Evidence of both molecular cloud and fluid chemistry in Ryugu regolith

The sulfur chemistry of (162173) Ryugu particles can be a powerful tracer of molecular cloud chemistry and small body processes, but it has not been well explored. We report identification of organosulfurs and a sulfate grain in two Ryugu particles, A0070 and A0093. The sulfate grain shows oxygen isotope ratios (δ17O = -11.0 ± 4.3 per mil, δ18O = -7.8 ± 2.3 per mil) that are akin to silicates in Ryugu but exhibit mass-independent sulfur isotopic fractionation (Δ33S = +5 ± 2 per mil). A methionine-like coating on the sulfate grain is isotopically anomalous (δ15N = +62 ± 2 per mil). Both the sulfate and organosulfurs can simultaneously form and survive during aqueous alteration within Ryugu's parent body, under reduced conditions, low temperature, and a pH >7 in the presence of N-rich organic molecules. This work extends the heliocentric zone where anomalous sulfur, formed by selective photodissociation of H2S gas in the molecular cloud, is found.

Compositions of iron-meteorite parent bodies constrain the structure of the protoplanetary disk

Magmatic iron-meteorite parent bodies are the earliest planetesimals in the Solar System, and they preserve information about conditions and planet-forming processes in the solar nebula. In this study, we include comprehensive elemental compositions and fractional-crystallization modeling for iron meteorites from the cores of five differentiated asteroids from the inner Solar System. Together with previous results of metallic cores from the outer Solar System, we conclude that asteroidal cores from the outer Solar System have smaller sizes, elevated siderophile-element abundances, and simpler crystallization processes than those from the inner Solar System. These differences are related to the formation locations of the parent asteroids because the solar protoplanetary disk varied in redox conditions, elemental distributions, and dynamics at different heliocentric distances. Using highly siderophile-element data from iron meteorites, we reconstruct the distribution of calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) across the protoplanetary disk within the first million years of Solar-System history. CAIs, the first solids to condense in the Solar System, formed close to the Sun. They were, however, concentrated within the outer disk and depleted within the inner disk. Future models of the structure and evolution of the protoplanetary disk should account for this distribution pattern of CAIs.

A 4,565-My-old record of the solar nebula field

Magnetic fields in protoplanetary disks are thought to play a prominent role in the formation of planetary bodies. Acting upon turbulence and angular momentum transport, they may influence the motion of solids and accretion onto the central star. By searching for the record of the solar nebula field preserved in meteorites, we aim to characterize the strength of a disk field with a spatial and temporal resolution far superior to observations of extrasolar disks. Here, we present a rock magnetic and paleomagnetic study of the andesite meteorite Erg Chech 002 (EC002). This meteorite contains submicron iron grains, expected to be very reliable magnetic recorders, and carries a stable, high-coercivity magnetization. After ruling out potential sources of magnetic contamination, we show that EC002 most likely carries an ancient thermoremanent magnetization acquired upon cooling on its parent body. Using the U-corrected Pb-Pb age of the meteorite's pyroxene as a proxy for the timing of magnetization acquisition, we estimate that EC002 recorded a field of 60 ± 18 µT at a distance of ~2 to 3 astronomical units, 2.0 ± 0.3 My after the formation of calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions. This record can only be explained if EC002 was magnetized by the field prevalent in the solar nebula. This makes EC002's record, particularly well resolved in time and space, one of the two earliest records of the solar nebula field. Such a field intensity is consistent with stellar accretion rates observed in extrasolar protoplanetary disks.

Investigating Europa's Habitability with the Europa Clipper

The habitability of Europa is a property within a system, which is driven by a multitude of physical and chemical processes and is defined by many interdependent parameters, so that its full characterization requires collaborative investigation. To explore Europa as an integrated system to yield a complete picture of its habitability, the Europa Clipper mission has three primary science objectives: (1) characterize the ice shell and ocean including their heterogeneity, properties, and the nature of surface-ice-ocean exchange; (2) characterize Europa's composition including any non-ice materials on the surface and in the atmosphere, and any carbon-containing compounds; and (3) characterize Europa's geology including surface features and localities of high science interest. The mission will also address several cross-cutting science topics including the search for any current or recent activity in the form of thermal anomalies and plumes, performing geodetic and radiation measurements, and assessing high-resolution, co-located observations at select sites to provide reconnaissance for a potential future landed mission. Synthesizing the mission's science measurements, as well as incorporating remote observations by Earth-based observatories, the James Webb Space Telescope, and other space-based resources, to constrain Europa's habitability, is a complex task and is guided by the mission's Habitability Assessment Board (HAB).

