bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mn‐Cr chronology of five IIIAB iron meteorites
Authors: Sugiura N. , Hoshino H.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Mn‐Cr systematics in phosphates (sarcopside, graftonite, beusite, galileiite, and johnsomervilleite) in IIIAB iron meteorites were investigated by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). In most cases, excesses in 53Cr are found and δ53Cr is well correlated with Mn/Cr ratios, suggesting that 53Mn was alive at the time of IIIAB iron formation. The inferred Mn‐Cr “ages” are different for different phosphate minerals. This is presumably due to a combined effect of the slow cooling rates of IIIAB iron meteorites and the difference in the diffusion properties of Cr and Mn in the phosphates. The ages of sarcopside are the same for the IIIAB iron meteorites. Johnsomervilleite shows apparent old ages, probably because of a gain of Cr enriched in 53Cr during the closure process. Apparently, old Mn‐Cr ages reported in previous studies can also be explained in a similar way. Therefore, the IIIAB iron meteorites probably experienced identical thermal histories and thus derived from the core of a parent body. Thermal histories of the parent body of IIIAB iron meteorites that satisfy the Mn‐Cr chronology and metallographic cooling rates were constructed by computer simulation. The thermal history at an early stage (<10 Ma after CAI formation) is well determined, though later history may be more model‐dependent. It is suggested that relative timing of various events in the IIIAB parent body may be estimated with the aid of the thermal history. There is a systematic difference in Mn and Cr concentrations in various minerals (phosphates, sulfide, etc.) among the IIIAB iron meteorites, which seems to be mainly controlled by redox conditions.
Entry dynamics and acoustics/infrasonic/seismic analysis for the Neuschwanstein meteorite fall
Authors: REVELLE D. O. , BROWN P. G. , SPURNÝ P.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— We have analyzed several types of data associated with the well‐documented fall of the Neuschwanstein meteorites on April 6, 2002 (a total of three meteorites have been recovered). This includes ground‐based photographic and radiometer data as well as infrasound and seismic data from this very significant bolide event (Spurný et al. 2002, 2003). We have also used these data to model the entry of Neuschwanstein, including the expected dynamics, energetics, panchromatic luminosity, and associated fragmentation effects. In addition, we have calculated the differential efficiency of acoustical waves for Neuschwanstein and used these values to compare against the efficiency calculated using available ground‐based infrasound data. This new numerical technique has allowed the source height to be determined independent of ray tracing solutions. We have also carried out theoretical ray tracing for a moving point source (not strictly a cylindrical line emission) and for an infinite speed line source. In addition, we have determined the ray turning heights as a function of the source height for both initially upward and downward propagating rays, independent of the explicit ray tracing (detailed propagation path) programs. These results all agree on the origins of the acoustic emission and explicit source heights for Neuschwanstein for the strongest infrasonic signals. Calculated source energies using more than four different independent approaches agree that Neuschwanstein was certainly <500 kg in initial mass, given the initial velocity of 20.95 km/s, resulting in an initial source energy ≤0.0157‐0.0276 kt TNT equivalent (4.185 times 1012 J). Local source energies at the calculated infrasonic/seismic source altitudes are up to two orders of magnitude smaller than this initial source energy.
The multiple meteorite fall of Neuschwanstein: Circumstances of the event and meteorite search campaigns
Authors: OBERST J. , HEINLEIN D. , KÖHLER U. , SPURNÝ P.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— A large meteorite fall in southern Germany on April 6, 2002 was captured by camera stations of the European Fireball Network (EN) which routinely monitors the night sky over central Europe. From analysis of the images, a prediction on the geographic location of the meteorite strewn field could be made. Following systematic ground searches in difficult high‐mountain terrain, three fragments of a rare EL6 enstatite chondrite were recovered during search campaigns in the summers of 2002 and 2003. “Neuschwanstein” is the fourth meteorite fall in history that has been photographed by fireball networks and the fragments of which have been found subsequently. It is the first time since the beginning of the EN operation in the early sixties that the photographic observations have made a meteorite recovery possible.
Distribution and stratigraphy of basaltic units in Maria Tranquillitatis and Fecunditatis: A Clementine perspective
Authors: RAJMON D. , SPUDIS P.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Maria Tranquillitatis and Fecunditatis have been mapped based on Clementine image mosaics and derived iron and titanium maps. Impact craters served as stratigraphic probes enabling better delineation of compositionally different basaltic units, determining the distribution of subsurface basalts, and providing estimates of total basalt thickness and the thickness of the surface units. Collected data indicate that volcanism in these maria started with the eruption of low‐Ti basalts and evolved toward medium‐ and high‐Ti basalts. Some of the high‐Ti basalts in Mare Tranquillitatis began erupting early and were contemporaneous with the low‐ and medium‐Ti basalts; these units form the oldest units exposed on the mare surface. Mare Tranquillitatis is mostly covered with high‐Ti basalts. In Mare Fecunditatis, the volume of erupting basalts clearly decreased as the Ti content increased, and the high‐Ti basalts occur as a few patches on the mare surface. The basalt in both maria is on the order of several hundred meters thick and locally may be as thick as 1600 m. The new basalt thickness estimates generally fall within the range set by earlier studies, although locally differ. The medium‐ to high‐Ti basalts exposed at the surfaces of both maria are meters to tens of meters thick.
