Cosmogenic Noble Gases Research Articles

Microstructures, mineral chemistry, noble gases and nitrogen in the recent fall, Bhuka iron (IAB) meteorite

We report some chemical, petrological and isotopic studies of the Bhuka iron meteorite that fell in Rajasthan, India in 2005. Numerous silicate and graphite inclusions are visible on the surface of the hand specimen. In the polished and etched surface studied, irregular patches of graphite are found as the most dominant inclusion and commonly associated with pure corundum (95wt% Al2O3), spinel, feldspar and Si-rich phases. Apart from typical lamellar intergrowth with kamacite (i.e. the Widmänstatten pattern), taenites are also commonly found to occur as a rim of the graphite inclusions. P-rich (up to 10wt%) taenites are also found locally within the recrystallised kamacite matrix. Based on mineralogy, texture and bulk composition, Bhuka resembles the low-Ni IAB subgroup (ungrouped). Noble gas isotope studies suggest He, Ne and Ar are mostly of cosmogenic origin, while Kr and Xe are a mixture of cosmogenic, radiogenic and trapped components. A pre-atmospheric radius of 10±1cm and a cosmic ray exposure age of 346±52Ma are derived based on depth dependant (3He/4He)c and 38Arc respectively, as per the production systematics of cosmogenic noble gas isotopes (Ammon et al., 2009). Cosmogenic 83Kr and 126Xe yield production rates of 12 and 0.335 ( in 10−15ccSTP/g Ma) for 83Kr and 126Xe respectively. Presence of trapped Kr and Xe, with (84Kr/132Xe)t=2 and radiogenic 129Xe=120×10−12 ccSTP/g are due to presence of graphite/silicate inclusions in the analysed sample. Over ~150% excess 131Xec than expected from spallation suggests contribution from (n,ɤ) reactions from Ba from inclusions and suggests irradiation of pre-atmospheric object in a larger body, indicative of complex irradiation. Trapped N of 24ppm, with δ15N=−10.7±0.8‰ observed in Bhuka, is heavier than the range observed hither to in IAB irons.

Cosmic‐ray exposure ages of chondrules

AbstractIf chondrules were exposed to cosmic rays prior to meteorite compaction, they should retain an excess of cosmogenic noble gases. Beyersdorf‐Kuis et al. (2015) showed that such excesses can be detected provided that the chemical composition of each individual chondrule is precisely known. However, their study was limited to a few samples as they had to be irradiated in a nuclear reactor for instrumental neutron activation analysis. We developed a novel analytical protocol that combines the measurements of He and Ne isotopic concentrations with a fast method to correct for differences in chemical composition using micro X‐ray computed tomography. Our main idea is to combine noble gas, nuclear track, and petrography data for numerous chondrules to understand the precompaction exposure history of the chondrite parent bodies. Here, we report our results for a total of 77 chondrules and four matrix samples from NWA 8276 (L3.00), NWA 8007 (L3.2), and Bjurböle (L/LL4). All chondrules from the same meteorite have within uncertainty identical 21Ne exposure ages, and all chondrules from Bjurböle have within uncertainty identical 3He exposure ages. However, most chondrules from NWA 8276 and a few from NWA 8007 show small but resolvable differences in 3He exposure age that we attribute to matrix contamination and/or gas loss. The finding that none of the chondrules has noble gas excesses is consistent with the uniform track density found for each meteorite. We conclude that the studied chondrules did not experience a precompaction exposure longer than a few Ma assuming present‐day flux of galactic cosmic rays. A majority of chondrules from L and LL chondrites thus rapidly accreted and/or was efficiently shielded from cosmic rays in the solar nebula.

Noble gases, nitrogen and cosmic ray exposure age of the Sulagiri chondrite

The Sulagiri meteorite fell in India on 12 September 2008, LL6 chondrite class is the largest among all the Indian meteorites. Isotopic compositions of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) and nitrogen in the Sulagiri meteorite and cosmic ray exposure history are discussed. Low cosmogenic (22Ne/21Ne)c ratio is consistent with irradiation in a large body. Cosmogenic noble gases indicate that Sulagiri has a 4π cosmic-ray exposure (CRE) age of 27.9 ± 3.4 Ma and is a member of the peak of CRE age distribution of LL chondrites. Radiogenic 4He and 40Ar concentrations in Sulagiri yields the radiogenic ages as 2.29 and 4.56 Ga, indicating the loss of He from the meteorite. Xenon and krypton are mixture of Q and spallogenic components.