Silicon isotope constraints on terrestrial planet accretion

Understanding the nature and origin of the precursor material to terrestrial planets is key to deciphering the mechanisms and timescales of planet formation1. Nucleosynthetic variability among rocky Solar System bodies can trace the composition of planetary building blocks2-5. Here we report the nucleosynthetic composition of silicon (μ30Si), the most abundant refractory planet-building element, in primitive and differentiated meteorites to identify terrestrial planet precursors. Inner Solar System differentiated bodies, including Mars, record μ30Si deficits of -11.0 ± 3.2 parts per million to -5.8 ± 3.0 parts per million whereas non-carbonaceous and carbonaceous chondrites show μ30Si excesses from 7.4 ± 4.3 parts per million to 32.8 ± 2.0 parts per million relative to Earth. This establishes that chondritic bodies are not planetary building blocks. Rather, material akin to early-formed differentiated asteroids must represent a major planetary constituent. The μ30Si values of asteroidal bodies correlate with their accretion ages, reflecting progressive admixing of a μ30Si-rich outer Solar System material to an initially μ30Si-poor inner disk. Mars' formation before chondrite parent bodies is necessary to avoid incorporation of μ30Si-rich material. In contrast, Earth's μ30Si composition necessitates admixing of 26 ± 9 per cent of μ30Si-rich outer Solar System material to its precursors. The μ30Si compositions of Mars and proto-Earth are consistent with their rapid formation by collisional growth and pebble accretion less than three million years after Solar System formation. Finally, Earth's nucleosynthetic composition for s-process sensitive (molybdenum and zirconium) and siderophile (nickel) tracers are consistent with pebble accretion when volatility-driven processes during accretion and the Moon-forming impact are carefully evaluated.

Formation and evolution of carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu: Direct evidence from returned samples

Samples of the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu were brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. We analyzed 17 Ryugu samples measuring 1 to 8 millimeters. Carbon dioxide-bearing water inclusions are present within a pyrrhotite crystal, indicating that Ryugu's parent asteroid formed in the outer Solar System. The samples contain low abundances of materials that formed at high temperatures, such as chondrules and calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions. The samples are rich in phyllosilicates and carbonates, which formed through aqueous alteration reactions at low temperature, high pH, and water/rock ratios of <1 (by mass). Less altered fragments contain olivine, pyroxene, amorphous silicates, calcite, and phosphide. Numerical simulations, based on the mineralogical and physical properties of the samples, indicate that Ryugu's parent body formed ~2 million years after the beginning of Solar System formation.

Compositions and Interior Structures of the Large Moons of Uranus and Implications for Future Spacecraft Observations

The five large moons of Uranus are important targets for future spacecraft missions. To motivate and inform the exploration of these moons, we model their internal evolution, present-day physical structures, and geochemical and geophysical signatures that may be measured by spacecraft. We predict that if the moons preserved liquid until present, it is likely in the form of residual oceans less than 30 km thick in Ariel, Umbriel, and less than 50 km in Titania, and Oberon. The preservation of liquid strongly depends on material properties and, potentially, on dynamical circumstances that are presently unknown. Miranda is unlikely to host liquid at present unless it experienced tidal heating a few tens of million years ago. We find that since the thin residual layers may be hypersaline, their induced magnetic fields could be detectable by future spacecraft-based magnetometers. However, if the ocean is maintained primarily by ammonia, and thus well below the water freezing point, then its electrical conductivity may be too small to be detectable by spacecraft. Lastly, our calculated tidal Love number (k ₂) and dissipation factor (Q) are consistent with the Q/k ₂ values previously inferred from dynamical evolution models. In particular, we find that the low Q/k ₂ estimated for Titania supports the hypothesis that Titania currently holds an ocean.

Oxygen isotopes of anhydrous primary minerals show kinship between asteroid Ryugu and comet 81P/Wild2

The extraterrestrial materials returned from asteroid (162173) Ryugu consist predominantly of low-temperature aqueously formed secondary minerals and are chemically and mineralogically similar to CI (Ivuna-type) carbonaceous chondrites. Here, we show that high-temperature anhydrous primary minerals in Ryugu and CI chondrites exhibit a bimodal distribution of oxygen isotopic compositions: ¹⁶O-rich (associated with refractory inclusions) and ¹⁶O-poor (associated with chondrules). Both the ¹⁶O-rich and ¹⁶O-poor minerals probably formed in the inner solar protoplanetary disk and were subsequently transported outward. The abundance ratios of the ¹⁶O-rich to ¹⁶O-poor minerals in Ryugu and CI chondrites are higher than in other carbonaceous chondrite groups but are similar to that of comet 81P/Wild2, suggesting that Ryugu and CI chondrites accreted in the outer Solar System closer to the accretion region of comets.