A shock‐produced (Mg, Fe)SiO3 glass in the Suizhou meteorite
Authors: CHEN Ming , XIE Xiande , GORESY Ahmed EL
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Ovoid grains consisting of glass of stoichiometric (Mg, Fe)SiO3 composition that is intimately associated with majorite were identified in the shock veins of the Suizhou meteorite. The glass is surrounded by a thick rim of polycrystalline majorite and is identical in composition to the parental low‐Ca pyroxene and majorite. These ovoid grains are surrounded by a fine‐grained matrix composed of majorite‐pyrope garnet, ringwoodite, magnesiowüstite, metal, and troilite. This study strongly suggests that some precursor pyroxene grains inside the shock veins were transformed to perovskite within the pyroxene due to a relatively low temperature, while at the rim region pyroxene grains transformed to majorite due to a higher temperature. After pressure release, perovskite vitrified at post‐shock temperature. The existence of vitrified perovskite indicates that the peak pressure in the shock veins exceeds 23 GPa. The post‐shock temperature in the meteorite could have been above 477 °C. This study indicates that the occurrence of high‐pressure minerals in the shock veins could not be used as a ubiquitous criterion for evaluating the shock stage of meteorites.
Concentration and variability of the AIB amino acid in polar micrometeorites: Implications for the exogenous delivery of amino acids to the primitive Earth
Authors: MATRAJT G. , PIZZARELLO S. , TAYLOR S. , BROWNLEE D.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Micrometeorites (MMs) are extraterrestrial particles ranging in size from 25 μm to 2 mm that survive atmospheric entry and are collected on the Earth's surface. They represent the largest mass flux (MF) of extraterrestrial material (30,000 ± 20,000 t/yr) to the present‐day Earth. Studies of large collections of MMs suggest that about 20% have not been heated to high temperatures and that they contain organic carbon. Since non‐protein amino acids have been found in some carbonaceous meteorites, they might also be found in unmelted MMs. However, previous searches for amino acids in MMs were inconclusive. We combined a new extraction method for amino acids with a highly sensitive analytical method to detect and quantitate amino acids in MMs collected at the South Pole. We found the non‐protein amino acid α‐amino isobutyric acid (AIB) in one of our samples. The non‐detection of this amino acid in the other samples analyzed suggests that there are amino acid‐containing and amino acid‐free MMs, with ˜14% of the MMs containing AIB. Since the MF of MMs is much higher than that of carbonaceous chondrites (CMs), amino acids in these small particles would represent an important source of exogenous delivery of organic molecules. Therefore, the results are discussed on the basis of their implications for astrobiology.
A note on the snow line in protostellar accretion disks
Authors: PODOLAK M. , ZUCKER S.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— The temperature of ice grains in a protostellar disk is computed for a series of disk models. The region of stability against sublimation is calculated for small ice grains composed of either pure ice or “dirty” ice. We show that in the optically thin photosphere of the disk the gas temperature must be around 145 K for ice grains to be stable. This is much lower than the temperature of 170 K that is usually assumed.
Bottle‐green microtektites from the South Tasman Rise: Deep‐sea evidence for an impact event near the Miocene/Pliocene boundary
Authors: KELLY D. Clay , ELKINS‐TANTON Linda T.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Forty‐eight bottle‐green microtektites (BGMTs) were found in a core sample recovered from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1169, located along the western flank of the South Tasman Rise in the southeastern Indian Ocean. Biostratigraphic evidence loosely constrains the age of the Site 1169 BGMTs to an interval spanning the late‐middle Miocene to earliest Pliocene (12.1–4.6 Ma); incomplete core recovery and a major stratigraphic hiatus prevented a more precise age determination. This broad range of biostratigraphic ages indicates that these microtektites predate the Australasian strewn layer by at least 3.83 Ma, and perhaps by as much as 11.33 Ma. Furthermore, the REE signatures of the Site 1169 BGMTs are incongruent with those of typical Australasian ejecta, indicating that the Site 1169 BGMTs are not part of the larger Australasian strewn field. Among the various australite subgroups, the Site 1169 BGMTs are most similar in age to the HNa/K australites. However, numerous compositional discrepancies indicate that these two ejecta populations are also unrelated; the great distances separating Site 1169 from HNa/K australite‐bearing localities also makes a shared provenance unlikely. Therefore, we conclude that the Site 1169 BGMTs were formed by a late Miocene impact that is distinctly separate from the Australasian and HNa/K australite events, though the location of this impact is unknown.
