peat bog. Three main mineral origins have been recognized, namely: detrital, syngenetic-epigenetic and biogenic. The more important contribution comes from the detrital system. Biogenic and bio-influenced minerals are the main non-detrital minerals in the peatlands. This paper discusses the biogenic origin of halite (and other minor halides and sulphates, such as, sylvite, carnalite, epsomite, glauberite, mirabilite and anhydrite?) from halophytic plants, as well as amorphous silica (opal-A) from sponge spicules and phytoliths of several plants. Pyrite in the peat bog has both syngenetic and epigenetic origins from plant decomposition and sulphur release. In the peat marsh the pyrite has a syngenetic origin from sulphate reduction (S{sub sulphate} {yields} S{sub pyritic}), and an epigenetic origin in the older peat, from plant decomposition (S{sub organic} {yields} S{sub pyritic}). (author)

Origins of life: a problem for physics, a key issues review

Science.gov (United States)

Imari Walker, Sara

2017-09-01

The origins of life stands among the great open scientific questions of our time. While a number of proposals exist for possible starting points in the pathway from non-living to living matter, these have so far not achieved states of complexity that are anywhere near that of even the simplest living systems. A key challenge is identifying the properties of living matter that might distinguish living and non-living physical systems such that we might build new life in the lab. This review is geared towards covering major viewpoints on the origin of life for those new to the origin of life field, with a forward look towards considering what it might take for a physical theory that universally explains the phenomenon of life to arise from the seemingly disconnected array of ideas proposed thus far. The hope is that a theory akin to our other theories in fundamental physics might one day emerge to explain the phenomenon of life, and in turn finally permit solving its origins.

Baryogenesis, dark matter and the maximal temperature of the early universe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buchmueller, Wilfried

2012-12-15

Mechanisms for the generation of the matter-antimatter asymmetry and dark matter strongly depend on the reheating temperature T{sub R}, the maximal temperature reached in the early universe. Forthcoming results from the LHC, low energy experiments, astrophysical observations and the Planck satellite will significantly constrain baryogenesis and the nature of dark matter, and thereby provide valuable information about the very early hot universe. At present, a wide range of reheating temperatures is still consistent with observations. We illustrate possible origins of matter and dark matter with four examples: moduli decay, electroweak baryogenesis, leptogenesis in the {nu}MSM and thermal leptogenesis. Finally, we discuss the connection between baryogenesis, dark matter and inflation in the context of supersymmetric spontaneous B-L breaking.

Baryogenesis, dark matter and the maximal temperature of the early universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchmueller, Wilfried

2012-12-01

Mechanisms for the generation of the matter-antimatter asymmetry and dark matter strongly depend on the reheating temperature T R , the maximal temperature reached in the early universe. Forthcoming results from the LHC, low energy experiments, astrophysical observations and the Planck satellite will significantly constrain baryogenesis and the nature of dark matter, and thereby provide valuable information about the very early hot universe. At present, a wide range of reheating temperatures is still consistent with observations. We illustrate possible origins of matter and dark matter with four examples: moduli decay, electroweak baryogenesis, leptogenesis in the νMSM and thermal leptogenesis. Finally, we discuss the connection between baryogenesis, dark matter and inflation in the context of supersymmetric spontaneous B-L breaking.

The role of meson dynamics in nuclear matter saturation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncalves, E.

1988-01-01

The problem of the saturation of nuclea matter in the non-relativistic limit of the model proposed by J.D. Walecka is studied. In the original context nuclear matter saturation is obtained as a direct consequence of relativistic effects and both scalar and vector mesons are treated statically. In the present work we investigate the effect of the meson dynamics for the saturation using a Born-Oppenheimer approximation for the ground state. An upper limit for the saturation curve of nuclear matter and are able to decide now essential is the relativistic treatment of the nucleons for this problem, is obtained. (author) [pt

Kinetics of organic matter degradation in the Murchison meteorite for the evaluation of parent-body temperature history

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Nakashima, Satoru; Zolensky, Michael E.

2010-01-01

To evaluate kinetic parameters for thermal degradation of organic matter, in situ heating experiments of insoluble organic matter (IOM) and bulk of Murchison (CM2) meteorite were conducted under Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy combined with a heating stage. Decreases of aliphatic C-H band area under Ar flow were well fitted with Ginstling-Brounshtein three-dimensional diffusion model, and the rate constants for decreases of aliphatic C-H were determined. Activation energies Ea and frequency factors A obtained from these rate constants at different temperatures using the Arrhenius equation were Ea=109+/-3kJmol-1 and A=8.7×104s-1 for IOM, and Ea=61+/-6kJmol-1 and A=3.8s-1 for bulk, respectively. Activation energy values of aliphatic C-H decrease are larger for IOM than bulk. Hence, the mineral assemblage of the Murchison meteorite might have catalytic effects for the organic matter degradation. Using obtained kinetic expressions, the time scale for metamorphism can be estimated for a given temperature with aliphatic C-H band area, or the temperature of metamorphism can be estimated for a given time scale. For example, using the obtained kinetic parameters of IOM, aliphatic C-H is lost approximately within 200years at 100°C and 100Myr at 0°C. Assuming alteration period of 7.5Myr, alteration temperatures could be calculated to be <15+/-12°C. Aliphatic C-H decrease profiles in a parent body can be estimated using time-temperature history model. The kinetic expression obtained by the infrared spectral band of aliphatic C-H could be used as an alternative method to evaluate thermal processes of organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites.