Compositions of carbonaceous-type asteroidal cores in the early solar system

The parent cores of iron meteorites belong to the earliest accreted bodies in the solar system. These cores formed in two isotopically distinct reservoirs: noncarbonaceous (NC) type and carbonaceous (CC) type in the inner and outer solar system, respectively. We measured elemental compositions of CC-iron groups and used fractional crystallization modeling to reconstruct the bulk compositions and crystallization processes of their parent asteroidal cores. We found generally lower S and higher P in CC-iron cores than in NC-iron cores and higher HSE (highly siderophile element) abundances in some CC-iron cores than in NC-iron cores. We suggest that the different HSE abundances among the CC-iron cores are related to the spatial distribution of refractory metal nugget-bearing calcium aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) in the protoplanetary disk. CAIs may have been transported to the outer solar system and distributed heterogeneously within the first million years of solar system history.

Natural separation of two primordial planetary reservoirs in an expanding solar protoplanetary disk

Meteorites display an isotopic composition dichotomy between noncarbonaceous (NC) and carbonaceous (CC) groups, indicating that planetesimal formation in the solar protoplanetary disk occurred in two distinct reservoirs. The prevailing view is that a rapidly formed Jupiter acted as a barrier between these reservoirs. We show a fundamental inconsistency in this model: If Jupiter is an efficient blocker of drifting pebbles, then the interior NC reservoir is depleted by radial drift within a few hundred thousand years. If Jupiter lets material pass it, then the two reservoirs will be mixed. Instead, we demonstrate that the arrival of the CC pebbles in the inner disk is delayed for several million years by the viscous expansion of the protoplanetary disk. Our results support the hypothesis that Jupiter formed in the outer disk (>10 astronomical units) and allowed a considerable amount of CC material to pass it and become accreted by the terrestrial planets.

Distinguishing the Origin of Asteroid (16) Psyche

The asteroid (16) Psyche may be the metal-rich remnant of a differentiated planetesimal, or it may be a highly reduced, metal-rich asteroidal material that never differentiated. The NASA Psyche mission aims to determine Psyche's provenance. Here we describe the possible solar system regions of origin for Psyche, prior to its likely implantation into the asteroid belt, the physical and chemical processes that can enrich metal in an asteroid, and possible meteoritic analogs. The spacecraft payload is designed to be able to discriminate among possible formation theories. The project will determine Psyche's origin and formation by measuring any strong remanent magnetic fields, which would imply it was the core of a differentiated body; the scale of metal to silicate mixing will be determined by both the neutron spectrometers and the filtered images; the degree of disruption between metal and rock may be determined by the correlation of gravity with composition; some mineralogy (e.g., modeled silicate/metal ratio, and inferred existence of low-calcium pyroxene or olivine, for example) will be detected using filtered images; and the nickel content of Psyche's metal phase will be measured using the GRNS.

On the origin and evolution of the asteroid Ryugu: A comprehensive geochemical perspective

Presented here are the observations and interpretations from a comprehensive analysis of 16 representative particles returned from the C-type asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission. On average Ryugu particles consist of 50% phyllosilicate matrix, 41% porosity and 9% minor phases, including organic matter. The abundances of 70 elements from the particles are in close agreement with those of CI chondrites. Bulk Ryugu particles show higher δ¹⁸O, Δ¹⁷O, and ε⁵⁴Cr values than CI chondrites. As such, Ryugu sampled the most primitive and least-thermally processed protosolar nebula reservoirs. Such a finding is consistent with multi-scale H-C-N isotopic compositions that are compatible with an origin for Ryugu organic matter within both the protosolar nebula and the interstellar medium. The analytical data obtained here, suggests that complex soluble organic matter formed during aqueous alteration on the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal (several 10's of km), <2.6 Myr after CAI formation. Subsequently, the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal was fragmented and evolved into the current asteroid Ryugu through sublimation.

Terrestrial planet formation from lost inner solar system material

Two fundamentally different processes of rocky planet formation exist, but it is unclear which one built the terrestrial planets of the solar system. They formed either by collisions among planetary embryos from the inner solar system or by accreting sunward-drifting millimeter-sized “pebbles” from the outer solar system. We show that the isotopic compositions of Earth and Mars are governed by two-component mixing among inner solar system materials, including material from the innermost disk unsampled by meteorites, whereas the contribution of outer solar system material is limited to a few percent by mass. This refutes a pebble accretion origin of the terrestrial planets but is consistent with collisional growth from inner solar system embryos. The low fraction of outer solar system material in Earth and Mars indicates the presence of a persistent dust-drift barrier in the disk, highlighting the specific pathway of rocky planet formation in the solar system.

Correlated iron isotopes and silicon contents in aubrite metals reveal structure of their asteroidal parent body

Iron isotopes record the physical parameters, such as temperature and redox conditions, during differentiation processes on rocky bodies. Here we report the results of a correlated investigation of iron isotope compositions and silicon contents of silicon-bearing metal grains from several aubritic meteorites. Based on their Fe isotopic and elemental Si compositions and thermal modelling, we show that these aubrite metals equilibrated with silicates at temperatures ranging from ~ 1430 to ~ 1640 K and likely sampled different depths within their asteroidal parent body. The highest temperature in this range corresponds to their equilibration at a minimum depth of up to ~ 35 km from the surface of the aubrite parent body, followed by brecciation and excavation by impacts within the first ~ 4 Myr of Solar System history.

