Isotopic homogeneity of iron in the early solar nebula.

The chemical and isotopic homogeneity of the early solar nebula, and the processes producing fractionation during its evolution, are central issues of cosmochemistry. Studies of the relative abundance variations of three or more isotopes of an element can in principle determine if the initial reservoir of material was a homogeneous mixture or if it contained several distinct sources of precursor material. For example, widespread anomalies observed in the oxygen isotopes of meteorites have been interpreted as resulting from the mixing of a solid phase that was enriched in 16O with a gas phase in which 16O was depleted, or as an isotopic 'memory' of Galactic evolution. In either case, these anomalies are regarded as strong evidence that the early solar nebula was not initially homogeneous. Here we present measurements of the relative abundances of three iron isotopes in meteoritic and terrestrial samples. We show that significant variations of iron isotopes exist in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials. But when plotted in a three-isotope diagram, all of the data for these Solar System materials fall on a single mass-fractionation line, showing that homogenization of iron isotopes occurred in the solar nebula before both planetesimal accretion and chondrule formation.

The formation of chondrules at high gas pressures in the solar nebula.

High-precision magnesium isotope measurements of whole chondrules from the Allende carbonaceous chondrite meteorite show that some aluminum-rich Allende chondrules formed at or near the time of formation of calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions and that some others formed later and incorporated precursors previously enriched in magnesium-26. Chondrule magnesium-25/magnesium-24 correlates with [magnesium]/[aluminum] and size, the aluminum-rich, smaller chondrules being the most enriched in the heavy isotopes of magnesium. These relations imply that high gas pressures prevailed during chondrule formation in the solar nebula.

The origin of chondritic macromolecular organic matter: a carbon and nitrogen isotope study.

The N and C abundances and isotopic compositions of acid-insoluble carbonaceous material in thirteen primitive chondrites (five unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, three CM chondrites, three enstatite chondrites, a CI chondrite and a CR chondrite) have been measured by stepped combustion. While the range of C isotopic compositions observed is only delta 13C = 30%, the N isotopes range from delta 15N approximately -40 to 260%. After correction for metamorphism, presolar nanodiamonds appear to have made up a fairly constant 3-4 wt% of the insoluble C in all the chondrites studied. The apparently similar initial presolar nanodiamond to organic C ratios, and the correlations of elemental and isotopic compositions with metamorphic indicators in the ordinary and enstatite chondrites, suggest that the chondrites all accreted similar organic material. This original material probably most closely resembles that now found in Renazzo and Semarkona. These two meteorites have almost M-shaped N isotope release profiles that can be explained most simply by the super-position of two components, one with a composition between delta 15N = -20 and -40% and a narrow combustion interval, the other having a broader release profile and a composition of delta 15N approximately 260%. Although isotopically more subdued, the CI and the three CM chondrites all appear to show vestiges of this M-shaped profile. How and where the components in the acid-insoluble organics formed remains poorly constrained. The small variation in nanodiamond to organic C ratio between the chondrite groups limits the local synthesis of organic matter in the various chondrite formation regions to at most 30%. The most 15N-rich material probably formed in the interstellar medium, and the fraction of organic N in Renazzo in this material ranges from 40 to 70%. The isotopically light component may have formed in the solar system, but the limited range in nanodiamond to total organic C ratios in the chondrite groups is consistent with most of the organic material being, presolar.

Ar-Ar chronology of the Martian meteorite ALH84001: evidence for the timing of the early bombardment of Mars.

ALH84001, a cataclastic cumulate orthopyroxenite meteorite from Mars, has been dated by Ar-Ar stepped heating and laser probe methods. Both methods give ages close to 3,900 Ma. The age calculated is dependent on assumptions made about 39Ar recoil effects and on whether significant quantities of 40Ar from the Martian atmosphere are trapped in the meteorite. If, as suggested by xenon and nitrogen isotope studies, Martian atmospheric argon is present, then it must reside predominantly in the K-rich phase maskelynite. Independently determined 129Xe abundances in the maskelynite can be used to place limits on the concentration of the atmospheric 40Ar. These indicate a reduction of around 80 Ma to ages calculated on the assumption that no Martian atmosphere is present. After this correction, the nominal ages obtained are: 3940 +/- 50, 3870 +/- 80, and 3970 +/- 100 Ma. by stepped heating, and 3900 +/- 90 Ma by laser probe (1 sigma statistical errors), giving a weighted mean value of 3,920 Ma. Ambiguities in the interpretation of 39Ar recoil effects and in the contribution of Martian atmospheric 40Ar lead to uncertainties in the Ar-Ar age which are difficult to quantify, but we suggest that the true value lies somewhere between 4,050 and 3,800 Ma. This age probably dates a period of annealing of the meteorite subsequent to the shock event which gave it its cataclastic texture. The experiments provide the first evidence of an event occurring on Mars coincident with the time of the late heavy bombardment of the Moon and may reflect a similar period of bombardment in the Southern Highlands of Mars. Whether the age determined bears any relationship to the time of carbonate deposition in ALH84001 is not known. Such a link depends on whether the temperature associated with the metasomatic activity was sufficient to cause argon loss from the maskelynite and/or whether the metasomatism and metamorphism were linked in time through a common heat source.