Calibration of cosmogenic noble gas production based on36Cl-36Ar ages. Part 2. The81Kr-Kr dating technique

We calibrated the ⁸¹Kr-Kr dating system for ordinary chondrites of different sizes using independent shielding-corrected ³⁶Cl-³⁶Ar ages. Krypton concentrations and isotopic compositions were measured in bulk samples from 14 ordinary chondrites of high petrologic type and the cosmogenic Kr component was obtained by subtracting trapped Kr from phase Q. The thus-determined average cosmogenic ⁷⁸Kr/⁸³Kr, ⁸⁰Kr/⁸³Kr, ⁸²Kr/⁸³Kr, and ⁸4Kr/⁸³Kr ratiC(Lavielle and Marti 1988; Wieler 2002). The cosmogenic ⁷⁸Kr/⁸³Kr ratio is correlated with the cosmogenic 22Ne/21Ne ratio, confirming that ⁷⁸Kr/⁸³Kr is a reliable shielding indicator. Previously, ⁸¹Kr-Kr ages have been determined by assuming the cosmogenic production rate of ⁸¹Kr, P(⁸¹Kr)c, to be 0.95 times the average of the cosmogenic production rates of ⁸⁰Kr and ⁸²Kr; the factor Y = 0.95 therefore accounts for the unequal production of the various Kr isotopes (Marti 1967a). However, Y should be regarded as an empirical adjustment. For samples whose ⁸⁰Kr and ⁸²Kr concentrations may be affected by neutron-capture reactions, the shielding-dependent cosmogenic (⁷⁸Kr/⁸³Kr)c ratio has been used instead to calculate P(⁸¹Kr)/P(⁸³Kr), as for some lunar samples, this ratio has been shown to linearly increase with (⁷⁸Kr/⁸³Kr)c (Marti and Lugmair 1971). However, the ⁸¹Kr-Kr ages of our samples calculated with these methods are on average ~30% higher than their ³⁶Cl-³⁶Ar ages, indicating that most if not all the ⁸¹Kr-Kr ages determined so far are significantly too high. We therefore re-evaluated both methods to determine P(⁸¹Kr)c/P(⁸³Kr)c. Our new Y value of 0.70 ± 0.04 is more than 25% lower than the value of 0.95 used so far. Furthermore, together with literature data, our data indicate that for chondrites, P(⁸¹Kr)c/P(⁸³Kr)c is rather constant at 0.43 ± 0.02, at least for the shielding range covered by our samples ([⁷⁸Kr/⁸³Kr]c = 0.119–0.185; [22Ne/21Ne]c = 1.083–1.144), in contrast to the observations on lunar samples. As expected considering the method used, ⁸¹Kr-Kr ages calculated either directly with this new P(⁸¹Kr)c/P(⁸³Kr)c value or with our new Y value both agree with the corresponding ³⁶Cl-³⁶Ar ages. However, the average deviation of 2% indicates the accuracy of both new ⁸¹Kr-Kr dating methods and the precision of the new dating systems of ~10% is demonstrated by the low scatter in the data. Consequently, this study indicates that the ⁸¹Kr-Kr ages published so far are up to 30% too high.

Comment on “John’s stone: A possible fragment of the 1908 Tunguska meteorite” (Anfinogenov et al., 2014, Icarus 243, 139–147)

Anfinogenov et al. (Anfinogenov et al. [2014]. Icarus 243, 139–147) argue that a highly silicified gravelite sandstone referred to as “John’s stone” could be a fragment of the long-sought-after impactor from the 1908 Tunguska event. We have analyzed the oxygen isotopic composition of two distinct samples of John’s stone both kindly provided by Dr Yana Anfingenova. Both samples had very similar isotopic compositions, such that the average of the two was as follows: δ17O=6.67±0.15‰; δ18O=12.78±0.28‰; Δ17O=−0.01±0.01 (errors 1SD). This value is well within the range for samples of terrestrial quartz-bearing sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. John’s stone has an oxygen isotope composition and mineralogy that is unlike any known group of meteorites. If John’s stone is extraterrestrial this would imply that it represents a previously unknown type of meteorite, as suggested by Anfinogenov et al. However, since sandstones can only form on a parent body with liquid water and by inference, also an atmosphere, we argue that there are only two possible parent bodies in the Solar System: the Earth and Mars. Mars can be ruled out for several reasons, including the oxygen isotopic and noble gas composition of John’s stone, which is clearly distinct from martian meteorites. Consistent with the O study, the noble gases do not provide any evidence for an extraterrestrial origin of the samples. The lack of any cosmogenic noble gases (particularly striking in 3He, 21Ne, 38Ar) is consistent with a terrestrial origin or an extraterrestrial origin under large shielding.Based on the combined evidence obtained in this study we infer that John’s stone is a terrestrial rock unrelated to the Tunguska impactor.