Paleomagnetic evidence for a disk substructure in the early solar system

Astronomical observations and isotopic measurements of meteorites suggest that substructures are common in protoplanetary disks and may even have existed in the solar nebula. Here, we conduct paleomagnetic measurements of chondrules in CO carbonaceous chondrites to investigate the existence and nature of these disk substructures. We show that the paleomagnetism of chondrules in CO carbonaceous chondrites indicates the presence of a 101 ± 48 μT field in the solar nebula in the outer solar system (~3 to 7 AU from the Sun). The high intensity of this field relative to that inferred from inner solar system (~<3 AU) meteorites indicates a factor of ~5 to 150 mismatch in nebular accretion between the two reservoirs. This suggests substantial mass loss from the disk associated with a major disk substructure, possibly due to a magnetized disk wind.

Fossil records of early solar irradiation and cosmolocation of the CAI factory: A reappraisal

Calcium-aluminum–rich inclusions (CAIs) in meteorites carry crucial information about the environmental conditions of the nascent Solar System prior to planet formation. Based on models of ⁵⁰V–¹⁰Be co-production by in-situ irradiation, CAIs are considered to have formed within ~0.1 AU from the proto-Sun. Here, we present vanadium (V) and strontium (Sr) isotopic co-variations in fine- and coarse-grained CAIs and demonstrate that kinetic isotope effects during partial condensation and evaporation best explain V isotope anomalies previously attributed to solar particle irradiation. We also report initial excesses of ¹⁰Be and argue that CV CAIs possess essentially a homogeneous level of ¹⁰Be, inherited during their formation. Based on numerical modeling of ⁵⁰V–¹⁰Be co-production by irradiation, we show that CAI formation during protoplanetary disk build-up likely occurred at greater heliocentric distances than previously considered, up to planet-forming regions (~1AU), where solar particle fluxes were sufficiently low to avoid substantial in-situ irradiation of CAIs.

A Metamorphic Origin for Europa's Ocean

Europa likely contains an iron-rich metal core. For it to have formed, temperatures within Europa reached ≳ 1250 K. Going up to that temperature, accreted chondritic minerals - for example, carbonates and phyllosilicates - would partially devolatilize. Here, we compute the amounts and compositions of exsolved volatiles. We find that volatiles released from the interior would have carried solutes, redox-sensitive species, and could have generated a carbonic ocean in excess of Europa's present-day hydrosphere, and potentially an early CO 2 atmosphere. No late delivery of cometary water was necessary. Contrasting with prior work, CO 2 could be the most abundant solute in the ocean, followed by Ca 2 + , SO 4 2 - , and HCO 3 - . However, gypsum precipitation going from the seafloor to the ice shell decreases the dissolved S/Cl ratio, such that Cl > S at the shallowest depths, consistent with recently inferred endogenous chlorides at Europa's surface. Gypsum would form a 3-10 km thick sedimentary layer at the seafloor.

The relationship between CM and CO chondrites: Insights from combined analyses of titanium, chromium, and oxygen isotopes in CM, CO, and ungrouped chondrites

A close relationship between CM and CO chondrites has been suggested by previous petrologic and isotopic studies, leading to the suggestion that they may originate from similar precursor materials or even a common parent body. In this study, we evaluate the genetic relationship between CM and CO chondrites using Ti, Cr, and O isotopes. We first provide additional constraints on the ranges of ε⁵⁰Ti and ε⁵⁴Cr values of bulk CM and CO chondrites by reporting the isotopic compositions of CM2 chondrites Murchison, Murray, and Aguas Zarcas and the CO3.8 chondrite Isna. We then report the ε⁵⁰Ti and ε⁵⁴Cr values for several ungrouped and anomalous carbonaceous chondrites that have been previously reported to exhibit similarities to the CM and/or CO chondrite groups, including Elephant Moraine (EET) 83226, EET 83355, Grosvenor Mountains (GRO) 95566, MacAlpine Hills (MAC) 87300, MAC 87301, MAC 88107, and Northwest Africa (NWA) 5958, and the O-isotope compositions of a subset of these samples. We additionally report the Ti, Cr, and O isotopic compositions of additional ungrouped chondrites LaPaz Ice Field (LAP) 04757, LAP 04773, Lewis Cliff (LEW) 85332, and Coolidge to assess their potential relationships with known carbonaceous and ordinary chondrite groups. LAP 04757 and LAP 04773 exhibit isotopic compositions indicating they are low-FeO ordinary chondrites. The isotopic compositions of Murchison, Murray, Aguas Zarcas, and Isna extend the compositional ranges defined by the CM and CO chondrites in ε⁵⁰Ti versus ε⁵⁴Cr space. The majority of the ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites with documented similarities to the CM and/or CO chondrites plot outside the CM and CO group fields in plots of ε⁵⁰Ti versus ε⁵⁴Cr, Δ¹⁷O versus ε⁵⁰Ti, and Δ¹⁷O versus ε⁵⁴Cr. Therefore, based on differences in their Ti, Cr, and O isotopic compositions, we conclude that the CM, CO, and ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites likely represent samples of multiple distinct parent bodies. We also infer that these parent bodies formed from precursor materials that shared similar isotopic compositions, which may indicate formation in regions of the protoplanetary disk that were in close proximity to each other.