Planetary accretion, oxygen isotopes, and the central limit theorem
Authors: III Joseph A. NUTH , HILL Hugh G. M.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— The accumulation of presolar dust into increasingly larger aggregates such as calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions (CAIs) and chondrules, asteroids, and planets should result in a drastic reduction in the numerical spread in oxygen isotopic composition between bodies of similar size, in accord with the central limit theorem. Observed variations in oxygen isotopic composition are many orders of magnitude larger than would be predicted by a simple, random accumulation model that begins in a well‐mixed nebula, no matter what size objects are used as the beginning or end points of the calculation. This discrepancy implies either that some as yet unspecified but relatively long‐lived process acted on the solids in the solar nebula to increase the spread in oxygen isotopic composition during each and every stage of accumulation, or that the nebula was heterogeneous (at least in oxygen) and maintained this heterogeneity throughout most of its nebular history. Depending on its origin, large‐scale nebular heterogeneity could have significant consequences for many areas of cosmochemistry, including the application of well‐known isotopic systems to the dating of nebular events and the prediction of bulk compositions of planetary bodies on the basis of a uniform cosmic abundance. The evidence supports a scenario wherein the oxygen isotopic composition of nebular solids becomes progressively depleted in 16O with time due to chemical processing within the nebula, rather than a scenario where 16O‐rich dust and other materials are injected into the nebula, possibly causing its initial collapse.
Production rates and proton‐induced production cross sections of 129I from Te and Ba: An attempt to model the 129I production in stony meteoroids and 129I in a Knyahinya sample
Authors: SCHNABEL C. , LEYA I. , GLORIS M. , MICHEL R. , LOPEZ‐GUTIÉRREZ J. M. , KRÄHENBÜHL U. , HERPERS U. , KUHNHENN J. , SYNAL H. A.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Proton‐induced production cross sections of 129I from Te and Ba are presented. Earlier assumptions that Te is the most important target element in meteoroids are confirmed. Based on this data set and the experimental production rates of 129I from thick‐target experiments, the production of 129I in stony meteoroids is modeled using a GCR flux density of 4.06 cm−2 s−1. The results of this modeling must be considered preliminary because the contribution from neutron capture on 128Te needs further investigation. We obtained modeled production rates that agree with experimental results for samples from two medium‐sized meteorites (Abee and Knyahinya). However, we find that this model does not describe 41Ca in lunar rocks well and seems to overestimate 129I production in larger bodies, such as Allende. We present elemental production rates from Te and Ba based on our modeling as well as for a model that describes neutron capture products. For 129I analysis of Knyahinya, a novel method to separate Te and analysis using ICP‐MS was used, enabling the use of experimental elemental concentrations obtained from the same meteorite to calculate 129I production.
Exposure history and terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the Dar al Gani region, Libya
Authors: WELTEN K. C. , NISHIIZUMI K. , FINKEL R. C. , HILLEGONDS D. J. , JULL A. J. T. , FRANKE L. , SCHULTZ L.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— We measured the concentrations of noble gases in 32 ordinary chondrites from the Dar al Gani (DaG) region, Libya, as well as concentrations of the cosmogenic radionuclides 14C, 10Be, 26Al, 36Cl, and 41Ca in 18 of these samples. Although the trapped noble gases in five DaG samples show ratios typical of solar or planetary gases, in all other DaG samples, they are dominated by atmospheric contamination, which increases with the degree of weathering. Cosmic ray exposure (CRE) ages of DaG chondrites range from ˜1 Myr to 53 Myr. The CRE age distribution of 10 DaG L chondrites shows a cluster around 40 Myr due to four members of a large L6 chondrite shower. The CRE age distribution of 19 DaG H chondrites shows only three ages coinciding with the main H chondrite peak at ˜7 Myr, while seven ages are <5 Myr. Two of these H chondrites with short CRE ages (DaG 904 and 908) show evidence of a complex exposure history. Five of the H chondrites show evidence of high shielding conditions, including low 22Ne/21Ne ratios and large contributions of neutron‐capture 36Cl and 41Ca. These samples represent fragments of two or more large pre‐atmospheric objects, which supports the hypothesis that the high H/L chondrite ratio at DaG is due to one or more large unrecognized showers.

The 14C concentrations correspond to terrestrial ages <35 kyr, similar to terrestrial ages of chondrites from other regions in the Sahara but younger than two DaG achondrites. Despite the loss of cosmogenic 36Cl and 41Ca during oxidation of metal and troilite, concentrations of 36Cl and 41Ca in the silicates are also consistent with 14C ages <35 kyr. The only exception is DaG 343 (H4), which has a 41Ca terrestrial age of 150 ± 40 kyr. This old age shows that not only iron meteorites and achondrites but also chondrites can survive the hot desert environment for more than 50 kyr. A possible explanation is that older meteorites were covered by soils during wetter periods and were recently exhumed by removal of these soils due to deflation during more arid periods, such as the current one, which started ˜3000 years ago.

Finally, based on the 26Al/21Ne and 10Be/21Ne systematics in 16 DaG meteorites, we derived more reliable estimates of the 10Be/21Ne production rate ratio, which seems more sensitive to shielding than was predicted by the semi‐empirical model of Graf et al. (1990) but less sensitive than was predicted by the purely physical model of Leya et al. (2000).