Lunar meteorite Yamato-983885: Noble gases, nitrogen and cosmic ray exposure history

Noble gases and nitrogen have been in lunar meteorite from antartcica: the polymict regolith breccias, Yamato-983885 (hereafter Y-983885). Y-983885 has highest concentration of trapped noble gases (Ar, Kr, and Xe) among all the lunar meteorites and returned lunar samples. Noble gases and nitrogen abundances measured in two samples of the lunar meteorite Y-983885. The concentration of trapped noble gases in Y-983885 (A) are, 20Ne=3.69×10−3, 36Ar=12.6×10−4, 84kr=8.57×10−7 and 132Xe=1.63×10−7ccSTP/g. The cosmic-ray exposure ages for Y-983885 are thus calculated to be T21 (A)=1592±232Ma and T21 (B)=574±85Ma for 2π geometry (using production rates as per Hohenberg et al., 1978 and bulk composition). The exposure ages of samples A and B differ, indicating that they have undergone different exposure scenarios on the lunar surface. The different irradiation ages (T21 (A)=1592±232Ma and T21 (B)=574±85Ma) indicates that the regolith material which constitutes the meteorite Y-983885 resided at different shielding depths on lunar surface before agglomeration into the final meteorite. Exposure ages calculated using end member compositon like norite, basalt, tractolite (1947 to 1365 and 711 to 455 for A and B respectively) indicates clearly that the two samples A and B has undergone different exposure on Moon. The 20Ne/22Ne ratio of 13.60±0.01 in temperature step 400°C of Y-983885 (A) demonstrate a clear retention of solar wind signature in this meteorite. The presence of high contents of trapped solar wind gases indicates that Y-983885 consists of mature lunar regolith material. Variable amounts of solar gases as well as cosmogenic noble gases indicate that Y-983885 (A and B) is compacted from several fragments that were exposed at the surface and/or at various depths in the regolith, before becoming part of Y-983885.

Diffusion kinetics of 3He and 21Ne in quartz and implications for cosmogenic noble gas paleothermometry

The simultaneous production and diffusion of cosmogenic noble gases offers the potential to constrain past temperatures on Earth and other planetary surfaces. Knowledge of both the production rate and diffusion kinetics of cosmogenic nuclide pairs is required to utilize this open-system behavior for paleothermometry. Here, we investigate the diffusion kinetics of spallogenic 3He and 21Ne in quartz through a series of step-degassing experiments on individual, proton-irradiated quartz grains. Quartz often, but not always, exhibits two stages of linear Arrhenius behavior, with He and Ne exhibiting similar release patterns. This two-stage behavior does not appear to correlate with heating-induced structural changes or anisotropy, nor is it an artifact of proton irradiation. The behavior may instead be associated with a sample-specific property such as radiation damage, mineral inclusions, fluid inclusions, or structural defects. We interpret these two Arrhenius arrays to represent multiple diffusion domain (MDD)-type behavior in quartz, as two-domain models closely reproduce the experimental data. However, we are currently unable to link this behavior with a clear physical mechanism; a different, more mechanistic model may be more appropriate in future studies.For both He and Ne, modeled Arrhenius diffusion parameters (activation energy, Ea, and pre-exponential factor, D0) display a range of values in the quartz samples analyzed. For 3He, Ea ranges from 73.0 to 99.8kJ/mol and D0 from 5.9×100 to 1.0×104cm2s−1 for the initial, low-temperature linear Arrhenius arrays; when observed, a second array at higher temperatures corresponds to Ea ranging from 85.2 to 106.4kJ/mol and D0 from 1.7×10−1 to 3.5×100cm2s−1. For 21Ne, Ea ranges from 95.7 to 153.8kJ/mol and D0 from 6.6×10−1 to 3.2×103cm2s−1 for the initial, low-temperature array; linearity at high temperatures is not well constrained, likely because the α- to β-quartz transition occurs during the relevant temperature range. When extrapolated to Earth surface temperatures and geologically relevant timescales, these results suggest that 1mm-radius quartz grains lose significant amounts of cosmogenic 3He by diffusion at sub-zero temperatures from the low-retentivity domain over >103yr timescales and from the high-retentivity domain over >104yr, whereas quantitative retention of cosmogenic 21Ne occurs over >106yr at temperatures ⩽40°C in most cases. While these results are generally consistent with previously reported studies, they also reveal that sample-specific diffusion parameters are required for quantitative application of cosmogenic noble gas paleothermometry. The cosmogenic 3He abundance in one quartz sample with a simple Holocene exposure history and the stepwise degassing pattern of cosmogenic 3He and 21Ne from another quartz sample with a ∼1.2Ma exposure history agree well with diffusion experiments on proton-irradiated aliquots of the same samples. For the sample with a simple Holocene exposure history, a production and diffusion model incorporating sample-specific diffusion parameters and the measured 3He abundance predicts an effective diffusion temperature consistent with the effective modern temperature at the sample location. This internal consistency demonstrates that the empirically determined, sample-specific diffusion kinetics apply to cosmogenic 3He and 21Ne in quartz in natural settings over geologic timescales.