Oxygen isotope systematics of chondrules in the Paris CM2 chondrite: indication for a single large formation region across snow line

In-situ oxygen three-isotope analyses of chondrules and isolated olivine grains in the Paris (CM) chondrite were conducted by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Multiple analyses of olivine and/or pyroxene in each chondrule show indistinguishable Δ17O values, except for minor occurrences of relict olivine grains (and one low-Ca pyroxene). A mean Δ17O value of these homogeneous multiple analyses was obtained for each chondrule, which represent oxygen isotope ratios of the chondrule melt. The Δ17O values of individual chondrules range from -7‰ to -2‰ and generally increase with decreasing Mg# of olivine and pyroxene in individual chondrules. Most type I (FeO-poor) chondrules have high Mg# (~99) and variable Δ17O values from -7.0‰ to -3.3‰. Other type I chondrules (Mg# ≤97), type II (FeO-rich) chondrules, and two isolated FeO-rich olivine grains have host Δ17O values from -3‰ to -2‰. Eight chondrules contain relict grains that are either 16O-rich or 16O-poor relative to their host chondrule and show a wide range of Δ17O values from -13‰ to 0‰. The results from chondrules in the Paris meteorite are similar to those in Murchison (CM). Collectively, the Δ17O values of chondrules in CM chondrites continuously increase from -7‰ to -2‰ with decreasing Mg# from 99 to 37. The majority of type I chondrules (Mg# >98) show Δ17O values from -6‰ to -4‰, while the majority of and type II chondrules (Mg# 60-70) show Δ17O values of -2.5‰. The covariation of Δ17O versus Mg# observed among chondrules in CM chondrites may suggest that most chondrules in carbonaceous chondrites formed in a single large region across the snow line where the contribution of 16O-poor ice to chondrule precursors and dust enrichment factors varied significantly.

Discovery of primitive CO2-bearing fluid in an aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrite

Water is abundant as solid ice in the solar system and plays important roles in its evolution. Water is preserved in carbonaceous chondrites as hydroxyl and/or H₂O molecules in hydrous minerals, but has not been found as liquid. To uncover such liquid, we performed synchrotron-based x-ray computed nanotomography and transmission electron microscopy with a cryo-stage of the aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrite Sutter's Mill. We discovered CO₂-bearing fluid (CO₂/H₂O > ~0.15) in a nanosized inclusion incorporated into a calcite crystal, appearing as CO₂ ice and/or CO₂ hydrate at 173 K. This is direct evidence of dynamic evolution of the solar system, requiring the Sutter's Mill's parent body to have formed outside the CO₂ snow line and later transportation to the inner solar system because of Jupiter's orbital instability.

An evolutionary system of mineralogy. Part III: Primary chondrule mineralogy (4566 to 4561 Ma)

Information-rich attributes of minerals reveal their physical, chemical, and biological modes of origin in the context of planetary evolution, and thus they provide the basis for an evolutionary system of mineralogy. Part III of this system considers the formation of 43 different primary crystalline and amorphous phases in chondrules, which are diverse igneous droplets that formed in environments with high dust/gas ratios during an interval of planetesimal accretion and differentiation between 4566 and 4561 Ma. Chondrule mineralogy is complex, with several generations of initial droplet formation via various proposed heating mechanisms, followed in many instances by multiple episodes of reheating and partial melting. Primary chondrule mineralogy thus reflects a dynamic stage of mineral evolution, when the diversity and distribution of natural condensed solids expanded significantly.

Bifurcation of planetary building blocks during Solar System formation

Geochemical and astronomical evidence demonstrates that planet formation occurred in two spatially and temporally separated reservoirs. The origin of this dichotomy is unknown. We use numerical models to investigate how the evolution of the solar protoplanetary disk influenced the timing of protoplanet formation and their internal evolution. Migration of the water snow line can generate two distinct bursts of planetesimal formation that sample different source regions. These reservoirs evolve in divergent geophysical modes and develop distinct volatile contents, consistent with constraints from accretion chronology, thermochemistry, and the mass divergence of inner and outer Solar System. Our simulations suggest that the compositional fractionation and isotopic dichotomy of the Solar System was initiated by the interplay between disk dynamics, heterogeneous accretion, and internal evolution of forming protoplanets.

