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| Open AccessChondrule-like objects and Ca-Al-rich inclusions in Ryugu may potentially be the oldest Solar System materials
Chondrule-like objects and CAIs in the Ryugu samples are early generations of chondrules and possibly oldest solids in the Solar System. They were transported from the inner solar nebula to the formation location of the Ryugu original parent body.
- Daisuke Nakashima
- , Tomoki Nakamura
- & Yuichi Tsuda
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| Open AccessPotassium isotope heterogeneity in the early Solar System controlled by extensive evaporation and partial recondensation
This study reports strikingly light K isotopic compositions for the extremely K-depleted angrite meteorites, thereby providing the first observation of isotope fractionation likely controlled by partial recondensation at a planetary scale.
- Yan Hu
- , Frédéric Moynier
- & Martin Bizzarro
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| Open AccessGeoelectrochemistry-driven alteration of amino acids to derivative organics in carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies
Researchers at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) discovered a chemical process that can explain the very low amino acid abundances in aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites, deepening our understanding on the Solar System chemical evolution.
- Yamei Li
- , Norio Kitadai
- & Kristin Johnson-Finn
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| Open AccessWidespread impact-generated porosity in early planetary crusts
Large impacts can create deep lying porosity far away from the crater. This result explains GRAIL’s findings and suggests impacts could support widespread fluid circulation, which has implications for habitable environments on early Earth and Mars.
- Sean E. Wiggins
- , Brandon C. Johnson
- & Simone Marchi
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| Open AccessEarly crustal processes revealed by the ejection site of the oldest martian meteorite
A new study pinpoints the ejection site of the 4.5-Ga-old Martian breccia NWA 7034 and paired stones to an area northeast of the Terra 679 Cimmeria–Sirenium province.
- A. Lagain
- , S. Bouley
- & P. A. Bland
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| Open AccessIdentification and characterization of a new ensemble of cometary organic molecules
A new analysis of Rosetta mass spectra reveals an ensemble of complex organic molecules with striking similarities to other organic reservoirs in the Solar System, including Saturn’s ring rain material, pointing at a likely joint prestellar history.
- N. Hänni
- , K. Altwegg
- & S. F. Wampfler
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| Open AccessThe formation of Haumea and its family via binary merging
Formation of the Haumea family, the only collisional group of icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt, is debated. Here, the authors show that Haumea family can be explained as a results of binary merging near the end of Neptune’s orbital migration.
- Benjamin Proudfoot
- & Darin Ragozzine
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| Open AccessExogenic origin for the volatiles sampled by the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite impact
The water and other volatiles observed in the LCROSS impact plume contained too much nitrogen to have originated from volcanic outgassing. These volatiles, stored in the top 1-3 meters of the Cabeus permanently shaded region, were delivered by comet impacts.
- K. E. Mandt
- , O. Mousis
- & A. Luspay-Kuti
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| Open AccessImpactor material records the ancient lunar magnetic field in antipodal anomalies
Antipodes of large basins on the moon exhibit large areas of crustal magnetism. Here, the authors show that antipodal ejecta contains sufficient impactor material to explain the observed magnetization.
- S. Wakita
- , B. C. Johnson
- & T. M. Davison
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| Open AccessSpectrally blue hydrated parent body of asteroid (162173) Ryugu
Both poles of asteroid Ryugu, the target of space mission Hayabusa2, preserve the least processed material by space weathering. Here, the authors show detection of 700 nm absorption band in the polar spectra of Ryugu, that allows to constrain the hydrothermal history of its spectrally blue parent body.
- Eri Tatsumi
- , Naoya Sakatani
- & Seiji Sugita
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| Open AccessIsotopic evolution of planetary crusts by hypervelocity impacts evidenced by Fe in microtektites
Fe isotopic composition of the distal ejecta of a terrestrial impact crater records both evaporation and condensation, refining the nature of the isotopic fractionation taking place during hypervelocity impacts in the Solar System.
- S. M. Chernonozhkin
- , C. González de Vega
- & S. Goderis
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| Open AccessLarge impact cratering during lunar magma ocean solidification
Lunar impact basins formed during the magma ocean solidification should have formed almost unidentifiable topographic and crustal thickness signatures, thus may escape detection. This result allows for a higher impact flux in the earliest epoch of Earth-Moon evolution.
