Almahata Sitta (AhS), an anomalous polymict ureilite, is the first meteorite observed to originate from a spectrally classified asteroid (2008
We use the known surface boulder-size distribution of the C-type rubble pile asteroid Ryugu (NEA 162173) to determine its macroporosity, assuming it is a homogeneous granular aggregate. We show that the volume-frequency distribution of its boulders, cobbles, and pebbles, is well-represented by a lognormal function with
- Award ID(s):
- 1950797
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10484874
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.3847
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Planetary Science Journal
- Volume:
- 2
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 2632-3338
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: Article No. 110
- Size(s):
- ["Article No. 110"]
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract TC 3). However, correlating properties of the meteorite with those of the asteroid is not straightforward because the AhS stones are diverse types. Of those studied prior to this work, 70–80% are ureilites (achondrites) and 20–30% are various types of chondrites. Asteroid 2008TC 3was a heterogeneous breccia that disintegrated in the atmosphere, with its clasts landing on Earth as individual stones and most of its mass lost. We describe AhS 91A and AhS 671, which are the first AhS stones to show contacts between ureilitic and chondritic materials and provide direct information about the structure and composition of asteroid 2008TC 3. AhS 91A and AhS 671 are friable breccias, consisting of a C1 lithology that encloses rounded to angular clasts (<10 μm to 3 mm) of olivine, pyroxenes, plagioclase, graphite, and metal‐sulfide, as well as chondrules (~130–600 μm) and chondrule fragments. The C1 material consists of fine‐grained phyllosilicates (serpentine and saponite) and amorphous material, magnetite, breunnerite, dolomite, fayalitic olivine (Fo 28‐42), an unidentified Ca‐rich silicate phase, Fe,Ni sulfides, and minor Ca‐phosphate and ilmenite. It has similarities toCI 1 but shows evidence of heterogeneous thermal metamorphism. Its bulk oxygen isotope composition (δ18O = 13.53‰, δ17O = 8.93‰) is unlike that of any known chondrite, but similar to compositions of severalCC ‐like clasts in typical polymict ureilites. Its Cr isotope composition is unlike that of any known meteorite. The enclosed clasts and chondrules do not belong to the C1 lithology. The olivine (Fo 75‐88), pyroxenes (pigeonite of Wo ~10 and orthopyroxene of Wo ~4.6), plagioclase, graphite, and some metal‐sulfide are ureilitic, based on mineral compositions, textures, and oxygen isotope compositions, and represent at least six distinct ureilitic lithologies. The chondrules are probably derived from type 3OC and/orCC , based on mineral and oxygen isotope compositions. Some of the metal‐sulfide clasts are derived fromEC . AhS 91A and AhS 671 are plausible representatives of the bulk of the asteroid that was lost. Reflectance spectra of AhS 91A are dark (reflectance ~0.04–0.05) and relatively featureless inVNIR , and have an ~2.7 μm absorption band due toOH −in phyllosilicates. Spectral modeling, using mixtures of laboratoryVNIR reflectance spectra of AhS stones to fit the F‐type spectrum of the asteroid, suggests that 2008TC 3consisted mainly of ureilitic and AhS 91A‐like materials, with as much as 40–70% of the latter, and <10% ofOC ,EC , and other meteorite types. The bulk density of AhS 91A (2.35 ± 0.05 g cm−3) is lower than bulk densities of other AhS stones, and closer to estimates for the asteroid (~1.7–2.2 g cm−3). Its porosity (36%) is near the low end of estimates for the asteroid (33–50%), suggesting significant macroporosity. The textures of AhS 91A and AhS 671 (finely comminuted clasts of disparate materials intimately mixed) support formation of 2008TC 3in a regolith environment. AhS 91A and AhS 671 could represent a volume of regolith formed when aCC ‐like body impacted into already well‐gardened ureilitic + impactor‐derived debris. AhS 91A bulk samples do not show a solar wind component, so they represent subsurface layers. AhS 91A has a lower cosmic ray exposure (CRE ) age (~5–9 Ma) than previously studied AhS stones (11–22 Ma). The spread inCRE ages argues for irradiation in a regolith environment. AhS 91A and AhS 671 show that ureilitic asteroids could have detectable ~2.7 μm absorption bands. -
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Abstract Within this work, we present the first true three‐dimensional (3D) analysis of chondrule size. Knowledge about the physical properties of chondrules is important for validating astrophysical theories concerning chondrule formation and their aggregation into the chondritic meteorites (known as chondrites) that contain them. The classification of chondrites into chemical groups also relies on chondrule properties, including their dimensions. Within this work, we quantify the diameters of chondrules in five ordinary chondrites (OCs; comprised of the H, L, and LL chondrites) and one low‐iron enstatite (EL) chondrite. To extract the chondrule size data, we use x‐ray computed microtomography to image small (~1–2 cm3) chondrite samples followed by manual digital segmentation to isolate chondrules within the volumes or subvolumes. Our data yield true 3D results without stereographic corrections necessary for two‐dimensional (2D) or petrographic thin section‐based determinations of chondrule sizes. Our results are completely novel, but are consistent with previous surface analysis (2D) data for OCs. Within our OC chondrule diameter data, we find the trend of mean chondrule diameters increasing in the order H < L < LL. We also present the first detailed EL chondrite chondrule size‐frequency distribution. Finally, we examine the shapes and collective orientations of the chondrules within the chondrites and show that chondrite petrofabrics can be explored with our methodology. Chondrule shape‐preferred orientations are identical to the orientations of the metal and sulfide grains in the chondrites and this is likely due to impact‐related compaction.