Mn‐Cr isotope systematics of the D'Orbigny angrite
Authors: Glavin D. P. , Kubny A. , Jagoutz E. , Lugmair G. W.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— We have conducted a detailed study of the Mn‐Cr systematics of the angrite D'Orbigny. Here, we report Cr isotopic abundances and Mn/Cr ratios in olivine, pyroxene, glass, chromite, and bulk rock samples from D'Orbigny. 53Cr excesses in these samples correlate well with their respective Mn/Cr ratios and define an isochron with a slope that corresponds to an initial 53Mn/55Mn ratio = (3.24 ± 0.04) × 10−6 and initial 53Cr/52Cr ratio of ɛ(53) = 0.30 ± 0.03 at the time of isotopic closure. The 53Mn/55Mn ratio of the D'Orbigny bulk rock is more than two‐fold the 53Mn/55Mn ratio of the angrites Lewis Cliff 86010 (LEW) and Angra dos Reis (ADOR) and implies an older Mn‐Cr age of 4562.9 ± 0.6 Ma for D'Orbigny relative to a Pb‐Pb age of 4557.8 ± 0.5 Ma for LEW and ADOR. One of the most unusual aspects of D'Orbigny is the presence of glass, a phase that has not been identified in any of the other angrites. The Mn‐Cr data for glass and a pyroxene fraction found in druses indicate that they formed contemporaneously with the main phases of the meteorite. Since the Mn‐Cr age of D'Orbigny is ˜5 Ma years older than the angrites LEW and ADOR, D'Orbigny likely represents an earlier stage in the evolution of the angrite parent body.
Lunar highland meteorite Dhofar 026 and Apollo sample 15418: Two strongly shocked, partially melted, granulitic breccias
Authors: COHEN Barbara A. , JAMES Odette B. , TAYLOR Lawrence A. , NAZAROV Mikhail A. , BARSUKOVA Larisa D.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Studies of lunar meteorite Dhofar 026, and comparison to Apollo sample 15418, indicate that Dhofar 026 is a strongly shocked granulitic breccia (or a fragmental breccia consisting almost entirely of granulitic breccia clasts) that experienced considerable post‐shock heating, probably as a result of diffusion of heat into the rock from an external, hotter source. The shock converted plagioclase to maskelynite, indicating that the shock pressure was between 30 and 45 GPa. The post‐shock heating raised the rock's temperature to about 1200 °C; as a result, the maskelynite devitrified, and extensive partial melting took place. The melting was concentrated in pyroxene‐rich areas; all pyroxene melted. As the rock cooled, the partial melts crystallized with fine‐grained, subophitic‐poikilitic textures. Sample 15418 is a strongly shocked granulitic breccia that had a similar history, but evidence for this history is better preserved than in Dhofar 026. The fact that Dhofar 026 was previously interpreted as an impact melt breccia underscores the importance of detailed petrographic study in interpretation of lunar rocks that have complex textures. The name “impact melt” has, in past studies, been applied only to rocks in which the melt fraction formed by shock‐induced total fusion. Recently, however, this name has also been applied to rocks containing melt formed by heating of the rocks by conductive heat transfer, assuming that impact is the ultimate source of the heat. We urge that the name “impact melt” be restricted to rocks in which the bulk of the melt formed by shock‐induced fusion to avoid confusion engendered by applying the same name to rocks melted by different processes.
Potassium isotopic composition of Australasian tektites
Authors: HUMAYUN Munir , KOEBERL Christian
Published: January 2010

Abstract— We have analyzed the potassium isotopic composition of four tektites from the Australasian strewn field, spanning a wide diversity of thermal histories, inferred from textures and volatile element contents. Our results indicate no isotopic differences between tektites and terrestrial crustal rocks, placing stringent limits of ≤2% loss of potassium during the brief duration of high temperature heating experienced by these samples. This confirms that the chemical composition of tektites is entirely a reflection of source rock composition and has not been modified by the tektiteforming process for elements less volatile than potassium. Losses of more volatile components, e.g., the halogens and water, are not precluded by the present data. Coupling a radiative cooling temperature‐time path with potassium vapor pressure data indicates that tektite melt drops are not likely to develop bulk elemental fractionation during the brief heating episodes of tektites for peak temperatures <2273 K. The extent of K isotopic fractionation is independent of droplet size but dependent on peak heating temperature. The exact peak temperature depends on the choice of vapor pressure data used for K, which need to be better constrained.
New findings for the equilibrated enstatite chondrite Grein 002
Authors: PATZER Andrea , SCHLÜTER Jochen , SCHULTZ Ludolf , TARKIAN Mahmud , HILL Dolores H. , BOYNTON William V.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— We report new petrographic and chemical data for the equilibrated EL chondrite Grein 002, including the occurrence of osbornite, metallic copper, abundant taenite, and abundant diopside. As inferred from low Si concentrations in kamacite, the presence of ferroan alabandite, textural deformation, chemical equilibration of mafic silicates, and a subsolar noble gas component, we concur with Grein 002's previous classification as an EL4‐5 chondrite. Furthermore, the existence of pockets consisting of relatively coarse, euhedral enstatite crystals protruding large patches of Fe‐Ni alloys suggests to us that this EL4‐5 chondrite has been locally melted. We suspect impact induced shock to have triggered the formation of the melt pockets.

Mineralogical evidence indicates that the localized melting of metal and adjacent enstatite must have happened relatively late in the meteorite's history. The deformation of chondrules, equilibration of mafic silicates, and generation of normal zoning in Fe, Zn‐sulfides took place during thermal alteration before the melting event. Following parent body metamorphism, daubreelite was exsolved from troilite in response to a period of slow cooling at subsolidus temperatures. Exsolution of schreibersite from the coarse metal patches probably occurred during a similar period of slow cooling subsequent to the event that induced the formation of the melt pockets. Overall shock features other than localized melting correspond to stage S2 and were likely established by the final impact that excavated the Grein 002 meteoroid.
