Meteoroid streams: Evidence from meteorites recovered on Earth

Abstract

The flux of small meteoroids, originating primarily from comets, consists of sporadic, random objects and others whose orbits are related. Here, we summarize data relevant to the question of whether the flux of large meteoroids of asteroidal origin (recoverable as meteorites) also consists of objects with random orbits, as well as coorbital objects. After reviewing some relevant properties of planetary materials, applications of two nuclear techniques - radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) - to this question are discussed. Contents of ten thermally labile trace and ultratrace elements determined by RNAA (Ag, Bi, Cd, Cs, In, Rb, Se, Te, Tl, Zn) act as thermometers for thermal metamorphism in parent sources. These data, together with spectral reflectivity information, establish the nature of surfaces on abundant C-, G-, B- and F-class asteroids. Data for these ten cosmothermometers in H4-6 type ordinary chondrites, when treated by multivariate statistical techniques, demonstrate that a suite chosen by one set of criteria (the circumstances of their fall in May, between 1855 and 1895) is distinguishable by another set, i.e. compositionally, from all other such falls analyzed. Hence, this suite, H Cluster 1, has an average thermal history distinguishable from those of all other falls, demonstrating that near-Earth source regions for H chondrite falls changes rapidly. AMS measurements of cosmogenic36Cl (301 kyr half-life), quantify nominal terrestrial ages for Antarctic H chondrites whose contents of thermometric trace elements were also established by RNAA. While multivariate statistical analysis of RNAA data from Antarctic H chondrites with nominal terrestrial ages ≤50 kyr are not distinguishable from those of falls, older Antarctic H chondrites are compositionally distinguishable from falls. Assertions that these highly significant compositional differences reflect terrestrial or methodologic causes are refutable. This result argues that near-Earth source regions of H chondrites have changed over a long time, as well. Thus, the Earth receives a highly biased sampling of planetary objects in the Solar System in any one time-period.