Cosmogenic noble gas paleothermometry

We present a theoretical basis for reconstructing paleotemperatures from the open-system behavior of cosmogenic noble gases produced in minerals at Earth's surface. Experimentally-determined diffusion kinetics predicts diffusive loss of cosmogenic 3He and 21Ne from common minerals like quartz and feldspars at ambient temperatures; incomplete retention has also been observed empirically in field studies. We show that the theory of simultaneous production and diffusion that applies to radiogenic noble gases in minerals—the basis of thermochronology—can also be applied to cosmogenic noble gases to reconstruct past surface temperatures on Earth. We use published diffusion kinetics and production rates for 3He in quartz and 21Ne in orthoclase to demonstrate the resolving power of cosmogenic noble gas paleothermometry with respect to exposure duration, temperature, and diffusion domain size. Calculations indicate that, when paired with a quantitatively retained cosmogenic nuclide such as 21Ne or 10Be, observations of cosmogenic 3He in quartz can constrain temperatures during surface exposure in polar and high altitude environments. Likewise, 21Ne retention in feldspars is sensitive to temperatures at lower latitudes and elevations, expanding the potential geographic applicability of this technique to most latitudes. As an example, we present paired measurements of 3He and 10Be in quartz from a suite of Antarctic sandstone erratics to test whether the abundances of cosmogenic 3He agree with what is predicted from first principles and laboratory-determined diffusion kinetics. We find that the amounts of cosmogenic 3He present in these samples are consistent with the known mean annual temperature (MAT) for this region of Antarctica between −25 and −30 °C. These results demonstrate the method's ability to record paleotemperatures through geologic time.

The quest for regolithic howardites. Part 2: Surface origins highlighted by noble gases