Correlated isotopic and chemical evidence for condensation origins of olivine in comet 81P/Wild 2 and in AOAs from CV and CO chondrites

Magnesium stable isotope ratios and minor element abundances of five olivine particles from comet 81P/Wild 2 were examined by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Wild 2 olivine particles exhibit only small variations in δ25Mg values from -1.0 +0.4/-0.5 ‰ to 0.6 +0.5/- 0.6 ‰ (2σ). This variation can be simply explained by mass-dependent fractionation from Mg isotopic compositions of the Earth and bulk meteorites, suggesting that Wild 2 olivine particles formed in the chondritic reservoir with respect to Mg isotope compositions. We also determined minor element abundances, and O and Mg isotope ratios of olivine grains in amoeboid olivine aggregates (AOAs) from Kaba (CV3.1) and DOM 08006 (CO3.01) carbonaceous chondrites. Our new SIMS minor element data reveal uniform, low FeO contents of ~0.05 wt% among AOA olivines from DOM 08006, suggesting that AOAs formed at more reducing environments in the solar nebula than previously thought. Furthermore, the SIMS-derived FeO contents of the AOA olivines are consistently lower than those obtained by electron microprobe analyses (~1 wt% FeO), indicating possible fluorescence from surrounding matrix materials and/or Fe,Ni-metals in AOAs during electron microprobe analyses. For Mg isotopes, AOA olivines show more negative mass-dependent fractionation (-3.8 ± 0.5‰ ≤ δ25Mg ≤ -0.2 ± 0.3‰; 2σ) relative to Wild 2 olivines. Further, these Mg isotope variations are correlated with their host AOA textures. Large negative Mg isotope fractionations in olivine are often observed in pore-rich AOAs, while those in compact AOAs tend to have near-chondritic Mg isotopic compositions. These observations indicate that pore-rich AOAs preserved their gas-solid condensation histories, while compact AOAs experienced thermal processing in the solar nebula after their condensation and aggregation. Importantly, one 16O-rich Wild 2 LIME olivine particle (T77/F50) shows negative Mg isotope fractionation (δ25Mg = -0.8 ± 0.4‰, δ26Mg = -1.4 ± 0.9‰; 2σ) relative to bulk chondrites. Minor element abundances of T77/F50 are in excellent agreement with those of olivines from pore-rich AOAs in DOM 08006. The observed similarity in O and Mg isotopes, and minor element abundances suggest that T77/F50 formed in an environment similar to AOAs, probably near the proto-Sun, and then was transported to the Kuiper belt, where comet 81P/Wild 2 likely accreted.

History of the solar nebula from meteorite paleomagnetism

We review recent advances in our understanding of magnetism in the solar nebula and protoplanetary disks (PPDs). We discuss the implications of theory, meteorite measurements, and astronomical observations for planetary formation and nebular evolution. Paleomagnetic measurements indicate the presence of fields of 0.54 ± 0.21 G at ~1 to 3 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and ≳0.06 G at 3 to 7 AU until >1.22 and >2.51 million years (Ma) after solar system formation, respectively. These intensities are consistent with those predicted to enable typical astronomically observed protostellar accretion rates of ~10^-8 M _⊙year^-1, suggesting that magnetism played a central role in mass transport in PPDs. Paleomagnetic studies also indicate fields <0.006 G and <0.003 G in the inner and outer solar system by 3.94 and 4.89 Ma, respectively, consistent with the nebular gas having dispersed by this time. This is similar to the observed lifetimes of extrasolar protoplanetary disks.

A primordial 15N-depleted organic component detected within the carbonaceous chondrite Maribo

We report on the detection of primordial organic matter within the carbonaceous chondrite Maribo that is distinct from the majority of organics found in extraterrestrial samples. We have applied high-spatial resolution techniques to obtain C-N isotopic compositions, chemical, and structural information of this material. The organic matter is depleted in ¹⁵N relative to the terrestrial value at around δ¹⁵N ~ -200‰, close to compositions in the local interstellar medium. Morphological investigations by electron microscopy revealed that the material consists of µm- to sub-µm-sized diffuse particles dispersed within the meteorite matrix. Electron energy loss and synchrotron X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopies show that the carbon functional chemistry is dominated by aromatic and C=O bonding environments similar to primordial organics from other carbonaceous chondrites. The nitrogen functional chemistry is characterized by C-N double and triple bonding environments distinct from what is usually found in ¹⁵N-enriched organics from aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites. Our investigations demonstrate that Maribo represents one of the least altered CM chondrite breccias found to date and contains primordial organic matter, probably originating in the interstellar medium.