The origin of mass and experiments on high-energy particle accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioffe, B.L.

2006-01-01

The visible world is one consisting of nucleons and electrons. The mass of nucleon arises from chiral symmetry breaking in quantum chromodynamics, so high energy accelerator experiments cannot give a clue to the nature of mass of matter in the visible world. The origin of the mass of the matter will be clarified when the mechanism of chiral symmetry breaking in quantum chromodynamics is established [ru

Nuclear matter physics at NICA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Senger, P. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany)

2016-08-15

The exploration of the QCD phase diagram is one of the most exciting and challenging projects of modern nuclear physics. In particular, the investigation of nuclear matter at high baryon densities offers the opportunity to find characteristic structures such as a first-order phase transition with a region of phase coexistence and a critical endpoint. The experimental discovery of these prominent landmarks of the QCD phase diagram would be a major breakthrough in our understanding of the properties of nuclear matter. Equally important is the quantitative experimental information on the properties of hadrons in dense matter which may shed light on chiral symmetry restoration and the origin of hadron masses. Worldwide, substantial efforts at the major heavy-ion accelerators are devoted to the clarification of these fundamental questions, and new dedicated experiments are planned at future facilities like CBM at FAIR in Darmstadt and MPD at NICA/JINR in Dubna. In this article the perspectives for MPD at NICA will be discussed. (orig.)

Cosmic inflation constrains scalar dark matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tommi Tenkanen

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In a theory containing scalar fields, a generic consequence is a formation of scalar condensates during cosmic inflation. The displacement of scalar fields out from their vacuum values sets specific initial conditions for post-inflationary dynamics and may lead to significant observational ramifications. In this work, we investigate how these initial conditions affect the generation of dark matter in the class of portal scenarios where the standard model fields feel new physics only through Higgs-mediated couplings. As a representative example, we will consider a $ Z_2 $ symmetric scalar singlet $ s $ coupled to Higgs via $ \\lambda \\Phi ^\\dagger \\Phi s^2 $. This simple extension has interesting consequences as the singlet constitutes a dark matter candidate originating from non-thermal production of singlet particles out from a singlet condensate, leading to a novel interplay between inflationary dynamics and dark matter properties.

Chemical and isotopic composition of marine organic matter as indicators of its origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malej, A.

1989-07-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate the relative importance of marine and terrestrial sources of Particulate Organic Matter (POM) in the Northern Adriatic Sea. Samples of POM were obtained from the water column at 14 stations using Niskin bottles at 4 depths and sediment traps (placed near the sea floor). Additional samples were obtained of likely source organic matter: sewage, river POM, phytoplankton bloom material, zooplankton, jelly-fish and bethic macrophytes. All samples were analyzed for total carbon and nitrogen and the delta C-13/C-12 ratio (by mass spectrometry). Marine and terrestrial sources of POM were clearly distinguished by their isotopic ratios. A linear model was set up to evaluate the relative importance of these sources at each sampling station. Except in the immediate vicinity of river sources, the marine component appears to dominate. 7 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab

Dark energy and dark matter from primordial QGP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vaidya, Vaishali, E-mail: vaidvavaishali24@gmail.com; Upadhyaya, G. K., E-mail: gopalujiain@yahoo.co.in [School of Studies in Physics, Vikram University Ujjain (India)

2015-07-31

Coloured relics servived after hadronization might have given birth to dark matter and dark energy. Theoretical ideas to solve mystery of cosmic acceleration, its origin and its status with reference to recent past are of much interest and are being proposed by many workers. In the present paper, we present a critical review of work done to understand the earliest appearance of dark matter and dark energy in the scenario of primordial quark gluon plasma (QGP) phase after Big Bang.

The Stubenberg meteorite—An LL6 chondrite fragmental breccia recovered soon after precise prediction of the strewn field

Science.gov (United States)

Bischoff, Addi; Barrat, Jean-Alix; Bauer, Kerstin; Burkhardt, Christoph; Busemann, Henner; Ebert, Samuel; Gonsior, Michael; Hakenmüller, Janina; Haloda, Jakub; Harries, Dennis; Heinlein, Dieter; Hiesinger, Harald; Hochleitner, Rupert; Hoffmann, Viktor; Kaliwoda, Melanie; Laubenstein, Matthias; Maden, Colin; Meier, Matthias M. M.; Morlok, Andreas; Pack, Andreas; Ruf, Alexander; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe; SchöNbäChler, Maria; Steele, Robert C. J.; Spurný, Pavel; Wimmer, Karl

