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For at least 30 years, cosmochemists have been grappling with the question of how and why groups of geochemically and volatility related elements became fractionated in the major chondrite groups. At least five relatively independent fractionations are known. Virtually everyone who has thought about these facts has been attempted to attribute at least some of the fractionations to the physical separation or mixing of the visible components. By far the most abundant of these components in meteorites is chondrules, and indeed chondrules have long been suspected of playing a direct role in fractionation of volatile elements. The question addressed here is whether chondrules formed before or after chemical components became separated is of fundamental importance to our understanding of the early solar system, as the answer constrains how, when, where, and from what chondrules formed, and tells us about how materials were processed in the nebula.

Using negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry, Re and Os abundances were determined by isotope dilution and Os-187/Os-186 measured in 11 ordinary chondrites, and also in 1 IIB and 3 IIIB irons. In addition, Os-186/Os-188 and Os-189/Os-188 ratios were precisely determined for 3 unspiked ordinary chondrites as a means of constraining the intensity of any neutron irradiation these meteorites may have experienced.

The relationship of the I-Xe system of the Semarkona meteorite to other measured properties is investigated via INAA, petrographic, and noble-gas analyses on 17 chondrules from the meteorite. A range of not less than 10 Ma in apparent I-Xe ages is observed. The three latest apparent ages fall in a cluster, suggesting the possibility of a common event. It is argued that the initial I-129/I-127 ratio (R0) is related to chondrule type and/or mineralogy, with nonporphyritic and pyroxene-rich chondrules showing evidence for lower R0s than porphyritic and olivine-rich chondrules. Chondrules with sulfides on or near the surface have lower R0s than other chondrules. The He-129/Xe-132 ratio in the trapped Xe component anticorrelates with R0, consistent with the evolution of a chronometer in a closed system or in multiple systems. It is concluded that the variations in R0 represent variations in ages, and that later events, possibly aqueous alteration, preferentially affected chondrules with nonporphyritic textures and/or sulfide-rich exteriors about 10 Ma after the formation of the chondrules.

A stony meteorite found in Antarctica in 1985, recently identified as a type of chondrite, probably represents material from a previously unsampled region of the solar system. Scientists are currently debating how the object formed. Preliminary results on Allan Hills 85085 (ALH85085) were presented.

Electron microscopic examinations were carried out on various chondrites to re-examine previously reported anomalously high Al/Ca ratios. Polished thin sections of the three CV3, two CO3 and the Krymka LL3 chondrites were scanned to characterize the phosphate-sulfide inclusions. The formation of the assemblages was interpreted as proceeding in five steps, starting with the formation of metal grains with early nebular material and finishing with a reaction between schreibersite with Ca, O and Cl to form merrillite and chloropatite. The abundances of the observed assemblages were not high enough to imply Al/Ca ratios similar to whole-rocks. It is concluded that the specimens were originally examined with a broader electron beam than used to examine standard samples, and resulted in the anomalously high Al/Ca ratios.

The mineral composition of chondrules from a fragment of Qingzhen (EH3) fall was analyzed by neutron activation method. Unlike the ordinary chondrite (OC) chondrules (Gooding and Keil, 1981), the Qingzhen radial pyroxene (RP) and porphyritic pyroxene (PP) chondrules have similar bulk compositions. Porphyritic olivine-pyroxene (POP) chondrules are richer than PP and RP chondrules in refractory lithophiles and siderophiles. Elements in each of the following sets intercorrelate significantly: (1) Fe-Co-Ni-Ir-Au, probably derived from a metal component; (2) Ca-Eu-Se, which suggests an oldhamite-rich precursor; (3) Al-Sc-Hf, occurring in high concentrations in POP chondrules, this set suggesting the existence of a refractory lithophile-rich and olivine-rich component; (4) Na REE; and (5) Cl-Br. Sets (2) and (4) were not precursors of OC. The interelement ratios of refractory lithophiles such as Ca, Al, Ti, Sc, and REE are similar to CI ratios, suggesting that they originated in the earliest phases as silicates, which were sulfurized before chondrule formation.

Instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis is used to determine the concentrations of 14 siderophile and other nonlithophilic elements in 31 chondrules from the extremely unequilibrated chondrite Semarkona. The results are presented in tables and graphs, characterized in detail, and compared with the results obtained for lithophile elements in the same samples by Grossman and Wasson (1983). The elements studied are found to be significantly more fractionated than the lithophile elements, with variations in chondrule/whole-rock abundances of up to a factor of 1000, a mean ratio of 0.2, and differences between Ni-rich and Ni-depleted chondrules. It is argued that the metal and sulfides in the chondrules represent the composition of the solar nebula before chondrule formation and already contained the siderophile and chalcophile elements, although some Fe was contained in silicates along with Ni, Co, Au, Ge and Se. The segregation of metals during a molten stage is considered of minor importance.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been used to measure about 20 of the lithophile elements in 30 chondrules from the Semarkona chondrite. The amounts of oxidized iron were calculated from other compositional parameters, and Si concentrations are estimated from mass-balance considerations. It is suggested that the refractory component probably forms from fine grained materials that were able to equilibrate down to lower nebular temperatures. The chondrite matrix may have had an origin similar to that of the nonrefractory material. The low abundance of refractories and Mg in ordinary and enstatite chondrites was produced by the loss of materials having a higher refractory element/Mg ratio than that of the refractory element of the chondrules.

Recent progress toward the resolution of the problem of chondrule composition is reviewed. Special attention is given to studies of both the chemical and textural properties of chondrules. The characteristic variations of the composition of carbonaceous chondrite chrondules are discussed within the framework of current theories of chondrule evolution. Consideration is also given to the possible mechanisms for chondrule melts, and the relationship between chondrules and other chondrite components.

New thermoluminescence (TL) sensitivity measurements on 17 finds and one fall are presented, and petrologic assignments are made on the basis of TL sensitivity and silicate heterogeneity. The correlation that exists between TL sensitivity and glow curve shape is discussed, with the difference in the glow curve shapes of meteorite types 3.4 and less and type 3.5 and greater being tentatively attributed to an order-disorder transition in plagioclase, the TL phosphor. A correlation between TL sensitivity and heteogeneity of the silicate composition is found, but it tends to break down in the most heterogeneous meteorites. For Antarctic meteorites, the TL data show a much more restricted range in TL sensitivity than in silicate heterogeneity. The Quinyambie meteorite is the only one not consistent with the observed trend. Several explanations are offered, none of them totally satisfactory.

In view of the fact that the least equilibrated ordinary chondrites contain chondrules that have changed little since the time of their formation in the early solar system, and are therefore excellent indicators of the physical and chemical nature of the solar nebula, 36 chondrules were separated from the Chainpur chondrite and analyzed for 20 elements and petrographic properties. The dominant nebular components found are: (1) a mixture of metal and sulfide whose composition is similar to whole rock metal and sulfide, (2) Ir-rich metal, (3) olivine-rich silicates, (4) pyroxene-rich silicates, and possibly (5) a component containing the more volatile lithophiles. Although etching experiments confirm that chondrule rims are enriched in metal, troilite and moderately volatile elements relative to the bulk chondrules, a large fraction of the volatiles remains in the unetched interior.

Measurements performed by a thermoluminescence sensitivity technique of the degree of metamorphism experienced by unequilibrated ordinary chondrites are reported. Samples of type 3 chondrites were ground and heated to 500 C to remove their natural thermoluminescence, then irradiated with either 50 krad from a Co-60 gamma ray source or 25 krad from a Sr-90 beta source. The resulting thermoluminescence measured as a function of temperature is found to differ as much among some type 3 chondrites as between type 3 and other types, leading to the proposal of scheme for subdividing type 3 ordinary chondrites based on their thermoluminescence sensitivity.

A study of volatile element concentrations in individual chondrules in the Chainpur LL3 chondrite is presented. Volatile elements differing in geochemical behavior tended to vary randomly and correlated variations were observed only for those elements inferred to occupy similar mineral sites. Variations in Co and Ni in kamacite show that metal in chondrule interiors has not approached equilibrium, and that postformational element distribution has mainly altered siderophile concentrations in surface metal grains, and has probably left ionic species unaltered. Etching to remove 3 to 5% of the chondrule dissolved siderophiles, enhanced Zn and Na volatiles relative to nonvolatile Cr in the etch, and produced a large Cd enhancement. If metamorphic redistribution of nonsiderophile volatiles was neglible, their high concentrations are inconsistent with chondrule formation by direct condensation, and models involving sudden melting of preexisting solids can explain the observations but require rapid cooling to prevent volatile loss.