Amoeboid olivine aggregates with low-Ca pyroxenes: a genetic link between refractory inclusions and chondrules?

Abstract

Amoeboid olivine aggregates (AOAs) in primitive (unmetamorphosed and unaltered) carbonaceous chondrites are uniformly 16O-enriched (Δ 17O ∼ −20‰) and consist of forsterite (Fa <2), FeNi-metal, and a refractory component (individual CAIs and fine-grained minerals interspersed with forsterite grains) composed of Al-diopside, anorthite, ±spinel, and exceptionally rare melilite (Åk <15); some CAIs in AOAs have compact, igneous textures. Melilite in AOAs is replaced by a fine-grained mixture of spinel, Al-diopside, and anorthite. Spinel is corroded by anorthite or by Al-diopside. In ∼10% of > 500 AOAs studied in the CR, CV, CM, CO, CH, CB, and ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites Acfer 094, Adelaide, and LEW85332, forsterite is replaced to a various degree by low-Ca pyroxene. There are three major textural occurrences of low-Ca pyroxene in AOAs: (i) thin (<10 μm) discontinuous layers around forsterite grains or along forsterite grain boundaries in AOA peripheries; (ii) haloes and subhedral grains around FeNi-metal nodules in AOA peripheries, and (iii) thick (up to 70 μm) continuous layers with abundant tiny inclusions of FeNi-metal grains around AOAs. AOAs with low-Ca pyroxene appear to have experienced melting of various degrees. In the most extensively melted AOA in the CV chondrite Leoville, only spinel grains are relict; forsterite, anorthite and Al-diopside were melted. This AOA has an igneous rim of low-Ca pyroxene with abundant FeNi-metal nodules and is texturally similar to Type I chondrules. Based on these observations and thermodynamic analysis, we conclude that AOAs are aggregates of relatively low temperature solar nebular condensates originated in 16O-rich gaseous reservoir(s), probably CAI-forming region(s). Some of the CAIs were melted before aggregation into AOAs. Many AOAs must have also experienced melting, but of a much smaller degree than chondrules. Before and possibly after aggregation, melilite and spinel reacted with the gaseous SiO and Mg to form Ca-Tschermakite (CaAl 2SiO 6)-diopside (CaMgSi 2O 6) solid solution and anorthite. Solid or incipiently melted olivine in some AOAs reacted with gaseous SiO in the CAI- or chondrule-forming regions to form low-Ca pyroxene: Mg 2SiO 4 + SiO (g) + H 2O (g) = Mg 2Si 2O 6 + H 2(g). Some low-Ca pyroxenes in AOAs may have formed by oxidation of Si-bearing FeNi-metal: Mg 2SiO 4 + Si (in FeNi) + 2H 2O (g) = Mg 2Si 2O 6 + 2H 2(g) and by direct gas-solid condensation: Mg (g) + SiO (g) +H 2O (g) = Mg 2Si 2O 6(s) + H 2(g) from fractionated (Mg/Si ratio < solar) nebular gas. Although bulk compositions of AOAs are rather similar to those of Type I chondrules, on the projection from spinel onto the plane Ca 2SiO 4-Mg 2SiO 4-Al 2O 3, these objects plot on different sides of the anorthite-forsterite thermal divide, suggesting that Type I chondrules cannot be produced from AOAs by an igneous fractionation. Formation of low-Ca pyroxene by reaction of AOAs with gaseous SiO and by melting of silica-rich dust accreted around AOAs moves bulk compositions of the AOAs towards chondrules, and provide possible mechanisms of transformation of refractory materials into chondrules or chondrule precursors. The rare occurrences of low-Ca pyroxene in AOAs may indicate that either AOAs were isolated from the hot nebular gas before condensation of low-Ca pyroxene or that condensation of low-Ca pyroxene by reaction between forsterite and gaseous SiO was kinetically inhibited. If the latter is correct, then the common occurrences of pyroxene-rich Type I chondrules may require either direct condensation of low-Ca pyroxenes or SiO 2 from fractionated nebular gas or condensation of gaseous SiO into chondrule melts.