Coupled organic synthesis and mineral alteration on meteorite parent bodies
Authors: SCHULTE Mitch , SHOCK Everett
Published: January 2010

Abstract— The hypothesis that the soluble fraction of the organic compounds present in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites was formed during aqueous alteration of the parent body was tested with mass‐transfer, reaction‐path calculations. In these calculations, we start with likely compositions of the original parent body and asteroidal fluids that are far from thermodynamic equilibrium, and metastable and stable equilibrium constraints are imposed as the total Gibbs free energy of the parent body environment is minimized. The results of these calculations suggest that the classes of soluble organic compounds present in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites could have formed during relatively low temperature aqueous alteration of the meteorite parent body or bodies. The main controls on the potential for synthesis and transformation of organic compounds were the oxidation state of the rock/fluid system, the bulk composition of that system, and the temperatures that were achieved during the alteration event or events. It also appears that the alteration mineral assemblages were influenced by the presence of soluble organic compounds and reaction among them.
Evidence in CO3.0 chondrules for a drift in the O isotopic composition of the solar nebula
Authors: WASSON John T. , RUBIN Alan E. , YURIMOTO Hisayoshi
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Several recent studies have shown that materials such as magnetite that formed in asteroids tend to have higher Δ17O (=δ17O − 0.52 × δ18O) values than those recorded in unaltered chondrules. Other recent studies have shown that, in sets of chondrules from carbonaceous chondrites, Δ17O tends to increase as the FeO contents of the silicates increase. We report a comparison of the O isotopic composition of olivine phenocrysts in low‐FeO (≤Fa1) type I and high‐FeO (≥Fa15) type II porphyritic chondrules in the highly primitive CO3.0 chondrite Yamato‐81020. In agreement with a similar study of chondrules in CO3.0 ALH A77307 by Jones et al. (2000), Δ17O tends to increase with increasing FeO. We find that Δ17O values are resolved (but only marginally) between the two sets of olivine phenocrysts. In two of the high‐FeO chondrules, the difference between Δ17O of the late‐formed, high‐FeO phenocryst olivine and those in the low‐FeO cores of relict grains is well‐resolved (although one of the relicts is interpreted to be a partly melted amoeboid olivine inclusion by Yurimoto and Wasson [2002]). It appears that, during much of the chondrule‐forming period, there was a small upward drift in the Δ17O of nebular solids and that relict cores preserve the record of a different (and earlier) nebular environment.
The importance of being cratered: The new role of meteorite impact as a normal geological process
Authors: French Bevan M.
Published: January 2010

Abstract—This paper is a personal (and, in many ways, incomplete) view of the past development of impact geology and of the newly recognized importance of impact events in terrestrial geological history. It also identifies some exciting scientific challenges for future investigators: to determine the full range of impact effects preserved on the Earth, to apply the knowledge obtained from impact phenomena to more general geological problems, and to continue the merger of the once exotic field of impact geology with mainstream geosciences.

Since the recognition of an impact event at the Cretaceous‐Tertiary (K‐T) boundary, much current activity in impact geology has been promoted by traditionally trained geoscientists who have unexpectedly encountered impact effects in the course of their work. Their studies have involved: 1) the recognition of additional major impact effects in the geological record (the Chesapeake Bay crater, the Alamo breccia, and multiple layers of impact spherules in Precambrian rocks); and 2) the use of impact structures as laboratories to study general geological processes (e.g., igneous petrogenesis at Sudbury, Canada and Archean crustal evolution at Vredefort, South Africa). Other research areas, in which impact studies could contribute to major geoscience problems in the future, include: 1) comparative studies between low‐level (≤7 GPa) shock deformation of quartz, and the production of quartz cleavage, in both impact and tectonic environments; and 2) the nature, origin, and significance of bulk organic carbon (“kerogen”) and other carbon species in some impact structures (Gardnos, Norway, and Sudbury, Canada).
Modeling damage and deformation in impact simulations
Authors: Collins Gareth S. , Melosh H. Jay , Ivanov Boris A.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Numerical modeling is a powerful tool for investigating the formation of large impact craters but is one that must be validated with observational evidence. Quantitative analysis of damage and deformation in the target surrounding an impact event provides a promising means of validation for numerical models of terrestrial impact craters, particularly in cases where the final pristine crater morphology is ambiguous or unknown. In this paper, we discuss the aspects of the behavior of brittle materials important for the accurate simulation of damage and deformation surrounding an impact event and the care required to interpret the results. We demonstrate this with an example simulation of an impact into a terrestrial, granite target that produces a 10 km‐diameter transient crater. The results of the simulation are shown in terms of damage (a scalar quantity that reflects the totality of fragmentation) and plastic strain, both total plastic strain (the accumulated amount of permanent shear deformation, regardless of the sense of shear) and net plastic strain (the amount of permanent shear deformation where the sense of shear is accounted for). Damage and plastic strain are both greatest close to the impact site and decline with radial distance. However, the reversal in flow patterns from the downward and outward excavation flow to the inward and upward collapse flow implies that net plastic strains may be significantly lower than total plastic strains. Plastic strain in brittle rocks is very heterogeneous; however, continuum modeling requires that the deformation of the target during an impact event be described in terms of an average strain that applies over a large volume of rock (large compared to the spacing between individual zones of sliding). This paper demonstrates that model predictions of smooth average strain are entirely consistent with an actual strain concentrated along very narrow zones. Furthermore, we suggest that model predictions of total accumulated strain should correlate with observable variations in bulk density and seismic velocity.
