Analysis of extraterrestrial particles using monochromated electron energy-loss spectroscopy.

A monochromated (scanning) transmission electron microscope was used to analyze individual sub-micron grains within interplanetary dust particles (IDP). Using low-loss and core-loss electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we analyzed fluid and gas inclusions within vesiculated alumosilicate grains. It is shown that nanometer-sized vesicles contain predominantly molecular oxygen (O(2)) beside a small fraction of H(2)O. Low-loss spectra reveal the Schumann-Runge continuum peaking at 8.6 eV and absorption bands reflecting vibrational excitation states of O(2) molecules between the first (12.1 eV) and second (16.1 eV) ionization energy. The presence of oxygen gas is supported by the corresponding oxygen K-edge fine structure. The valence state of Fe in iron-oxide within the IDP was also studied. Low-loss spectra provide qualitative information about the oxidation state of iron consistent with the Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) ratio quantitatively derived from the Fe L(2,3) edge.

Comparison of comet 81P/Wild 2 dust with interplanetary dust from comets.

The Stardust mission returned the first sample of a known outer solar system body, comet 81P/Wild 2, to Earth. The sample was expected to resemble chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles because many, and possibly all, such particles are derived from comets. Here, we report that the most abundant and most recognizable silicate materials in chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles appear to be absent from the returned sample, indicating that indigenous outer nebula material is probably rare in 81P/Wild 2. Instead, the sample resembles chondritic meteorites from the asteroid belt, composed mostly of inner solar nebula materials. This surprising finding emphasizes the petrogenetic continuum between comets and asteroids and elevates the astrophysical importance of stratospheric chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles as a precious source of the most cosmically primitive astromaterials.

Impact features on Stardust: implications for comet 81P/Wild 2 dust.

Particles emanating from comet 81P/Wild 2 collided with the Stardust spacecraft at 6.1 kilometers per second, producing hypervelocity impact features on the collector surfaces that were returned to Earth. The morphologies of these surprisingly diverse features were created by particles varying from dense mineral grains to loosely bound, polymineralic aggregates ranging from tens of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers in size. The cumulative size distribution of Wild 2 dust is shallower than that of comet Halley, yet steeper than that of comet Grigg-Skjellerup.

Elemental compositions of comet 81P/Wild 2 samples collected by Stardust.

We measured the elemental compositions of material from 23 particles in aerogel and from residue in seven craters in aluminum foil that was collected during passage of the Stardust spacecraft through the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2. These particles are chemically heterogeneous at the largest size scale analyzed ( approximately 180 ng). The mean elemental composition of this Wild 2 material is consistent with the CI meteorite composition, which is thought to represent the bulk composition of the solar system, for the elements Mg, Si, Mn, Fe, and Ni to 35%, and for Ca and Ti to 60%. The elements Cu, Zn, and Ga appear enriched in this Wild 2 material, which suggests that the CI meteorites may not represent the solar system composition for these moderately volatile minor elements.

Optical properties of CdSe superlattices.

Three-dimensional, faceted assemblies of CdSe nanocrystals were grown to microscopic sizes sufficient for identification and direct characterization. Analyses made by optical, fluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy showed that individual, faceted superlattices are composed of nearly single-size nanocrystals assembled into fcc lattices. Photoluminescence was measured in individual superlattices, and the results were compared to the same measurements made in amorphous solid layers and solutions of nanocrystals. Differences in the shape and peak positions of photoluminescence spectra are explained by energy transfer processes determined by nanocrystal size distribution, structure of solid layers, and presence of aggregates in solutions.

An astronomical 2175 angstrom feature in interplanetary dust particles.

The 2175 angstrom extinction feature is the strongest (visible-ultraviolet) spectral signature of dust in the interstellar medium. Forty years after its discovery, the origin of the feature and the nature of the carrier(s) remain controversial. Using a transmission electron microscope, we detected a 5.7-electron volt (2175 angstrom) feature in interstellar grains embedded within interplanetary dust particles (IDPs). The carriers are organic carbon and amorphous silicates that are abundant in IDPs and in the interstellar medium. These multiple carriers may explain the enigmatic invariant central wavelength and variable bandwidth of the astronomical 2175 angstrom feature.

Growth and structure evolution of novel tin oxide diskettes.

The novel SnO diskettes have been synthesized by evaporating either SnO or SnO(2) powders at elevated temperature. Disregard the source material being SnO or SnO(2), the SnO diskettes are formed at a low-temperature region of 200-400 degrees C. Two types of diskette shapes have been identified: the solid-wheel shape with a drop center rim (type I) and the diskette with cone peak(s) and spiral steps (type II). The diskettes are determined to be tetragonal SnO structure (P4/nmm), with their flat surfaces being (001). The formation of the SnO diskettes is suggested to result from a solidification process. The structural evolution from SnO diskettes to SnO(2) diskettes has been investigated by oxidizing at different temperatures. The result shows that the phase transformation from SnO to SnO(2) occurs in two processes of decomposition and oxidization, and the decomposition process consists of two steps: first from SnO to Sn(3)O(4) and then from Sn(3)O(4) to SnO(2).

Molten gallium as a catalyst for the large-scale growth of highly aligned silica nanowires.

The vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process is a fundamental mechanism for the growth of nanowires, in which a small size (5-100 nm in diameter), high melting point metal (such as gold and iron) catalyst particle directs the nanowire's growth direction and defines the diameter of the crystalline nanowire. In this article, we show that the large size (5-50 microm in diameter), low melting point gallium droplets can be used as an effective catalyst for the large-scale growth of highly aligned, closely packed silica nanowire bunches. Unlike any previously observed results using gold or iron as catalyst, the gallium-catalyzed VLS growth exhibits many amazing growth phenomena. The silica nanowires tend to grow batch by batch. For each batch, numerous nanowires simultaneously nucleate, grow at nearly the same rate and direction, and simultaneously stop growing. The force between the batches periodically lifts the gallium catalyst upward, forming two different kinds of products on a silicon wafer and alumina substrate. On the silicon wafer, carrot-shaped tubes whose walls are composed of highly aligned silica nanowires with diameters of 15-30 nm and length of 10-40 microm were obtained. On the alumina substrate, cometlike structures composed of highly oriented silica nanowires with diameters of 50-100 nm and length of 10-50 microm were formed. A growth model was proposed. The experimental results expand the VLS mechanism to a broader range.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic anomalies in an anhydrous interplanetary dust particle.

Because hydrogen and nitrogen isotopic anomalies in interplanetary dust particles have been associated with carbonaceous material, the lack of similar anomalies in carbon has been a major conundrum. We report here the presence of a 13C depletion associated with a 15N enrichment in an anhydrous interplanetary dust particle. Our observations suggest that the anomalies are carried by heteroatomic organic compounds. Theoretical models indicate that low-temperature formation of organic compounds in cold interstellar molecular clouds can produce carbon and nitrogen fractionations, but it remains to be seen whether the specific effects observed here can be reproduced.