Chondrules reveal large-scale outward transport of inner Solar System materials in the protoplanetary disk

Dynamic models of the protoplanetary disk indicate there should be large-scale material transport in and out of the inner Solar System, but direct evidence for such transport is scarce. Here we show that the ε50Ti-ε54Cr-Δ17O systematics of large individual chondrules, which typically formed 2 to 3 My after the formation of the first solids in the Solar System, indicate certain meteorites (CV and CK chondrites) that formed in the outer Solar System accreted an assortment of both inner and outer Solar System materials, as well as material previously unidentified through the analysis of bulk meteorites. Mixing with primordial refractory components reveals a "missing reservoir" that bridges the gap between inner and outer Solar System materials. We also observe chondrules with positive ε50Ti and ε54Cr plot with a constant offset below the primitive chondrule mineral line (PCM), indicating that they are on the slope ∼1.0 in the oxygen three-isotope diagram. In contrast, chondrules with negative ε50Ti and ε54Cr increasingly deviate above from PCM line with increasing δ18O, suggesting that they are on a mixing trend with an ordinary chondrite-like isotope reservoir. Furthermore, the Δ17O-Mg# systematics of these chondrules indicate they formed in environments characterized by distinct abundances of dust and H2O ice. We posit that large-scale outward transport of nominally inner Solar System materials most likely occurred along the midplane associated with a viscously evolving disk and that CV and CK chondrules formed in local regions of enhanced gas pressure and dust density created by the formation of Jupiter.

Serpentinite and the search for life beyond Earth

Hydrogen from serpentinization is a source of chemical energy for some life forms on Earth. It is a potential fuel for life in the subsurface of Mars and in the icy ocean worlds in the outer solar system. Serpentinization is also implicated in life's origin. Planetary exploration offers a way to investigate such theories by characterizing and ultimately searching for life in geochemical settings that no longer exist on Earth. At present, much of the current context of serpentinization on other worlds relies on inference from modelling and studies on Earth. While there is evidence from orbital spectral imaging and martian meteorites that serpentinization has occurred on Mars, the extent and duration of that activity has not been constrained. Similarly, ongoing serpentinization might explain hydrogen found in the ocean of Saturn's tiny moon Enceladus, but this raises questions about how long such activity has persisted. Titan's hydrocarbon-rich atmosphere may derive from ancient or present-day serpentinization at the bottom of its ocean. In Europa, volcanism or serpentinization may provide hydrogen as a redox couple to oxygen generated at the moon's surface. We assess the potential extent of serpentinization in the solar system's wet and rocky worlds, assuming that microfracturing from thermal expansion anisotropy sets an upper limit on the percolation depth of surface water into the rocky interiors. In this bulk geophysical model, planetary cooling from radiogenic decay implies the infiltration of water to greater depths through time, continuing to the present. The serpentinization of this newly exposed rock is assessed as a significant source of global hydrogen. Comparing the computed hydrogen and surface-generated oxygen delivered to Europa's ocean reveals redox fluxes similar to Earth's. Planned robotic exploration missions to other worlds can aid in understanding the planetary context of serpentinization, testing the predictions herein. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Serpentinite in the Earth System'.

Extended chondrule formation intervals in distinct physicochemical environments: Evidence from Al-Mg isotope systematics of CR chondrite chondrules with unaltered plagioclase