Early fracturing and impact residue emplacement: Can modelling help to predict their location in major craters?
Authors: Kearsley Anton , Graham Giles , McDonnell Tony , Bland Phil , Hough Rob , Helps Paul
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Understanding the nature and composition of larger extraterrestrial bodies that may collide with the Earth is important. One source of information lies in the record of ancient impact craters, some of which have yielded chemical information as to the impacting body. Many deeply eroded craters have no remaining melt sheet or ejecta yet may contain impactor residue within basement fractures. The emplacement mechanism for fractionated siderophile residues is likely to be gaseous, although, melt droplets and some solid materials may survive. For breccia‐ and melt‐filled fractures to contain extraterrestrial material, they must form very early in the impact process. Most current numerical models do not dwell on the formation and location of early major fractures, although, fractures in and around small craters on brittle glass exposed to hypervelocity impact in low Earth orbit have been successfully simulated. Modelling of fracture development associated with larger craters may help locate impact residues and test the models themselves.
Marine‐target craters on Mars? An assessment study
Authors: Ormö Jens , Dohm James M. , Ferris Justin C. , Lepinette Alain , Fairén Alberto G.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Observations of impact craters on Earth show that a water column at the target strongly influences lithology and morphology of the resultant crater. The degree of influence varies with the target water depth and impactor diameter. Morphological features detectable in satellite imagery include a concentric shape with an inner crater inset within a shallower outer crater, which is cut by gullies excavated by the resurge of water. In this study, we show that if oceans, large seas, and lakes existed on Mars for periods of time, marine‐target craters must have formed. We make an assessment of the minimum and maximum amounts of such craters based on published data on water depths, extent, and duration of putative oceans within “contacts 1 and 2,” cratering rate during the different oceanic phases, and computer modeling of minimum impactor diameters required to form long‐lasting craters in the seafloor of the oceans. We also discuss the influence of erosion and sedimentation on the preservation and exposure of the craters. For an ocean within the smaller “contact 2” with a duration of 100,000 yr and the low present crater formation rate, only ˜1–2 detectable marine‐target craters would have formed. In a maximum estimate with a duration of 0.8 Gyr, as many as 1400 craters may have formed. An ocean within the larger “contact 1‐Meridiani,” with a duration of 100,000 yr, would not have received any seafloor craters despite the higher crater formation rate estimated before 3.5 Gyr. On the other hand, with a maximum duration of 0.8 Gyr, about 160 seafloor craters may have formed. However, terrestrial examples show that most marine‐target craters may be covered by thick sediments. Ground penetrating radar surveys planned for the ESA Mars Express and NASA 2005 missions may reveal buried craters, though it is uncertain if the resolution will allow the detection of diagnostic features of marine‐target craters. The implications regarding the discovery of marine‐target craters on Mars is not without significance, as such discoveries would help address the ongoing debate of whether large water bodies occupied the northern plains of Mars and would help constrain future paleoclimatic reconstructions.
Barbianello: An ungrouped nickel‐rich iron meteorite found in Italy
Authors: Fioretti Anna Maria , Zipfel Jutta
Published: January 2010

Abstract— An unusual iron was found in 1960 in Barbianello (northern Italy, Pavia municipality) by a farmer, Clemente Allini, ploughing his fields. Years later, the iron was recognized as a meteorite but not officially classified. Our investigations indicate that Barbianello is a unique nickel‐rich ataxite with dark and light regions texturally similar to, but compositionally distinct from, Santa Catharina iron. The light regions are chemically homogeneous, have a Ni content of 27.1 wt%, and a composition similar to irons of group IAB‐IIICD. The dark regions are inhomogeneous with Ni ranging from 40 to 58 wt% and oxygen up to 20 wt%. Relics of unoxidized metal and textural relationships indicate that, unlike Santa Catharina, the dark regions result from the oxidation of a metal compositionally distinct from that of light regions.
The meteorite collection at Museo di Storia Naturale, Pisa University, Italy
Authors: Perchiazzi Natale , D'Orazio Massimo , Folco Luigi
Published: January 2010

Abstract— The historical meteorite collection of Museo di Storia Naturale, Pisa University, is presented in this catalog. Dating back to at least 1860, the collection currently (as of June 2003) contains 30 specimens of 26 individual meteorites, representing about 50 kg of extraterrestrial material. The collection includes 2 carbonaceous chondrites, 12 ordinary chondrites, 1 achondrite, 4 stony‐iron meteorites, and 7 iron meteorites, including three remarkable specimens: the main mass of Bagnone (48 kg), the fourth largest mass of Quenggouk (717.5 g), and a large (nearly) complete individual of the Siena showerfall (318.8 g).
