A layered-crust model of a Howardite parent body

Abstract

A Howardite parent body is a Vesta-like hypothetical asteroid composed of diogenites, eucrites, and howardites (polymict breccias of various diogenites and eucrites). Combined single-crystal X-ray diffraction and microprobe studies of their pyroxenes indicate that their exsolution and inversion textures vary systematically with respect to their crystallization trend deduced from their Mg and Ca concentrations. Mg-Rich, early crystallized (presumably deep-seated) members revealed slowly cooled textures, except Mg-Rich pyroxene fragments in eucritic polymict breccias. Present study of such pyroxenes in Yamato-74450 and -75015 found in Antarctica confirmed that they were originally cores of the very rapidly cooled Pasamonte-like pigeonites. Based on these data, we reconstructed a layered-crust model from bottom to top as: (A) Mg-rich diogenite layer with orthopyroxenes with or without exsolution lamellae of augite with common (100) plane; (B) Fe-rich diogenite layer with inverted low-Ca pigeonites and orthopyroxenes; (C) cumulate eucrite layer with low-Ca inverted pigeonites with blebby augite inclusions with (100) in common generally, and plagioclase (Binda is the most Mg-rich member of this layer); (D) Moore County-like layer with partially inverted pigeonites with (001) augite lamellae and plagioclase; (E) common eucrite layer with the Juvinas-like pigeonites with fine (001) augite lamellae and plagiocalse; (F) surface eucrite layer with the Pasamonte-like pigeonites which are chemically zoned.