We report noble gas data of helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr) and xenon (Xe), cosmic ray exposure (CRE) ages and nominal gas retention (K–Ar, U–Th–He) ages for seven howardites (CRE 01400, EET 87513, EET 87518, EET 99400, GRO 95535, GRO 95602, SAN 03472), in continuing research to identify regolithic samples, and better understand the vestan regolith. In our previous work, we found little correlation between suggested regolith parameters of Ni>300μg/g, Al2O3 8–9wt% and eucrite/diogenite (E:D) ratio of 2:1 (Warren et al., 2009), and trapped solar wind (SW), fractionated solar wind (FSW) or planetary noble gas components (from impacted material) – noble gas indicators of a regolithic origin. Here, we have expanded our data set to include samples outside of these parameters to further explore composition, and the differences in Ni content as indicators for the presence of non-Vesta material. In addition, our sample set includes two potentially paired meteorites from the GRO suite. Finally, in our petrographic studies, the samples selected showed no evidence for carbonaceous chondrite fragments, which should reduce the effect of “contamination” by planetary noble gas components, and will allow us to better identify SW/FSW components, where present.Of the samples studied here, three howardites GRO 95535, GRO 95602 and EET 87513 show evidence for a regolithic origin, with both isotopic and element noble gas ratios clearly pointing to the presence of trapped components similar to SW/FSW or planetary. The two GRO howardites, GRO 95535 and GRO 95602, show similar noble gas ratios to our previously defined SW/FSW dominated regolithic group (LEW 85313 and MET 00423), suggesting a surface origin for these samples. However, interestingly, the GRO samples show vastly different cosmogenic noble gas abundances, and thus different CRE ages, which suggests that they are not paired. For howardite EET 87513, the data hint to the presence of CM-material, with a neon release pattern similar to our defined planetary/FSW dominated regolithic group (CM-rich samples PRA 04401, SCO 06040). Our petrological investigations found no evidence for CM fragments within EET 87513, though a single clast was reported previously (Buchanan et al., 1993). Aside from the Ne release pattern, the remaining noble gas data show more similarity with SW/FSW components. The remaining four howardites CRE 01400, EET 87518, EET 99400, and SAN 03472 and are dominated by cosmogenic noble gases, and show no evidence for a regolithic origin. Our data suggest that a CM-composition is likely present in all samples to some degree, but that this can be overprinted by SW components or cosmogenic components obtained in situ on the vestan surface or during transit to Earth respectively.The presence of CM material is an important parameter for understanding the evolution of Vesta’s surface. While we have uncovered three further regolithic howardites (∼13 regolithic total, of ∼41 analysed), further noble gas analysis of HED meteorites is needed to not only determine regolithic origins, but to better characterise the abundance of carbonaceous chondrite material and its effect on the noble gas signatures of such samples.

Exposure history of the Sutter's Mill carbonaceous chondrite

AbstractThe Sutter's Mill (SM) carbonaceous chondrite fell in California on April 22, 2012. The cosmogenic radionuclide data indicate that Sutter's Mill was exposed to cosmic rays for 0.082 ± 0.008 Myr, which is one of the shortest ages for C chondrites, but overlaps with a small cluster at approximately 0.1 Myr. The age is significantly longer than proposed ages that were obtained from cosmogenic noble gas concentrations, which have large uncertainties due to trapped noble gas corrections. The presence of neutron‐capture 60Co and 36Cl in SM indicates a minimum preatmospheric radius of approximately 50 cm, and is consistent with a radius of 1–2 m, as derived from the fireball observations. Although a large preatmospheric size was proposed, one fragment (SM18) contains solar cosmic ray–produced short‐lived radionuclides, such as 56Co and 51Cr. This implies that this specimen was less than 2 cm from the preatmospheric surface of Sutter's Mill. Although this conclusion seems surprising, it is consistent with the observation that the meteoroid fragmented high in the atmosphere. The presence of SCR‐produced nuclides is consistent with the high SCR fluxes observed during the last few months before the meteorite's fall, when its orbit was less than 1 AU from the Sun.

He and Ne in individual chromite grains from the regolith breccia Ghubara (L5): Exploring the history of the L chondrite parent body regolith

AbstractWe analyzed He and Ne in chromite grains from the regolith breccia Ghubara (L5), to compare it with He and Ne in sediment‐dispersed extraterrestrial chromite (SEC) grains from mid‐Ordovician sediments. These SEC grains arrived on Earth as micrometeorites in the aftermath of the L chondrite parent body (LCPB) breakup event, 470 Ma ago. A significant fraction of them show prolonged exposure to galactic cosmic rays for up to several 10 Ma. The majority of the cosmogenic noble gases in these grains were probably acquired in the regolith of the LCPB (Meier et al. ). Ghubara, an L chondritic regolith breccia with an Ar‐Ar shock age of 470 Ma, is a sample of that regolith. We find cosmic‐ray exposure ages of up to several 10 Ma in some Ghubara chromite grains, confirming for the first time that individual chromite grains with such high exposure ages indeed existed in the LCPB regolith, and that the >10 Ma cosmic‐ray exposure ages found in recent micrometeorites are thus not necessarily indicative of an origin in the Kuiper Belt. Some Ghubara chromite grains show much lower concentrations of cosmogenic He and Ne, indicating that the 4π (last‐stage) exposure age of the Ghubara meteoroid lasted only 4–6 Ma. This exposure age is considerably shorter than the 15–20 Ma suggested before from bulk analyses, indicating that bulk samples have seen regolith pre‐exposure as well. The shorter last‐stage exposure age probably links Ghubara to a small peak of 40Ar‐poor L5 chondrites of the same exposure age. Furthermore, and quite unexpectedly, we find a Ne component similar to presolar Ne‐HL in the chromite grains, perhaps indicating that some presolar Ne can be preserved even in meteorites of petrologic type 5.

