Unraveling the Cr Isotopes of Ryugu: An Accurate Aqueous Alteration Age and the Least Thermally Processed Solar System Material

Abstract

The analysis of samples returned from the C-type asteroid Ryugu has drastically advanced our knowledge of the evolution of early solar system materials. However, no consensus has been obtained on the chronological data, which is important for understanding the evolution of the asteroid Ryugu. Here, the aqueous alteration age of Ryugu particles was determined by the Mn–Cr method using bulk samples, yielding an age of 4.13 + 0.62/−0.55 Myr after the formation of Ca–Al-rich inclusions (CAI). The age corresponds to 4563.17 + 0.60/−0.67 Myr ago. The higher 55Mn/52Cr, ε 54Cr, and initial ε 53Cr values of the Ryugu samples relative to any carbonaceous chondrite samples implies that its progenitor body formed from the least thermally processed precursors in the outermost region of the protoplanetary disk. Despite accreting at different distances from the Sun, the hydrous asteroids (Ryugu and the parent bodies of CI, CM, CR, and ungrouped C2 meteorites) underwent aqueous alteration during a period of limited duration (3.8 ± 1.8 Myr after CAI). These ages are identical to the crystallization age of the carbonaceous achondirtes NWA 6704/6693 within the error. The ε 54Cr and initial ε 53Cr values of Ryugu and NWA 6704/6693 are also identical, while they show distinct Δ'17O values. This suggests that the precursors that formed the progenitor bodies of Ryugu and NWA 6703/6693 were formed in close proximity and experienced a similar degree of thermal processing in the protosolar nebula. However, the progenitor body of Ryugu was formed by a higher ice/dust ratio, than NWA6703/6693, in the outer region of the protoplanetary disk.