Highlights We present a first true three‐dimensional analysis of chondrule size.
Our ordinary chondrite chondrule diameter data demonstrate the trend of mean chondrule diameters increasing in the order H chondrites < L chondrites < LL chondrites.
We also present the first detailed low‐iron enstatite chondrite chondrule size‐frequency distribution.
We examine the shapes and collective orientations of the chondrules and show that chondrite petrofabrics can be explored with our methodology.
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Abstract The highly hydrated, petrologic type 1
CM andCI carbonaceous chondrites likely derived from primitive, water‐rich asteroids, two of which are the targets forJAXA 's Hayabusa2 andNASA 'sOSIRIS ‐RE x missions. We have collected visible and near‐infrared (VNIR ) and mid infrared (MIR ) reflectance spectra from well‐characterizedCM 1/2,CM 1, andCI 1 chondrites and identified trends related to their mineralogy and degree of secondary processing. The spectral slope between 0.65 and 1.05 μm decreases with increasing total phyllosilicate abundance and increasing magnetite abundance, both of which are associated with more extensive aqueous alteration. Furthermore, features at ~3 μm shift from centers near 2.80 μm in the intermediately alteredCM 1/2 chondrites to near 2.73 μm in the highly alteredCM 1 chondrites. The Christiansen features (CF ) and the transparency features shift to shorter wavelengths as the phyllosilicate composition of the meteorites becomes more Mg‐rich, which occurs as aqueous alteration proceeds. Spectra also show a feature near 6 μm, which is related to the presence of phyllosilicates, but is not a reliable parameter for estimating the degree of aqueous alteration. The observed trends can be used to estimate the surface mineralogy and the degree of aqueous alteration in remote observations of asteroids. For example, (1) Ceres has a sharp feature near 2.72 μm, which is similar in both position and shape to the same feature in the spectra of the highly alteredCM 1MIL 05137, suggesting abundant Mg‐rich phyllosilicates on the surface. Notably, bothOSIRIS ‐RE x and Hayabusa2 have onboard instruments which cover theVNIR andMIR wavelength ranges, so the results presented here will help in corroborating initial results from Bennu and Ryugu. -
Context. Asteroid (22) Kalliope is the second largest M-type asteroid in the main belt and is orbited by a satellite, Linus. Whereas the mass of Kalliope is already well constrained thanks to the presence of a moon, its volume is still poorly known, leading to uncertainties on its bulk density and internal structure. Aims. We aim to refine the shape of (22) Kalliope and thus its diameter and bulk density, as well as the orbit of its moon to better constrain its mass, hence density and internal structure. Methods. We acquired disk-resolved observations of (22) Kalliope using the VLT/SPHERE/ZIMPOL instrument to reconstruct its three-dimensional (3D) shape using three different modeling techniques. These images were also used together with new speckle observations at the C2PU/PISCO instrument as well as archival images from other large ground-based telescopes to refine the orbit of Linus. Results. The volume of (22) Kalliope given by the shape models, corresponding to D = 150 ± 5 km, and the mass constrained by its satellite’s orbit yield a density of ρ = 4.40 ± 0.46 g cm −3 . This high density potentially makes (22) Kalliope the densest known small body in the Solar System. A macroporosity in the 10–25% range (as expected for this mass and size), implies a grain density in the 4.8–5.9 g cm −3 range. Kalliope’s high bulk density, along with its silicate-rich surface implied by its low radar albedo, implies a differentiated interior with metal contributing to most of the mass of the body. Conclusions. Kalliope’s high metal content (40–60%) along with its metal-poor mantle makes it the smallest known Mercury-like body. A large impact at the origin of the formation of the moon Linus is likely the cause of its high metal content and density.more » « less
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Abstract Chondrule-like objects and Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) are discovered in the retuned samples from asteroid Ryugu. Here we report results of oxygen isotope, mineralogical, and compositional analysis of the chondrule-like objects and CAIs. Three chondrule-like objects dominated by Mg-rich olivine are16O-rich and -poor with Δ17O (=δ17O – 0.52 × δ18O) values of ~ –23‰ and ~ –3‰, resembling what has been proposed as early generations of chondrules. The16O-rich objects are likely to be melted amoeboid olivine aggregates that escaped from incorporation into16O-poor chondrule precursor dust. Two CAIs composed of refractory minerals are16O-rich with Δ17O of ~ –23‰ and possibly as old as the oldest CAIs. The discovered objects (<30 µm) are as small as those from comets, suggesting radial transport favoring smaller objects from the inner solar nebula to the formation location of the Ryugu original parent body, which is farther from the Sun and scarce in chondrules. The transported objects may have been mostly destroyed during aqueous alteration in the Ryugu parent body.