2017-08-01

On March 6, 2016 at 21:36:51 UT, extended areas of Upper Austria, Bavaria (Germany) and the southwestern part of the Czech Republic were illuminated by a very bright bolide. This bolide was recorded by instruments in the Czech part of the European Fireball Network and it enabled complex and precise description of this event including prediction of the impact area. So far six meteorites totaling 1473 g have been found in the predicted area. The first pieces were recovered on March 12, 2016 on a field close to the village of Stubenberg (Bavaria). Stubenberg is a weakly shocked (S3) fragmental breccia consisting of abundant highly recrystallized rock fragments embedded in a clastic matrix. The texture, the large grain size of plagioclase, and the homogeneous compositions of olivine (Fa31.4) and pyroxene (Fs25.4) clearly indicate that Stubenberg is an LL6 chondrite breccia. This is consistent with the data on O, Ti, and Cr isotopes. Stubenberg does not contain solar wind-implanted noble gases. Data on the bulk chemistry, IR spectroscopy, cosmogenic nuclides, and organic components also indicate similarities to other metamorphosed LL chondrites. Noble gas studies reveal that the meteorite has a cosmic ray exposure (CRE) age of 36 ± 3 Ma and that most of the cosmogenic gases were produced in a meteoroid with a radius of at least 35 cm. This is larger than the size of the meteoroid which entered the Earth's atmosphere, which is constrained to <20 cm from short-lived radionuclide data. In combination, this might suggest a complex exposure history for Stubenberg.

On origin of stellar clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tovmasyan, G.M.

1977-01-01

The ratios of the gas component of the mass of young stellar clusters to their stellar mass are considered. They change by more than four orders from one cluster to another. The results are in direct contradiction with the hypothesis of formation of cluster stars from a preliminarily existing gas cloud by its condensation, and they favour the Ambartsumian hypothesis of the joint origin of stars and gas clouds from superdense protostellar matter

AND PI (π) FROM THE KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORY OF MATTER

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DJFLEX

This paper considers the possible physical origins of the important natural constants epsilon (e = 2.7182 ) and pi (π = 3.1415 ). They are suggested to originate from the kinetic molecular nature of matter. Epsilon (e) is suggested to be the ratio of the driving force on a randomly moving particle accelerated with a quantum of ...

Nitrogen isotope fractionations in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and in the Miller-Urey reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chun-Chan Kung; Hayatsu, R.; Studier, M.H.; Clayton, R.N.; Chicago Univ., IL; Chicago Univ., IL

1979-01-01

Nitrogen isotope fractionations have been measured in Fischer-Tropsch and Miller-Urey reactions in order to determine whether these processes can account for the large 15 N/ 14 N ratios found in organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites. Polymeric material formed in the Fischer-Tropsch reaction was enriched in 15 N by only 3 promille relative to the starting material (NH 3 ). The 15 N enrichment in polymers from the Miller-Urey reaction was 10-12 promille. Both of these fractionations are small compared to the 80-90 promille differences observed between enstatite chondrites and carbonaceous chondrites. These large differences are apparently due to temporal or spatial variations in the isotopic composition of nitrogen in the solar nebula, rather than to fractionation during the production of organic compounds. (orig.)

The origins of the universe for dummies

CERN Document Server

Pincock, Stephen

2007-01-01

Do you want to learn about the physical origin of the Universe, but don't have the rest of eternity to read up on it? Do you want to know what scientists know about where you and your planet came from, but without the science blinding you? 'Course you do - and who better than For Dummies to tackle the biggest, strangest and most wonderful question there is! The Origins of the Universe For Dummies covers: Early ideas about our universeModern cosmologyBig Bang theoryDark matter and gravityGalaxies and solar systemsLife on earthFi

Structures, origin and evolution of various carbon phases in the ureilite Northwest Africa 4742 compared with laboratory-shocked graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Le Guillou, C.; Rouzaud, J. N.; Remusat, L.; Jambon, A.; Bourot-Denise, M.

2010-07-01

Mineralogical structures of carbon phases within the ureilite North West Africa 4742, a recent find, are investigated at various scales by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman microspectrometry and X-ray diffraction. Ureilites are the most carbon-rich of all meteorites, containing up to 6 wt.% carbon. Diamond, graphite and so-called "amorphous carbon" are typically described, but their crystallographic relationships and respective thermal histories remain poorly constrained. We especially focus on the origin of "amorphous carbon" and graphite, as well as their relationship with diamond. Two aliquots of carbon-bearing material were extracted: the insoluble organic matter (IOM) and the diamond fraction. We also compare the observed structures with those of laboratory-shocked graphite. Polycrystalline diamond aggregates with mean coherent domains of about 40 nm are reported for the first time in a ureilite and TEM demonstrates that all carbon phases are crystallographically related at the nanometre scale. Shock features show that diamond is produced from graphite through a martensitic transition. This observation demonstrates that graphite was present when the shock occurred and is consequently a precursor of diamond. The structure of what is commonly described as the "amorphous carbon" has been identified. It is not completely amorphous but only disordered and consists of nanometre-sized polyaromatic units surrounding the diamond. Comparison with laboratory-shocked graphite, partially transformed into diamond, indicates that the disordered carbon could be the product of diamond post-shock annealing. As diamond is the carrier of noble gases, whereas graphite is noble gas free, graphite cannot be the sole diamond precursor. This implies a multiple-stage history. A first generation of diamond could have been synthesized from a noble gas rich precursor or environment by either a shock or a condensation process. Thermally-induced graphitization