Oral histories in meteoritics and planetary science: XII. Gerald J. Wasserburg
Authors: Marvin Ursula B.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— In this interview, Gerald J. (Jerry) Wasserburg recounts how he entered the Geology Department at the University of Chicago in 1948 but switched to a major in physics, while maintaining links with geology, particularly geochemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in 1954 with a thesis on the new technique of potassium‐argon dating under Harold C. Urey and Mark Inghram. After spending a year at Chicago as a post‐doctoral research fellow with Urey, he joined the faculty at the California Institute of Technology where he ultimately advanced to the title of John D. MacArthur Professor of Geology and Geophysics. In the early 1960s, Wasserburg sought to achieve unprecedented sensitivity and precision in isotopic measurements by designing and directing the construction of the first digital output with magnet switching and on‐line processing computercontrolled mass spectrometer. He promptly named his unique instrument, “Lunatic I,” and his laboratory, the “Lunatic Asylum.” Using that instrument and later ones, Wasserburg and his research group identified specific nucleosynthetic processes that produced isotopic anomalies in inclusions found in meteorites; investigated the origin and evolution of planetary bodies from the solar nebula; dated the oldest components in meteorites and in terrestrial and lunar rocks; and studied the oxygen in presolar grains and the astrophysical models of AGB stars. In addition to his labors in science, he served on policy‐making committees and worked with other members to seek the highest standards for receiving and processing lunar samples and other planetary materials, and to forestall the elimination of the final three Apollo missions. Wasserburg has received many honors, including several honorary doctorates from universities at home and abroad, and the prestigious Crafoord Prize bestowed on him in 1986 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In 1975, the Meteoritical Society awarded him its Leonard Medal and in 1987–1988, he served as President of the Society.
Oral histories in meteoritics and planetary science: XIII: Fred L. Whipple
Authors: Marvin Ursula B.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Born in Red Oak, Iowa, in 1906, Fred Lawrence Whipple earned his Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of California at Berkeley in 1931. He immediately accepted a position at the Harvard College Observatory and remained at Harvard throughout his career. In 1950, he was appointed to the Phillips Professorship in the Department of Astronomy, and in 1955, he began serving concurrently as the Director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory when it moved from Washington, D.C. to Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the 1930s, Whipple established the Harvard Meteor Project in which two cameras, 26 miles apart, simultaneously photographed the same meteors, for which he invariably derived elliptical orbits indicative of their origin within the solar system. In 1950, Whipple introduced his “dirty snowball” model of comet nuclei, which soon became widely accepted and was fully confirmed in 1986 by close‐up images of comet Halley taken by the European Space Agency's Giotto spacecraft. Keenly anticipating the orbiting of satellites during the International Geophysical Year (July 1, 1957‐December 31, 1958), Whipple won contracts to build a worldwide network of telescopic cameras for satellite tracking. At least one of the cameras was ready in time to photograph the Soviet Union's Sputnik I satellite in October 1957, and all 12 stations were in operation by midsummer of 1958. For his leadership role in this project, President John Kennedy honored Fred L. Whipple in June 1963 with the President's Award for Distinguished Public Service. In the 1960s, Whipple collaborated with astronomers at the University of Arizona to build a new observatory on Mt. Hopkins, 40 miles south of Tucson. Two of the most innovative instruments installed there for astrophysical research were the world's largest gamma‐ray detector and the Multiple‐Mirror Telescope. In 1982, the Mt. Hopkins Observatory was rededicated as the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory. Although he retired in 1973, Whipple was present at the dedication and until 2003, he continued to actively participate in research projects. At present, he is anticipating the return of the Stardust mission to comet Wild 2, which will bring back to Earth samples of the comet and of interstellar dust. It is scheduled to arrive in 2006, the year of Fred Whipple's 100th birthday. Among his many honors, Fred Whipple received the Leonard Medal from the Meteoritical Society in 1970 at its meeting hosted by the Goddard Space Flight Center, in Skyland, Virginia.
The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 88, 2004 July
Authors: Russell Sara S. , Folco Luigi , Grady Monica M. , Zolensky Michael E. , Jones Rhian , Righter Kevin , Zipfel Jutta , Grossman Jeffrey N.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— The Meteoritical Bulletin No. 88 lists information for 1610 newly classified meteorites, comprising 753 from Antarctica, 302 from Africa, 505 from Asia (495 of which are from Oman), 40 from North America, 5 from South America, 4 from Europe, and 1 of unknown origin. Information is provided for 9 falls (Alby sur Chéran, Al Zarnkh, Devgaon, Kamioka, Kendrapara, Maromandia, New Orleans, Sivas, and Villalbeto de la Peña). Noteworthy specimens include a eucrite fall (Alby sur Chéran), 6 martian meteorites, 13 lunar meteorites, and 12 irons including one weighing 3 metric tons (Dronino).
