Abstract
An understanding of carbonaceous matter in primitive extraterrestrial materials is an essential component of studies on dust evolution in the interstellar medium and the early history of the Solar System. We have suggested previously that a record of graphitization is preserved in chondritic porous (CP) aggregates and carbonaceous chondrites1,2 and that the detailed mineralogy of CP aggregates can place boundary conditions on the nature of both physical and chemical processes which occurred at the time of their formation2,3. Here, we report further analytical electron microscope (AEM) studies on carbonaceous material in two CP aggregates which suggest that a record of hydrocarbon carbonization may also be preserved in these materials. This suggestion is, based upon the presence of well-ordered carbon-2H (lonsdaleite)' in CP aggregates W7029*A and W7010*A2. This carbon is a metastable phase resulting from hydrous pyrolysis below 300–350 °C and may be a precursor to poorly graphitized carbons (PGCs) in primitive extraterrestrial materials2.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. & Mackinnon, I. D. R. Lunar planet. Sci. 16, 700–701 (1986).
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. & Mackinnon, I. D. R. Nature 316, 733–736 (1985).
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. & Mackinnon, I. D. R. J. geophys. Res. suppl. 90, D149–D155 (1985).
Mackinnon, I. D. R. & Rietmeijer, F. J. M. Nature 311, 135–138 (1984).
Bradley, J. P., Brownlee, D. E. & Fraundorf, P. Science 226, 1432–1434 (1984).
Brownlee, D. E., Rajan, R. S. & Tomandl, D. A. in Comets, Asteroids, Meteorites interrelations, evolution and origins (ed. Delsemme, A. H.) 137–150 (University of Toledo, 1977).
Mackinnon, I. D. R., McKay, D. S., Nace, G. A. & Isaacs, A. M. J. geophys. Res. suppl. 87, A413–A321 (1982).
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. in Interrelationships among Circumstellar, Interstellar and Interplanetary Dust (eds Nuth, J. A. III & Stencil, R. E.) A23–A27 (NASA Conf. Publ. 2403, 1985).
Mackinnon, I. D. R., Rietmeijer, F. J. M., McKay, D. S. & Zolensky, M. E. in Microbeam Analysis—1985 (ed. Armstrong, J. T.) 291–297 (San Francisco Press, 1985).
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. & McKay, D. S. Lunar planet. Sci. 17, 710–711 (1986).
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. Meteoritics 20, 43–48 (1985).
Bradley, J. P., Brownlee, D. E. & Fraundorf, P. Science 223, 56–58 (1984).
Derjaguin, B. V., Fedoseev, D. V., Varnin, V. P. & Vnukov, S. P. Nature 269, 298–299 (1977).
Lumpkin, G. R. Lunar planet. Sci. 14, 450–451 (1983); in Lunar. planet. Sci. 17, 502–503 (1986).
Jenkins, G. M. & Kawamura, K. Polymeric Carbons—Carbon Fibre, Glass and Char (Cambridge University Press, 1976).
Galwey, A. K. Nature 223, 1257–1260 (1969); Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 36, 1115–1130 (1972)
Long, G., Neglia, S. & Favretto, L. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 32, 647–656 (1968).
Bundy, F. P. & Kasper, J. S. J. chem. Phys. 46, 3437–3446 (1967).
Frondel, C. & Marvin, U. B. Nature 214, 587 (1967).
Hanneman, R. E., Strong, H. M. & Bundy, F. P. Science 155, 995–997 (1967).
Hudson, B., Flynn, G. J., Fraundorf, P., Hohenberg, C. M. & Shirck, J. Science 211, 383–386 (1981).
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. Nature 313, 293–294 (1985).
Mackinnon, I. D. R. & Rietmeijer, F. J. M. Rev. Geophys. (in the press).
Dodd, R. T. Meteorites (Cambridge University Press, 1981).
Jedwab, J. & Boulegue, J. Nature 310, 41–43 (1984).
Fitzer, E., Mueller, K. & Schaeffer, W. in Chemistry and Physics of Carbon. Vol. 7 (ed. Walker, P. L. Jr) 238–383 (Dekker Inc. New York, 1971).
Hoering, T. C. Yb. Carnegie Instn Wash. 81, 397–402 (1982); Yb. Carnegie Instn Wash. 82, 386–390 (1983); Org. Geochem. 5, 267–278 (1984).
Tomeoka, K. & Buseck, P. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 69, 243–254 (1984).
Rietmeijer, F. J. M. Lunar planet. Sci. 16, 698–699 (1985).
Anders, E., Hayatsu, R. & Studier, M. H. Science 182, 781–790 (1973).
Barber, D. J. Clay Miner. 20, 415–454 (1985).
McKeegan, K. D., Walker, R. M. & Zinner, E. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 49, 1971–1987 (1985).
Kerridge, J. F. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 64, 186–200 (1983).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rietmeijer, F., Mackinnon, I. Metastable carbon in two chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles. Nature 326, 162–165 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/326162a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/326162a0
This article is cited by
-
Sample return of primitive matter from the outer Solar System
Experimental Astronomy (2022)
-
A demonstration of an affinity between pyrite and organic matter in a hydrothermal setting
Geochemical Transactions (2011)
-
Diamonds are forever?
Nature (1987)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.