Chemical and physical studies of type 3 chondrites—III. Chondrules from the Dhajala H3.8 chondrite

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Fifty-eight chondrules were separated from the Dhajala H3.8 chondrite and their thermoluminescence properties were measured. Chips from 30 of the chondrules were examined petrographically and with electron-microprobe techniques; the bulk compositions of 30 chondrules were determined by the fused bead technique. Porphyritic chondrules, especially 5 which have particularly high contents of mesostasis, tend to have higher TL (mass-normalized) than non-porphyritic chondrules. Significant correlations between log(TL) and the bulk CaO, Al 2O 3 and MnO content of the chondrules, and between log(TL) and the CaO, Al 2O 3, SiO 2 and normative anorthite content of the chondrule glass, indicate an association between TL and the abundance and composition of mesostasis. Unequilibrated chondrules ( i.e. those whose olivine is compositionally heterogeneous and high in Ca) have low TL, whereas equilibrated chondrules have a wide range of TL, depending on their chemical and petrographic properties. We suggest that the TL level in a given chondrule is governed by its bulk composition (which largely determined the abundance and composition of constituent glass) and by metamorphism (which devitrfied the glass in those chondrules with high Ca glass to produce the TL phosphor). We also suggest that one reason why certain chondrules in type 3 ordinary chondrites are unequilibrated, while others are equilibrated, is that the mesostasis of the unequilibrated chondrules resisted the devitrification. This devitrification is necessary for the diffusive communication between chondrule grains and matrix that enables equilibration.