Al-Mg isotope systematics of twelve FeO-poor (type I) chondrules from CR chondrites Queen Alexandra Range 99177 and Meteorite Hills 00426 were investigated by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Five chondrules with Mg#'s of 99.0 to 99.2 and Δ¹⁷O of -4.2‰ to -5.3‰ have resolvable excess ²⁶Mg. Their inferred (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀ values range from (3.5 ± 1.3) × 10^‒6 to (6.0 ± 3.9) × 10^‒6. This corresponds to formation times of 2.2 (-0.5/+1.1) Myr to 2.8 (‒0.3/+0.5) Myr after CAIs, using a canonical (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀ of 5.23 × 10^-5, and assuming homogeneously distributed ²⁶Al that yielded a uniform initial ²⁶Al/²⁷Al in the Solar System. Seven chondrules lack resolvable excess ²⁶Mg. They have lower Mg#'s (94.2 to 98.7) and generally higher Δ¹⁷O (-0.9‰ to -4.9‰) than chondrules with resolvable excess ²⁶Mg. Their inferred (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀ upper limits range from 1.3 × 10^‒6 to 3.2 × 10^‒6, corresponding to formation >2.9 to >3.7 Myr after CAIs. Al-Mg isochrons depend critically on chondrule plagioclase, and several characteristics indicate the chondrule plagioclase is unaltered: (1) SIMS ²⁷Al/²⁴Mg depth profile patterns match those from anorthite standards, and SEM/EDS of chondrule SIMS pits show no foreign inclusions; (2) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals no nanometer-scale micro-inclusions and no alteration due to thermal metamorphism; (3) oxygen isotopes of chondrule plagioclase match those of coexisting olivine and pyroxene, indicating a low extent of thermal metamorphism; and (4) electron microprobe data show chondrule plagioclase is anorthite-rich, with excess structural silica and high MgO, consistent with such plagioclase from other petrologic type 3.00-3.05 chondrites. We conclude that the resolvable (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀ variabilities among chondrules studied are robust, corresponding to a formation interval of at least 1.1 Myr. Using relationships between chondrule (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀, Mg#, and Δ¹⁷O, we interpret spatial and temporal features of dust, gas, and H₂O ice in the FeO-poor chondrule-forming environment. Mg# ≥ 99, Δ¹⁷O ~-5‰ chondrules with resolvable excess ²⁶Mg initially formed in an environment that was relatively anhydrous, with a dust-to-gas ratio of ~100×. After these chondrules formed, we interpret a later influx of ¹⁶O-poor H₂O ice into the environment, and that dust-to-gas ratios expanded (100× to 300×). This led to the later formation of more oxidized Mg# 94-99 chondrules with higher Δ¹⁷O (-5‰ to -1‰), with low (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀, and hence no resolvable excess ²⁶Mg. We refine the mean CR chondrite chondrule formation age via mass balance, by considering that Mg# ≥ 99 chondrules generally have resolved positive (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀ and that Mg# < 99 chondrules generally have no resolvable excess ²⁶Mg, implying lower (²⁶Al/²⁷Al)₀. We obtain a mean chondrule formation age of 3.8 ± 0.3 Myr after CAIs, which is consistent with Pb-Pb and Hf-W model ages of CR chondrite chondrule aggregates. Overall, this suggests most CR chondrite chondrules formed immediately before parent body accretion.

The 26Al-26Mg systematics of FeO-rich chondrules from Acfer 094: two chondrule generations distinct in age and oxygen isotope ratios

The 26Al-26Mg ages of FeO-rich (type II) chondrules from Acfer 094, one of the least thermally metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites, were determined by SIMS analysis of plagioclase and olivine/pyroxene using a radio frequency (RF) plasma oxygen ion source. In combination with preexisting 26Al-26Mg ages of FeO-poor (type I) chondrules, the maximum range of formation ages recorded in chondrules from a single meteorite is determined to help provide constraints on models of material transport in the proto-planetary disk. We also report new SIMS oxygen three-isotope analyses of type II chondrules in Acfer 094. All but one of the plagioclase analyses show resolvable excesses in 26Mg and isochron regressions yield initial 26Al/27Al ratios of type II chondrules that range from (3.62 ± 0.86) × 10-6 to (9.3 ± 1.1) × 10-6, which translates to formation ages between 2.71 -0.22/+0.28 Ma and 1.75 -0.11/+0.12 Ma after CAI. This overall range is indistinguishable from that determined for type I chondrules in Acfer 094. The initial 26Al/27Al ratio of the oldest type II chondrule is resolved from that of all other type II chondrules in Acfer 094. Importantly, the oldest type I chondrule and the oldest type II chondrule in Acfer 094 possess within analytical error indistinguishable initial 26Al/27Al ratios and Δ17O values of ~0‰. Ages and oxygen isotope ratios clearly set these two chondrules apart from all other chondrules in Acfer 094. It is therefore conceivable that the formation region of these two chondrules differs from that of other chondrules and in turn suggests that Acfer 094 contains two distinct chondrule generations.

The background temperature of the protoplanetary disk within the first four million years of the Solar System

The background temperature of the protoplanetary disk is a fundamental but poorly constrained parameter that strongly influences a wide range of conditions and processes in the early Solar System, including the widespread process(es) by which chondrules originate. Chondrules, mm-scale objects composed primarily of silicate minerals, were formed in the protoplanetary disk almost entirely during the first four million years of Solar System history but their formation mechanism(s) are poorly understood. Here we present new constraints on the sub-silicate solidus cooling rates of chondrules at <873 K (600°C) using the compositions of sulfide minerals. We show that chondrule cooling rates remained relatively rapid (~10⁰ to 10¹ K/hr) between 873 and 503 K, which implies a protoplanetary disk background temperature of <503 K (230°C) and is consistent with many models of chondrule formation by shocks in the solar nebula, potentially driven by the formation of Jupiter and/or planetary embryos, as the chondrule formation mechanism. This protoplanetary disk background temperature rules out current sheets and resulting short-circuit instabilities as the chondrule formation mechanism. More detailed modeling of chondrule cooling histories in impacts is required to fully evaluate impacts as a chondrule formation model. These results motivate further theoretical work to understand the expected thermal evolution of chondrules at ≤873 K under a variety of chondrule formation scenarios.