In Situ Radiometric and Exposure Age Dating of the Martian Surface

We determined radiogenic and cosmogenic noble gases in a mudstone on the floor of Gale Crater. A K-Ar age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years represents a mixture of detrital and authigenic components and confirms the expected antiquity of rocks comprising the crater rim. Cosmic-ray-produced (3)He, (21)Ne, and (36)Ar yield concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years. Surface exposure occurred mainly in the present geomorphic setting rather than during primary erosion and transport. Our observations are consistent with mudstone deposition shortly after the Gale impact or possibly in a later event of rapid erosion and deposition. The mudstone remained buried until recent exposure by wind-driven scarp retreat. Sedimentary rocks exposed by this mechanism may thus offer the best potential for organic biomarker preservation against destruction by cosmic radiation.

Calibration of cosmogenic noble gas production in ordinary chondrites based on 36Cl‐36Ar ages. Part 1: Refined produced rates for cosmogenic 21Ne and 38Ar

AbstractWe measured the concentrations and isotopic compositions of He, Ne, and Ar in bulk samples and metal separates of 14 ordinary chondrite falls with long exposure ages and high metamorphic grades. In addition, we measured concentrations of the cosmogenic radionuclides 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl in metal separates and in the nonmagnetic fractions of the selected meteorites. Using cosmogenic 36Cl and 36Ar measured in the metal separates, we determined 36Cl‐36Ar cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE) ages, which are shielding‐independent and therefore particularly reliable. Using the cosmogenic noble gases and radionuclides, we are able to decipher the CRE history for the studied objects. Based on the correlation 3He/21Ne versus 22Ne/21Ne, we demonstrate that, among the meteorites studied, only one suffered significant diffusive losses (about 35%). The data confirm that the linear correlation 3He/21Ne versus 22Ne/21Ne breaks down at high shielding. Using 36Cl‐36Ar exposure ages and measured noble gas concentrations, we determine 21Ne and 38Ar production rates as a function of 22Ne/21Ne. The new data agree with recent model calculations for the relationship between 21Ne and 38Ar production rates and the 22Ne/21Ne ratio, which does not always provide unique shielding information. Based on the model calculations, we determine a new correlation line for 21Ne and 38Ar production rates as a function of the shielding indicator 22Ne/21Ne for H, L, and LL chondrites with preatmospheric radii less than about 65 cm. We also calculated the 10Be/21Ne and 26Al/21Ne production rate ratios for the investigated samples, which show good agreement with recent model calculations.

Light element geochemistry of the Chelyabinsk meteorite

The spectacular arrival of a huge meteorite in central Siberia on February 15th 2013 was the largest event of its kind for more than a hundred years. Oxygen isotope analysis reveals the object involved was an ordinary chondrite of type LL. Petrological examination of the material analysed shows two main lithologies, metamorphic grade 5, were present both having veins of shock produced glass. All three types of material were investigated for carbon, nitrogen and noble gas content and isotopic compositions. The relatively low abundance of carbon and nitrogen indicate that Chelyabinsk is uncontaminated by comparison with other samples in meteorite collections so that indigenous components may be recognized. All the samples studied contained minimal amounts of cosmogenic and primordial noble gases, evidence that the pre-atmospheric size of the object was large, greater than two metres in diameter and that the explosion and break-up was accompanied by catastrophic degassing. The implications for other major meteorite falls and the Tunguska event are discussed.