Dark Matter Annihilation at the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linden, Timothy Ryan [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)

2013-06-01

Observations by the WMAP and PLANCK satellites have provided extraordinarily accurate observations on the densities of baryonic matter, dark matter, and dark energy in the universe. These observations indicate that our universe is composed of approximately ve times as much dark matter as baryonic matter. However, e orts to detect a particle responsible for the energy density of dark matter have been unsuccessful. Theoretical models have indicated that a leading candidate for the dark matter is the lightest supersymmetric particle, which may be stable due to a conserved R-parity. This dark matter particle would still be capable of interacting with baryons via weak-force interactions in the early universe, a process which was found to naturally explain the observed relic abundance of dark matter today. These residual annihilations can persist, albeit at a much lower rate, in the present universe, providing a detectable signal from dark matter annihilation events which occur throughout the universe. Simulations calculating the distribution of dark matter in our galaxy almost universally predict the galactic center of the Milky Way Galaxy (GC) to provide the brightest signal from dark matter annihilation due to its relative proximity and large simulated dark matter density. Recent advances in telescope technology have allowed for the rst multiwavelength analysis of the GC, with suitable e ective exposure, angular resolution, and energy resolution in order to detect dark matter particles with properties similar to those predicted by the WIMP miracle. In this work, I describe ongoing e orts which have successfully detected an excess in -ray emission from the region immediately surrounding the GC, which is di cult to describe in terms of standard di use emission predicted in the GC region. While the jury is still out on any dark matter interpretation of this excess, I describe several related observations which may indicate a dark matter origin. Finally, I discuss the

The origin of stellar winds: Subatmospheric nonthermal storage modes versus radiation pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cannon, C.J.; Thomas, R.N.

1977-01-01

Most current models of matter-flux in hot stars place its origin in radiation pressure, and then model the flow explicitly to produce no chromosphere-corona. Our model of the stellar atmosphere as a transition zone between stellar interior and interstellar medium places the origin of matter-flux, chromosphere-corona, and spectral ''emission classes'' in subatmospheric nonthermal kinetic energy storage, equally for all stars, hot or cold. Current observations of both hot and cold stars suggest chromospheres to be a universal phenomenon, correlated with matter-fluxes, and enhanced in ''emission-class'' stars. To clarify the difference between the two kinds of models above, we reformulate the wind-tunnel analogy to stellar winds, suggesting that stars satisfy and ''imperfect,'' such model;i.e., transsonic shocks occur before the throat, corresponding to an imposed outward velocity in the storage section, or subatmosphere. We then investigate the stability of an arbitrary stellar atmosphere, hot or cold, to suggest a cause for such an outward subatmospheric velocity

Limits on dark matter annihilation in the sun using the ANTARES neutrino telescope

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adrián-Martínez, S.; Albert, A.; André, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.-J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Martí, J.; Basa, S.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bouwhuis, M.C.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Deschamps, A.; De Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; El Bojaddaini, I.; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Fehn, K.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L.A.; Galatà, S.; Gay, P.; Geißelsöder, S.; Geyer, K.; Giordano, V.; Gleixner, A.; Glotin, H.; Gracia-Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A.J.; Hello, Y.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Hößl, J.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C.; Illuminati, G.; James, C.W.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Katz, U.; Kießling, D.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmann, R.; Lefèvre, D.; Leonora, E.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martínez-Mora, J.A.; Mathieu, A.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Mueller, C.; Nezri, E.; Păvălaş, G.E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Roensch, K.; Saldaña, M.; Samtleben, D.F.E.; Sánchez-Losa, A.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schnabel, J.; Schüssler, F.; Seitz, T.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, T.; Taiuti, M.; Tönnis, C.; Trovato, A.; Tselengidou, M.; Turpin, D.; Vallage, B.; Vallée, C.; Van Elewyck, V.; Vivolo, D.; Wagner, S.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J.D.; Zúñiga, J.

A search for muon neutrinos originating from dark matter annihilations in the Sun is performed using the data recorded by the ANTARES neutrino telescope from 2007 to 2012. In order to obtain the best possible sensitivities to dark matter signals, an optimisation of the event selection criteria is

Unified picture for Dirac neutrinos, dark matter, dark energy and matter–antimatter asymmetry

OpenAIRE

Gu, Pei-Hong

2008-01-01

We propose a unified scenario to generate the masses of Dirac neutrinos and cold dark matter at the TeV scale, understand the origin of dark energy and explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. This model can lead to significant impact on the Higgs searches at LHC.

TOF-SIMS Analysis of Crater Residues from Wild 2 Cometary on Stardust Aluminum Foil

Science.gov (United States)

Leutner, Jan; Stephan, Thomas; Kearsley, T.; Horz, Friedrich; Flynn, George J.; Sandford, Scott A.

2006-01-01

Impact residues of cometary particles on aluminum foils from the Stardust mission were investigated with TOF-SIMS for their elemental and organic composition. The residual matter from comet 81P/Wild 2 shows a wide compositional range, from nearly monomineralic grains to polymict aggregates. Despite the comparably small analyzed sample volume, the average element composition of the investigated residues is similar to bulk CI chondritic values. Analysis of organic components in impact residues is complicated, due to fragmentation and alteration of the compounds during the impact process and by the presence of contaminants on the aluminum foils. Nevertheless, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are unambiguously associated with the impact residues were observed, and thus are most likely of cometary origin.

