ABSTRACT
We report the structure, chemical composition, O, Al-Mg, He, and Ne isotope systematics of an interplanetary dust particle, "Manchanito". These analyses indicate that Manchanito solidified as refractory glass (with oxidized Fe but reduced Ti) in a chondrule-like formation environment more than 3.2 Myr after CAIs, after which it was exposed to Q-like noble gases in the dissipating solar nebula. Manchanito's He and Ne isotopic composition and concentrations are similar to those measured in samples of comet Wild 2, from which we infer that Manchanito's parent body was a comet. We propose that after formation and exposure to Q-like gases, Manchanito was transported to the outer Solar System where it came into contact with organics and volatile ices on its cometary parent body. Manchanito provides additional evidence that cometary solids have been subjected to energetic processing and large-scale transport in a wide range of environments in the Solar System.
ABSTRACT
Using chemical and petrologic evidence and modeling, we deduce that two chondrule-like particles named Iris and Callie, from Stardust cometary track C2052,12,74, formed in an environment very similar to that seen for type II chondrules in meteorites. Iris was heated near liquidus, equilibrated, and cooled at ≤ 100 °C/hr and within ≈ 2 log units of the IW buffer with a high partial pressure of Na such as would be present with dust enrichments of ≈ 103. There was no detectable metamorphic, nebular or aqueous alteration. In previous work Ogliore et al. (2012) reported that Iris formed late, > 3 Myr after CAIs, assuming 26Al was homogenously distributed, and was rich in heavy oxygen. Iris may be similar to assemblages found only in interplanetary dust particles and Stardust cometary samples called Kool particles. Callie is chemically and isotopically very similar but not identical to Iris.