Fall, classification, and exposure history of the Mifflin L5 chondrite

AbstractThe Mifflin meteorite fell on the night of April 14, 2010, in southwestern Wisconsin. A bright fireball was observed throughout a wide area of the midwestern United States. The petrography, mineral compositions, and oxygen isotope ratios indicate that the meteorite is a L5 chondrite fragmental breccia with light/dark structure. The meteorite shows a low shock stage of S2, although some shock‐melted veins are present. The U,Th‐He age is 0.7 Ga, and the K‐Ar age is 1.8 Ga, indicating that Mifflin might have been heated at the time of the 470 Ma L‐chondrite parent body breakup and that U, Th‐He, and K‐Ar ages were partially reset. The cosmogenic radionuclide data indicate that Mifflin was exposed to cosmic rays while its radius was 30–65 cm. Assuming this exposure geometry, a cosmic‐ray exposure age of 25 ± 3 Ma is calculated from cosmogenic noble gas concentrations. The low 22Ne/21Ne ratio may, however, indicate a two‐stage exposure with a longer first‐stage exposure at high shielding. Mifflin is unusual in having a low radiogenic gas content combined with a low shock stage and no evidence of late stage annealing; this inconsistency remains unexplained.

Climatically influenced denudation rates of the southern African plateau: Clues to solving a geomorphic paradox

Southern Africa displays a high topography but paradoxically exhibits tectonic stability and low denudation rates. Here the present controls on denudation in southern Africa are investigated by comparing maximum denudation rates for Karoo dolerite surfaces in the region, determined from the abundances of cosmogenic noble gas nuclides (3He, 21Ne and 38Ar) in pyroxenes, with the predictions of a climate-dependent weathering rate model. In general, we find an excellent agreement in the value ranges of both datasets (<4m/Myr), and interpret this as evidence that present denudation in southern Africa is weathering-limited and climatically influenced due to an apparent absence of significant regional neotectonic uplift. The onset of this geodynamic coupling is unknown but may be of considerable antiquity, thus allowing for the prolonged tenure of southern Africa's inherited Cretaceous topography.

The quest for regolithic howardites. Part 1: Two trends uncovered using noble gases

We report noble gas data (helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr) and xenon (Xe)), nominal gas retention ages (K–Ar, U–Th–He) and cosmic ray exposure (CRE) ages for the ten howardites EET 83376, EET 99408, LEW 85313, MET 00423, MET 96500, PCA 02066, PRA 04401, QUE 94200, QUE 97002, and SCO 06040, in research to better understand the regolith of the HED parent body – Vesta – through a combined petrological, compositional and noble gas study. Our main aim is to determine which howardites are truly regolithic – as defined by the presence of solar noble gas components (e.g. solar wind (SW), fractionated solar wind (FSW)) and/or by the presence of planetary components (e.g. Q, HL) associated with foreign clasts of carbonaceous chondrite material within the breccias.Of our ten howardites, four (LEW 85313, MET 00423, PRA 04401 and SCO 06040) show evidence for a regolithic origin, with noble gas ratios indicating the presence of trapped components. Howardites PRA 04401 and SCO 06040 contain significant amounts of CM type carbonaceous chondrite material, and these samples are dominated by a planetary component similar to that observed in CM meteorites Murchison and Maribo. Overall, we find evidence for two regolithic groups with different release trends: (1) SW/FSW component dominated howardites (LEW 85313 and MET 00423), where SW/FSW is dominant at low temperature releases, and less pronounced at higher temperatures; (2) Planetary component dominated howardites (PRA 04401 and SCO 06040) that also contain SW/FSW – the planetary component is associated with incorporated carbonaceous chondrite material, and is dominant at the mid-temperature release. The remaining six howardites EET 83376, EET 99408, MET 96500, PCA 02066, QUE 94200, and QUE 97002, are dominated by cosmogenic noble gases, and are not considered regolithic.Previous work by Warren et al. (2009) suggested that high siderophile element contents (specifically nickel (Ni)>300μg/g) were a regolith indicator for howardites, in addition to restricted Al2O3 contents (8–9wt.%) representing a eucrite/diogenite mixing ratio of 2:1 as indicative of an ancient well-mixed regolith. These parameters were based on five ‘gas-rich’ howardites. However, we find no obvious correlation between these parameters and SW/FSW or planetary noble gas content in our howardite samples. We conclude that howardite regolith parameters are not as simple as those defined by Warren et al. (2009), where three of the five howardites used contained foreign CM material, which may have caused a bias in their defined parameters. We conclude that sideophile abundances alone cannot be used to determine the regolithic nature of a sample: noble gas analysis remains a key parameter, where it is important to distinguish between planetary-dominated and SW-dominated regolithic howardites.

