Compositions, geochemistry, and shock histories of recrystallized LL chondrites

Abstract

To examine compositional changes associated with high degrees of apparent thermal metamorphism among the LL chondrites, we have examined seven LL chondrites originally classified as being petrographic type 7. For comparison, we also analyzed the L6/7 chondrite Y-790124. We found that A-880933 is actually an LL4–6 genomict breccia and Y-790124 is best described as an L6 (S3) chondrite. The remaining six chondrites (EET 92013, Uden, Y-74160, Y-790144, Y-791067, Y-82067) are clearly of LL provenance, and each experienced temperatures high enough for them to have been recrystallized. In four of these samples (EET 92013, Uden, Y-74160, Y-790144) we find elemental patterns suggesting Fe(Ni)–FeS mobilization. Others (Y-791067, Y-82067) have compositions identical to average equilibrated LL chondrites. From our compositional data, we infer that EET 92013, Uden, Y-74160, Y-790144 experienced very low degrees of partial melting prior to recrystallization, but Y-791067 and Y-82067 experienced isochemical solid state recrystallization. The heat source responsible for the high degrees of thermal alteration of these meteorites is limited to either the decay of now extinct radionuclides (26Al) or impact-related heating. To evaluate the nature of the heat source, we use 40Ar–39Ar literature data and petrographic examinations to infer the cooling history and shock history of these chondrites. We find that heating due to impact is the most likely heat source for the heating of the recrystallized chondrites. The potential impacts occurred well after the initial stages of LL chondrite thermal metamorphism, but still early in the LL parent body’s history, probably ∼4.2–4.3Ga ago. These rocks experienced mild shock histories following their recrystallization.