Addendum to "Compact Perturbative Expressions for Neutrino Oscillations in Matter"

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denton, Peter B. [Bohr Inst.; Minakata, Hisakazu [CSIC, Madrid; Parke, Stephen J. [Fermilab

2018-01-19

In this paper we rewrite the neutrino mixing angles and mass squared differences in matter given, in our original paper, in a notation that is more conventional for the reader. Replacing the usual neutrino mixing angles and mass squared differences in the expressions for the vacuum oscillation probabilities with these matter mixing angles and mass squared differences gives an excellent approximation to the oscillation probabilities in matter. Comparisons for T2K, NOvA, T2HKK and DUNE are also given for neutrinos and anti-neutrinos, disappearance and appearance channels, normal ordering and inverted ordering.

On wave dark matter in spiral and barred galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez-Medina, Luis A.; Matos, Tonatiuh; Bray, Hubert L.

2015-01-01

We recover spiral and barred spiral patterns in disk galaxy simulations with a Wave Dark Matter (WDM) background (also known as Scalar Field Dark Matter (SFDM), Ultra-Light Axion (ULA) dark matter, and Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) dark matter). Here we show how the interaction between a baryonic disk and its Dark Matter Halo triggers the formation of spiral structures when the halo is allowed to have a triaxial shape and angular momentum. This is a more realistic picture within the WDM model since a non-spherical rotating halo seems to be more natural. By performing hydrodynamic simulations, along with earlier test particles simulations, we demonstrate another important way in which wave dark matter is consistent with observations. The common existence of bars in these simulations is particularly noteworthy. This may have consequences when trying to obtain information about the dark matter distribution in a galaxy, the mere presence of spiral arms or a bar usually indicates that baryonic matter dominates the central region and therefore observations, like rotation curves, may not tell us what the DM distribution is at the halo center. But here we show that spiral arms and bars can develop in DM dominated galaxies with a central density core without supposing its origin on mechanisms intrinsic to the baryonic matter

Concentration of elements in suspended matter discharges to Lerma River, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avila-Perez, P.; Tejeda, S.; Carapia, L.; Barcelo-Quintal, I.; Martinez, T.

2011-01-01

The S, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb concentration and the elemental composition of particles in suspended matter from principal discharges to Lerma River, have been evaluated. The elemental concentration in suspended matter has been obtained by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. The elemental composition of particles has been obtained by means of Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDS). The results show that K, Ca, Ti, Mn and Fe are mainly from natural origin in the Upper Course of the Lerma River (UCLR), where the principal contributions probably come from dragging of soils and sediments in the rainy season and Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb are mainly from anthropogenic origin where the principal contributions come from urban and industrial untreated discharge. The application of Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry plus Scanning Electron Microscopy is useful in the characterization of suspended matter in natural, anthropogenic and mixed water discharges. (author)

Organic and volatile elements in the solar system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Remusat L.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Chondrites and comets have accreted primitive materials from the early solar system. Those materials include organics, water and other volatile components. The most primitive chondrites and comets have undergone few modifications on their respective parent bodies and can deliver to laboratories components that were present at the origin of the protosolar nebula. Here I present a review of the organic material and volatile components that have been studied in the most primitive chondrites, and the last data from the stardust mission about the cometary record. This paper focuses on materials that can be studied in laboratories, by mass spectrometry, ion probes or organic chemistry techniques.

Estimating particulate matter health impact related to the combustion of different fossil fuels

OpenAIRE

Kuenen , Jeroen; Gschwind , Benoît; Drebszok , Kamila M.; Stetter , Daniel; Kranenburg , Richard; Hendriks , Carlijn; Lefèvre , Mireille; Blanc , Isabelle; Wyrwa , Artur; Schaap , Martijn

2013-01-01

International audience; Exposure to particulate matter (PM) in ambient air leads to adverse health effects. To design cost effective mitigation strategies, a thorough understanding of the sources of particulate matter is crucial. We have successfully generated a web map service that allows to access information on fuel dependent health effects due to particulate matter. For this purpose, the LOTOS-EUROS air pollution model was equipped with a source apportionment module that tracks the origin...

White matter cysts in patients with tuberous sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marti-Bonmati, L.; Dosda, R.; Menor, F.; Arana, E.; Poyatos, C.