Hf–W chronometry of core formation in planetesimals inferred from weakly irradiated iron meteorites

The application of Hf–W chronometry to determine the timescales of core formation in the parent bodies of magmatic iron meteorites is severely hampered by 182W burnout during cosmic ray exposure of the parent meteoroids. Currently, no direct method exists to correct for the effects of 182W burnout, making the Hf–W ages for iron meteorites uncertain. Here we present noble gas and Hf–W isotope systematics of iron meteorite samples whose W isotopic compositions remained essentially unaffected by cosmic ray interactions. Most selected samples have concentrations of cosmogenic noble gases at or near the lowermost level observed in iron meteorites and, for iron meteorite standards, have very low noble gas and radionuclide based cosmic ray exposure ages (<60Ma). In contrast to previous studies, no corrections of measured W isotope compositions are required for these iron meteorite samples. Their ε182W values (parts per 104 deviations from the terrestrial value) are higher than those measured for most other iron meteorites and range from −3.42 to −3.31, slightly elevated compared to the initial 182W/184W of Ca–Al-rich Inclusions (CAI; ε182W=−3.51±0.10). The new W isotopic data indicate that core formation in the parent bodies of the IIAB, IIIAB, and IVA iron meteorites occurred ∼1–1.5Myr after CAI formation (with an uncertainty of ∼1Myr), consistent with earlier conclusions that the accretion and differentiation of iron meteorite parent bodies predated the accretion of most chondrite parent bodies. One ungrouped iron meteorite (Chinga) exhibits small nucleosynthetic W isotope anomalies, but after correction for these anomalies its ε182W value agrees with those of the other samples. Another ungrouped iron (Mbosi), however, has elevated ε182W relative to the other investigated irons, indicating metal–silicate separation ∼2–3Myr later than in the parent bodies of the three major iron meteorite groups studied here.

Cosmogenic helium and neon in individual chondrules from Allende and Murchison: Implications for the precompaction exposure history of chondrules

Abstract– We analyzed cosmogenic He and Ne in more than 60 individual chondrules separated from small chips from the carbonaceous chondrites Allende and Murchison. The goal of this work is to search for evidence of an exposure of chondrules to energetic particles—either solar or galactic—prior to final compaction of their host chondrites and prior to the exposure of the meteoroids to galactic cosmic rays (GCR) on their way to Earth. Production rates of GCR‐produced He and Ne are calculated for each chondrule based on major element composition and a physical model of cosmogenic nuclide production in carbonaceous chondrites (Leya and Masarik 2009). All studied chondrules in Allende show nominal exposure ages identical to each other within uncertainties of a few hundred thousand years. Allende chondrules therefore show no signs of a precompaction exposure. The majority of the Murchison chondrules (the “normal” chondrules) also have nominal exposure ages identical within a few hundred thousand years. However, roughly 20% of the studied Murchison chondrules (the “pre‐exposed” chondrules) contain considerably or even much higher concentrations of cosmogenic noble gases than the normal chondrules, equivalent to exposure ages to GCR at present‐day fluxes in a 4π irradiation of up to about 30 Myr. The data do not allow to firmly conclude whether these excesses were acquired by an exposure of the pre‐exposed chondrules to an early intense flux of solar energetic particles (solar cosmic rays) or rather by an exposure to GCR in the regolith of the Murchison parent asteroid. However, we prefer the latter explanation. Two major reasons are the GCR‐like isotopic composition of the excess Ne and the distribution of solar flare tracks in Murchison samples.

Noble gases in the Xinjiang (Armanty) iron meteorite––A big object with a short cosmic‐ray exposure age

Abstract– We measured the concentrations and isotopic ratios of the cosmogenic noble gases He, Ne, and Ar in the very large iron meteorite Xinjiang (IIIE). The 3He and 4He data indicate that a significant portion of the cosmogenic produced helium has been lost via diffusion or in a recent impact event. High 22Ne/21Ne ratios indicate that contributions to the cosmogenic 21Ne from sulfur and/or phosphorous are significant. By combining the measured nuclide concentrations with model calculations for iron meteorites we were able to determine the preatmospheric diameter of Xinjiang to 260–320 cm, which corresponds to a total mass of about 70–135 tons. The cosmic‐ray exposure age of Xinjiang is 62 ± 16 Ma, i.e., relatively short compared to most of the other iron meteorites. With the current database we cannot firmly determine whether Xinjiang experienced a complex irradiation history. The finding of 3He and 4He losses might argue for a recent impact event and therefore for a complex exposure.