In situ oxygen isotope compositions in olivines of different types of cosmic spherules: An assessment of relationships to chondritic particles. (1st December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rudraswami, N.G.; Shyam Prasad, M.; Jones, R.H.; Nagashima, K.
• Is Part Of: Geochimica et cosmochimica acta. Volume 194(2016:Dec. 01)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 14
• Publication Date: 2016-12-01
• Subjects: Micrometeorites -- Oxygen isotope -- Carbonaceous chondrites -- Deep sea sediments; Geochemistry -- Periodicals; Meteorites -- Periodicals; Géochimie -- Périodiques; Météorites -- Périodiques; Geochemie; Astrochemie; Electronic journals; 551.905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2016.08.024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-7037

Abstract

Abstract: Cosmic spherules collected from deep sea sediments of the Indian Ocean having different textures such as scoriaceous (4), relict-bearing (16), porphyritic (35) and barred olivine (2) were investigated for petrography, as well as high precision oxygen isotopic studies on olivine grains using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The oxide FeO/MgO ratios of large olivines (>20 μm) in cosmic spherules have low values similar to those seen in the olivines of carbonaceous chondrite chondrules, rather than matching the compositions of matrix. The oxygen isotope compositions of olivines in cosmic spherules have a wide range of δ 18 O, δ 17 O and Δ 17 O values as follows: −9 to 40‰, −13 to 22‰ and −11 to 6‰. Our results suggest that the oxygen isotope compositions of the scoriaceous, relict-bearing, porphyritic and barred spherules show provenance related to the carbonaceous (CM, CV, CO and CR) chondrites. The different types of spherules that has experienced varied atmospheric heating during entry has not significantly altered the Δ 17 O values. However, one of the relict-bearing spherules with a large relict grain has Δ 17 O = 5.7‰, suggesting that it is derived from 16 O-poor material that is not recognized in the meteorite record. A majority of the spherules have Δ 17 O ranging from −4 to −2‰, similar to values in chondrules from carbonaceous chondrites, signifying that chondrules of carbonaceous chondrites are the major contributors to the flux of micrometeorites, with an insignificant fraction derived from ordinary chondrites. Furthermore, barred spherule data shows that during atmospheric entry an increase in ∼10‰ of δ 18 O value surges Δ 17 O value by ∼1‰.