1999-01-01

The presence of cysts in the white matter of the central nervous system of patients with tuberous sclerosis (TS) is an uncommon finding that has been reported only recently in neuroimaging studies. This article assesses the prevalence of these lesions in a large series of patients studied by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and their relationship to other epidemiological and imaging findings. MRI studies were performed in 46 patients (23 males and 23 females) with a mean age of 12.7 years, and the results were examined retrospectively in the search for cortical tubers, subependymal nodules and white matter nodules, lines and cysts. Nine patients (19.6%) presented cysts in white matter. Seven had only one cyst and the remaining two patients each had two. Multiple regression analysis relating the presence of the cysts with other neuroimaging findings in these patients revealed a statistically significant relationship only with white matter nodules (odds ratio: 7.5; p=0.006). White matter cysts are small, supratentorial lesions of deep location. There is a statistically relationship between the presence of these cysts and that of nodular lesions in the white matter. This finding supports the theory that the cyst originate from white matter nodules. (Author) 17 refs

Cosmic gamma-ray background from dark matter annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ando, Shin'ichiro

2007-01-01

High-energy photons from pair annihilation of dark matter particles contribute to the cosmic gamma-ray background (CGB) observed in a wide energy range. The precise shape of the energy spectrum of CGB depends on the nature of dark matter particles. In order to discriminate between the signals from dark matter annihilation and other astrophysical sources, however, the information from the energy spectrum of CGB may not be sufficient. We show that dark matter annihilation not only contributes to the mean CGB intensity, but also produces a characteristic anisotropy, which provides a powerful tool for testing the origins of the observed CGB. We show that the expected sensitivity of future gamma-ray detectors such as GLAST should allow us to measure the angular power spectrum of CGB anisotropy, if dark matter particles are supersymmetric neutralinos and they account for most of the observed mean intensity. As the intensity of photons from annihilation is proportional to the density squared, we show that the predicted shape of the angular power spectrum of gamma rays from dark matter annihilation is different from that due to other astrophysical sources such as blazars, whose intensity is linearly proportional to density. Therefore, the angular power spectrum of the CGB provides a 'smoking-gun' signature of gamma rays from dark matter annihilation

D-brane disformal coupling and thermal dark matter

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Bhaskar; Jimenez, Esteban; Zavala, Ivonne

2017-11-01

Conformal and disformal couplings between a scalar field and matter occur naturally in general scalar-tensor theories. In D-brane models of cosmology and particle physics, these couplings originate from the D-brane action describing the dynamics of its transverse (the scalar) and longitudinal (matter) fluctuations, which are thus coupled. During the post-inflationary regime and before the onset of big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), these couplings can modify the expansion rate felt by matter, changing the predictions for the thermal relic abundance of dark matter particles and thus the annihilation rate required to satisfy the dark matter content today. We study the D-brane-like conformal and disformal couplings effect on the expansion rate of the Universe prior to BBN and its impact on the dark matter relic abundance and annihilation rate. For a purely disformal coupling, the expansion rate is always enhanced with respect to the standard one. This gives rise to larger cross sections when compared to the standard thermal prediction for a range of dark matter masses, which will be probed by future experiments. In a D-brane-like scenario, the scale at which the expansion rate enhancement occurs depends on the string coupling and the string scale.

Weakening Gravity on Redshift-Survey Scales with Kinetic Matter Mixing

CERN Document Server

D'Amico, Guido; Mancarella, Michele; Vernizzi, Filippo

2017-01-01

We explore general scalar-tensor models in the presence of a kinetic mixing between matter and the scalar field, which we call Kinetic Matter Mixing. In the frame where gravity is de-mixed from the scalar this is due to disformal couplings of matter species to the gravitational sector, with disformal coefficients that depend on the gradient of the scalar field. In the frame where matter is minimally coupled, it originates from the so-called beyond Horndeski quadratic Lagrangian. We extend the Effective Theory of Interacting Dark Energy by allowing disformal coupling coefficients to depend on the gradient of the scalar field as well. In this very general approach, we derive the conditions to avoid ghost and gradient instabilities and we define Kinetic Matter Mixing independently of the frame metric used to described the action. We study its phenomenological consequences for a $\\Lambda$CDM background evolution, first analytically on small scales. Then, we compute the matter power spectrum and the angular spectr...

White matter volume changes in people who develop psychosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Walterfang, Mark; McGuire, Philip K; Yung, Alison R; Phillips, Lisa J; Velakoulis, Dennis; Wood, Stephen J; Suckling, John; Bullmore, Edward T; Brewer, Warrick; Soulsby, Bridget; Desmond, Patricia; McGorry, Patrick D; Pantelis, Christos

2008-09-01

Grey matter changes have been described in individuals who are pre- and peri-psychotic, but it is unclear if these changes are accompanied by changes in white matter structures. To determine whether changes in white matter occur prior to and with the transition to psychosis in individuals who are pre-psychotic who had previously demonstrated grey matter reductions in frontotemporal regions. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine regional white matter volume in 75 people with prodromal symptoms. A subset of the original group (n=21) were rescanned at 12-18 months to determine white matter volume changes. Participants were retrospectively categorised according to whether they had or had not developed psychosis at follow-up. Comparison of the baseline MRI data from these two subgroups revealed that individuals who later developed psychosis had larger volumes of white matter in the frontal lobe, particularly in the left hemisphere. Longitudinal comparison of data in individuals who developed psychosis revealed a reduction in white matter volume in the region of the left fronto-occipital fasciculus. Participants who had not developed psychosis showed no reductions in white matter volume but increases in a region subjacent to the right inferior parietal lobule. The reduction in volume of white matter near the left fronto-occipital fasciculus may reflect a change in this tract in association with the onset of frank psychosis.

sUsY dark matter - a collider physicist's perspective

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

new particles that constitute the dark matter in the universe. On the other hand, .... gamma signal is robust, because it cannot have any astrophysical origin. ... and the produced antiprotons propagate to our solar system without too much loss.

