Here we report in situ structural and chemical analyses of four presolar grains and the matrices of the Meteorite Hills (MET) 00526 L3.05 and Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 97008 L3.05 unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOCs). The presolar grains in MET 00526 include one Fe‐rich single crystal olivine, and one olivine grain that contains both amorphous and polycrystalline material. The single crystal olivine likely has origins in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of a red giant branch (RGB) or asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star, and the amorphous/polycrystalline olivine has an O‐isotopic composition consistent with origins in a type II supernova. The presolar grains from QUE 97008 are Fe rich and include one crystalline, stoichiometric olivine that contains a Ca‐rich core and one crystalline, stoichiometric pyroxene grain, both of which have O‐isotopic compositions consistent with origins in the CSEs of low‐mass AGB/RGB stars. The matrices of both UOCs are mineralogically diverse with evidence for unaltered material in the form of amorphous silicates and a C‐rich nanoglobule and altered material in the form of Ni‐rich sulfides, abundant Fe‐rich olivine, and Fe‐Mg zoning in matrix silicates. No phyllosilicates were observed. The Fe‐rich olivine grains are the dominant alteration phase in both UOCs and likely replaced primary amorphous silicates in the presence of an Fe‐rich fluid during parent body alteration. Our work suggests that the ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites received a similar inventory of dust with comparable structures and chemistries.
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Dust grains that formed around ancient stars and in stellar explosions seeded the early solar protoplanetary disk. While most of such presolar grains were destroyed during solar system formation, a fraction of such grains were preserved in primitive materials such as meteorites. These grains can provide constraints on stellar origins and secondary processing such as aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism on their parent asteroids. Here, we report on the nature of aqueous alteration in the Miller Range (MIL) 07687 chondrite through the analysis of four presolar silicates and their surrounding material. The grains occur in the Fe‐rich and Fe‐poor lithologies, reflecting relatively altered and unaltered material, respectively. The O‐isotopic compositions of two grains, one each from the Fe‐rich and Fe‐poor matrix, are consistent with formation in the circumstellar envelopes of low‐mass Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB)/Red Giant Branch (RGB) stars. The other two grains, also one each from the Fe‐rich and Fe‐poor matrix, have O‐isotopic compositions consistent with formation in the ejecta of type‐II supernovae (SNe). The grains derived from AGB/RGB stars include two polycrystalline pyroxene grains that contain Fe‐rich rims. The SNe grains include a polycrystalline Ca‐bearing pyroxene and a polycrystalline assemblage consistent with a mixture of olivine and pyroxene. Ferrihydrite is observed in all focused ion beam sections, consistent with parent‐body aqueous alteration of the fine‐grained matrix under oxidizing conditions. The Fe‐rich rims around presolar silicates in this study are consistent with Fe‐diffusion into the grains resulting from early‐stage hydrothermal alteration, but such alteration was not extensive enough to lead to isotopic equilibration with the surrounding matrix.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10444082
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Meteoritics & Planetary Science
- Volume:
- 58
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 1086-9379
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 360-382
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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