Petrogenesis of lunar highlands meteorites: Dhofar 025, Dhofar 081, Dar al Gani 262, and Dar al Gani 400
Authors: Cahill J. T. , Floss C. , Anand M. , Taylor L. A. , Nazarov M. A. , Cohen B. A.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— The petrogenesis of four lunar highlands meteorites, Dhofar 025 (Dho 025), Dhofar 081 (Dho 081), Dar al Gani 262 (DaG 262), and Dar al Gani 400 (DaG 400) were studied. For Dho 025, measured oxygen isotopic values and Fe‐Mn ratios for mafic minerals provide corroboratory evidence that it originated on the Moon. Similarly, Fe‐Mn ratios in the mafic minerals of Dho 081 indicate lunar origin.

Lithologies in Dho 025 and Dho 081 include lithic clasts, granulites, and mineral fragments. A large number of lithic clasts have plagioclase AN# and coexisting mafic mineral Mg# that plot within the “gap” separating ferroan anorthosite suite (FAN) and high‐magnesium suite (HMS) rocks. This is consistent with whole rock Ti‐Sm ratios for Dho 025, Dho 081, and DaG 262, which are also intermediate compared to FAN and HMS lithologies. Although ion microprobe analyses performed on Dho 025, Dho 081, DaG 262, and DaG 400 clasts and minerals show far stronger FAN affinities than whole rock data suggest, most clasts indicate admixture of ≤12% HMS component based on geochemical modeling. In addition, coexisting plagioclase‐pyroxene REE concentration ratios in several clasts were compared to experimentally determined plagioclase‐pyroxene REE distribution coefficient ratios. Two Dho 025 clasts have concordant plagioclase‐pyroxene profiles, indicating that equilibrium between these minerals has been sustained despite shock metamorphism. One clast has an intermediate FAN‐HMS composition.

These lunar meteorites appear to represent a type of highland terrain that differs substantially from the KREEP‐signatured impact breccias that dominate the lunar database. From remote sensing data, it is inferred that the lunar far side appears to have appropriate geochemical signatures and lithologies to be the source regions for these rocks; although, the near side cannot be completely excluded as a possibility. If these rocks are, indeed, from the far side, their geochemical characteristics may have far‐reaching implications for our current scientific understanding of the Moon.
Spectral reflectance‐compositional properties of spinels and chromites: Implications for planetary remote sensing and geothermometry
Authors: Cloutis Edward A. , Sunshine J. M. , Morris R. V.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— Reflectance spectra of spinels and chromites have been studied as a function of composition. These two groups of minerals are spectrally distinct, which relates largely to differences in the types of major cations present. Both exhibit a number of absorption features in the 0.3–26 μm region that show systematic variations with composition and can be used to quantify or constrain certain compositional parameters, such as cation abundances, and site occupancies. For spinels, the best correlations exist between Fe2+ content and wavelength positions of the 0.46, 0.93, 2.8, Restrahelen, 12.3, 16.2, and 17.5 μm absorption features, Al and Fe3+ content with the wavelength position of the 0.93 μm absorption feature, and Cr content from the depth of the absorption band near 0.55 μm. For chromites, the best correlations exist between Cr content and wavelength positions of the 0.49, 0.59, 2, 17.5, and 23 μm absorption features, Fe2+ and Mg contents with the wavelength position of the 1.3 μm absorption feature, and Al content with the wavelength position of the 2 μm absorption feature. At shorter wavelengths, spinels and chromites are most readily distinguished by the wavelength position of the absorption band in the 2 μm region (<2.1 μm for spinels, >2.1 μm for chromite), while at longer wavelengths, spectral differences are more pronounced. The importance of being able to derive compositional information for spinels and chromites from spectral analysis stems from the relationship between composition and petrogenetic conditions (pressure, temperature, oxygen fugacity) and the widespread presence of spinels and chromites in the inner solar system. When coupled with the ability to derive compositional information for mafic silicates from spectral analysis, this opens up the possibility of deriving petrogenetic information for remote spinel‐ and chromite‐bearing targets from analysis of their reflectance spectra.
Spectroscopic anatomy of a meteor trail cross section with the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope
Authors: Jenniskens Peter , Jehin Emmanuel , Cabanac Remi A. , Laux Christophe O. , Boyd Iain D.
Published: January 2010

Abstract— A meteor spectrum was recorded serendipitously at the European Southern Obrervatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) during a long exposure in long‐slit spectroscopic mode with FORS1. The −8 magnitude fireball crossed the narrow 1Î × 7î slit during the observation of a high z supernova in normal service mode operation on May 12, 2002. The spectrum covered the range of 637–1050 nm, where the meteor's air plasma emissions from N2, N, and O dominate. Carbon atom emission was not detected in the relatively unexplored wavelength range above 900 nm, but the observed upper limit was only 3 sigma less than expected from the dissociation of atmospheric CO2. The meteor trail was resolved along the slit, and the emission had a Gaussian distribution with a dimension of FWHM = 7.0 (±0.4) * sin(α) * H (km)/90 m, where α is the unknown angle between the orientation of the meteor path and slit and H the assumed altitude of the meteor in km. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of a spatially resolved spectrum across a meteor trail. Unlike model predictions, the plasma excitation temperature varied only from about 4,300 to 4,365 K across the trail, based on the ratio of atomic and molecular nitrogen emissions. Unfortunately, we conclude that this was because the meteor at 100 km altitude was out of focus.