Structure formation constraints on Sommerfeld-enhanced dark matter annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armendariz-Picon, Cristian; Neelakanta, Jayanth T.

2012-01-01

We study the growth of cosmic structure in a ΛCDM universe under the assumption that dark matter self-annihilates with an averaged cross section times relative velocity that grows with the scale factor, an increase known as Sommerfeld-enhancement. Such an evolution is expected in models in which a light force carrier in the dark sector enhances the annihilation cross section of dark matter particles, and has been invoked, for instance, to explain anomalies in cosmic ray spectra reported in the past. In order to make our results as general as possible, we assume that dark matter annihilates into a relativistic species that only interacts gravitationally with the standard model. This assumption also allows us to test whether the additional relativistic species mildly favored by cosmic-microwave background data could originate from dark matter annihilation. We do not find evidence for Sommerfeld-enhanced dark matter annihilation and derive the corresponding upper limits on the annihilation cross-section

Dark matter and leptogenesis linked by classical scale invariance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khoze, Valentin V.; Plascencia, Alexis D. [Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, Department of Physics, Durham University,South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE United Kingdom (United Kingdom)

2016-11-07

In this work we study a classically scale invariant extension of the Standard Model that can explain simultaneously dark matter and the baryon asymmetry in the universe. In our set-up we introduce a dark sector, namely a non-Abelian SU(2) hidden sector coupled to the SM via the Higgs portal, and a singlet sector responsible for generating Majorana masses for three right-handed sterile neutrinos. The gauge bosons of the dark sector are mass-degenerate and stable, and this makes them suitable as dark matter candidates. Our model also accounts for the matter-anti-matter asymmetry. The lepton flavour asymmetry is produced during CP-violating oscillations of the GeV-scale right-handed neutrinos, and converted to the baryon asymmetry by the electroweak sphalerons. All the characteristic scales in the model: the electro-weak, dark matter and the leptogenesis/neutrino mass scales, are generated radiatively, have a common origin and related to each other via scalar field couplings in perturbation theory.

Astronomy Matters for Chemistry Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Huebner, Jay S.; Vergenz, Robert A.; Smith, Terry L.

1996-11-01

The purpose of this paper is to encourage more chemistry teachers to become familiar with some of the basic ideas described in typical introductory astronomy courses (1 - 9), including those about the origin of elements and forms of matter. These ideas would enrich chemistry courses and help resolve some basic misconceptions that are expressed in many introductory texts (10 - 16) and journal articles for chemistry teachers (17, 18). These misconceptions are typified by statements such as "we can classify all substances as either elements or compounds," and "nature has provided 92 elements out of which all matter is composed." If students accept these misconceptions, they could be deprived of (i) an appreciation of the history of elements and knowing that the elemental composition of the universe continues to evolve, (ii) knowing that of the first 92 elements in the periodic table, technetium and promethium do not occur naturally on Earth, and (iii) understanding that there are forms of matter other than elements and compounds. This paper briefly explores these ideas.

Geochemistry of CI chondrites: Major and trace elements, and Cu and Zn Isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Barrat, J. A.; Zanda, B.; Moynier, F.; Bollinger, C.; Liorzou, C.; Bayon, G.

2012-04-01

In order to check the heterogeneity of the CI chondrites and determine the average composition of this group of meteorites, we analyzed a series of six large chips (weighing between 0.6 and 1.2 g) of Orgueil prepared from five different stones. In addition, one sample from each of Ivuna and Alais was analyzed. Although the sizes of the chips used in this study were “large”, our results show evidence for minor chemical heterogeneity in Orgueil, particularly for alkali elements and U. After removal of one outlier sample, the spread of the results is considerably reduced. For most of the 46 elements analyzed in this study, the average composition calculated for Orgueil is in very good agreement with previous CI estimates. This average, obtained with a “large” mass of samples, is analytically homogeneous and is suitable for normalization purposes. Finally, the Cu and Zn isotopic ratios are homogeneously distributed within the CI parent body with a spread of less than 100 ppm per atomic mass unit (amu).

Quantitative FT-IR Analysis for Chondritic Meteorites: Search for C_60 in Meteorites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunglee Kim

1998-06-01

Full Text Available Infrared absorption spectra of 9 bulk samples and 3 acid residues of meteorites were obtained in the mid-infrared region (4000 ~ 400 cm^(-1. From the known composition of meteorites studied, the possible absorption modes were investigated. Most bands of bulk samples occur in the region below 1200 cm^(-1 and they are due to metallic oxides and silicates. The spectra of each group can be distinguished by its own characteristic bands. Acid residues show very distinct features from their bulk samples, and absorption bands due to organic compounds are not evident in their spectra. Quantitative analyses for two carbonaceous (Allende CV3 and Murchison CM2 and one ordinary (Carraweena L3.9 chondrites were performed for the presence of fullerene (C_60 in the meteorites. We calculated the concentration of C_60 in the acid residues by curvefitting the spectra with Gaussian functions. The upper limit of C_60 concentration in these meteorites appears to be less than an order of a few hundred ppm.

Does Money Matter in Education? Second Edition

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Bruce D.

2016-01-01

This second edition policy brief revisits the long and storied literature on whether money matters in providing a quality education. It includes research released since the original brief in 2012 and covers a handful of additional topics. Increasingly, political rhetoric adheres to the unfounded certainty that money does not make a difference in…

Dragging force on galaxies due to streaming dark matter

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Tetsuya; Miyoshi, Shigeru

1990-01-01

It has been reported that galaxies in large regions (approx. 10(exp 2) Mpc), including some clusters of galaxies, may be streaming coherently with velocities up to 600 km/sec or more with respect to the rest frame determined by the microwave background radiation. On the other hand, it is suggested that the dominant mass component of the universe is dark matter. Because we can only speculate the motion of dark matter from the galaxy motions, much attention should be paid to the correlation of velocities between the observed galaxies and cold dark matter. So the authors investigated whether such coherent large-scale streaming velocities are due to dark matter or only to baryonic objects which may be formed by piling up of gases due to some explosive events. It seems that, although each galaxy will not follow the motion of dark matter, clusters of galaxies may represent the velocity field of dark matter. The origin of the velocity field of dark matter would be due to the initial adiabatic perturbations and, in fact, the observed peculiar velocities of clusters are within the allowed region constrained from the isotropy of the microwave background radiation.

Right-handed neutrino dark matter under the B−L gauge interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaneta, Kunio [Center for Theoretical Physics of the Universe, Institute for Basic Science,Daejeon 34051 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Zhaofeng [School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study,Seoul 02455 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hye-Sung [Center for Theoretical Physics of the Universe, Institute for Basic Science,Daejeon 34051 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-07

We study the right-handed neutrino (RHN) dark matter candidate in the minimal U(1){sub B−L} gauge extension of the standard model. The U(1){sub B−L} gauge symmetry offers three RHNs which can address the origin of the neutrino mass, the relic dark matter, and the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. The lightest among the three is taken as the dark matter candidate, which is under the B−L gauge interaction. We investigate various scenarios for this dark matter candidate with the correct relic density by means of the freeze-out or freeze-in mechanism. A viable RHN dark matter mass lies in a wide range including keV to TeV scale. We emphasize the sub-electroweak scale light B−L gauge boson case, and identify the parameter region motivated from the dark matter physics, which can be tested with the planned experiments including the CERN SHiP experiment.

Origin of life and living matter in hot mineral water

OpenAIRE

Ignatov, Ignat; Mosin, Oleg

2013-01-01

In this review the composition of water and isotopic structure of water during a process of origin of life is submitted. The data obtained testify that life maintenance depends on physical-chemical properties of water and external factors – temperature and рН. Hot mineral alkaline water, which interacts with CaCO 3 is closest to these conditions. Next in line with regard to quality is sea and mountain water.

Phase transitions and dark matter problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schramm, D.N.

1984-10-01

The possible relationships between phase transitions in the early universe and dark matter problems are discussed. It is shown that there are at least 3 distinct cosmological dark matter problems: (1) halos; (2) galaxy formation and clustering; and (3) Ω = 1, each emphasizing different attributes for the dark matter. At least some of the dark matter must be baryonic but if problems 2 and 3 are real they seem to also require non-baryonic material. However, if seeds are generated at the quark-hardon-chiral symmetry transition then alternatives to the standard scenarios may occur. At present no simple simultaneous solution (neither hot, warm, nor cold) exists for all 3 problems, but non-standard solutions with strings, decaying particles or light not tracing to mass may work. An alternative interpretation of the relationship of the cluster-cluster and galaxy-galaxy correlation functions using renormalized scaling is mentioned. In this interpretation galaxies are more strongly correlated and the cluster-cluster function is not expected to go negative until greater than or equal to 200 Mpc. Possible phase transition origins for the cluster-cluster renormalized scale are presented as ways to obtain a dimension 1.2 fractal. 64 references

TWO EXTRASOLAR ASTEROIDS WITH LOW VOLATILE-ELEMENT MASS FRACTIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jura, M.; Xu, S.; Klein, B.; Zuckerman, B.; Koester, D.

2012-01-01

Using ultraviolet spectra obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, we extend our previous ground-based optical determinations of the composition of the extrasolar asteroids accreted onto two white dwarfs, GD 40 and G241-6. Combining optical and ultraviolet spectra of these stars with He-dominated atmospheres, 13 and 12 polluting elements are confidently detected in GD 40 and G241-6, respectively. For the material accreted onto GD 40, the volatile elements C and S are deficient by more than a factor of 10 and N by at least a factor of 5 compared to their mass fractions in primitive CI chondrites and approach what is inferred for bulk Earth. A similar pattern is found for G241-6 except that S is undepleted. We have also newly detected or placed meaningful upper limits for the amount of Cl, Al, P, Ni, and Cu in the accreted matter. Extending results from optical studies, the mass fractions of refractory elements in the accreted parent bodies are similar to what is measured for bulk Earth and chondrites. Thermal processing, perhaps interior to a snow line, appears to be of central importance in determining the elemental compositions of these particular extrasolar asteroids.