- K. Miljković
- , M. A. Wieczorek
- & M. T. Zuber
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| Open AccessReconciling metal–silicate partitioning and late accretion in the Earth
Through platinum metal-silicate partitioning coefficient measurements, the authors here show that platinum partitioning into metal is lowered at high pressure–temperature conditions. This finding implies that the Earth’s mantle was likely enriched in platinum immediately following the core-mantle differentiation.
- Terry-Ann Suer
- , Julien Siebert
- & Guillaume Fiquet
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| Open AccessIsotopic evidence for the formation of the Moon in a canonical giant impact
Here, the authors show that Earth and Moon are characterized by different vanadium isotope compositions, which is most likely resulting from vanadium isotope fractionation of the bulk silicate proto-Earth during the main stage of terrestrial core formation—followed by a canonical giant impact scenario, where 80% of the Moon originates from an impactor of chondritic composition.
- Sune G. Nielsen
- , David V. Bekaert
- & Maureen Auro
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| Open AccessThe origin of the Moon’s Earth-like tungsten isotopic composition from dynamical and geochemical modeling
Tungsten isotopes between the Earth and Moon are compared in this new study. The authors find that traditional models of Moon formation are very unlikely to reproduce the Moon's Earth-like isotopic composition.
- Rebecca A. Fischer
- , Nicholas G. Zube
- & Francis Nimmo
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| Open AccessPhosphorus-rich stars with unusual abundances are challenging theoretical predictions
Current models of Galactic chemical evolution under predict the phosphorus we observe in our Solar System. Here, the authors show the discovery of 15 phosphorus-rich stars with a peculiar abundance pattern that challenges the present stellar nucleosynthesis theoretical predictions, but which could explain the missing source of phosphorus in the Galaxy.
- Thomas Masseron
- , D. A. García-Hernández
- & Carlos Dafonte
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| Open AccessNear-infrared observations of active asteroid (3200) Phaethon reveal no evidence for hydration
The surface of active asteroid (3200) Phaethon, parent body of the Geminid meteor shower, reaches temperatures sufficient to destabilize hydrated materials. Here, the authors show that the northern hemisphere and the equatorial region of this asteroid reveal no evidence of hydration in the near-infrared spectra.
- Driss Takir
- , Theodore Kareta
- & Tomoko Arai
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| Open AccessA magma ocean origin to divergent redox evolutions of rocky planetary bodies and early atmospheres
Applying first-principles molecular dynamic simulations and thermodynamic modelling, the authors suggest a vertical oxygen fugacity gradient in magma oceans of Earth, Mars, and the Moon. Consequently, the study proposes larger planets like Earth to have stronger oxidized upper mantles than smaller bodies such as Mars or the Moon.
- Jie Deng
- , Zhixue Du
- & Kanani K. M. Lee
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| Open AccessEvidence for igneous differentiation in Sudbury Igneous Complex and impact-driven evolution of terrestrial planet proto-crusts
It remains controversial whether or not impact melt sheets produced by asteroid impacts were able to undergo large-scale igneous differentiation. Here the authors present evidence for large igneous differentiation in one of these sheets and argue that this process has contributed to the evolution and lithological diversity of the proto-crusts on terrestrial planets.
- Rais Latypov
- , Sofya Chistyakova
- & Hannu Huhma
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| Open AccessSilica-rich volcanism in the early solar system dated at 4.565 Ga
Achondritic meteorites can record volcanism and crust formation on planetesimals in the early Solar System. Here, the authors date the Northwest Africa 11119 meteorite with an Al-Mg age of 4564.8 ± 0.3 Ma indicating that this is the earliest evidence of silicic volcanism in the Solar System to date.
- Poorna Srinivasan
- , Daniel R. Dunlap
- & Francis M. McCubbin
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| Open AccessA large planetary body inferred from diamond inclusions in a ureilite meteorite
Ureilites are a type of meteorite that are believed to be derived from a parent body that was impacted in the early solar system. Here, the authors analyse inclusions within diamonds from a ureilite meteorite and find that they must have formed at above 20 GPa suggesting the parent body was Mercury- to Mars-sized.
- Farhang Nabiei
- , James Badro
- & Philippe Gillet
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| Open AccessThe oldest magnetic record in our solar system identified using nanometric imaging and numerical modeling
Magnetic fields are thought to have been influential in the formation of our solar system. Here, the authors observe thermomagnetically stable, non-uniformly magnetized kamacite grains within chondritic meteorites, and calculate the grains to retain recordings of these magnetic fields.
- Jay Shah
- , Wyn Williams
- & Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski
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| Open AccessEvidence from stable isotopes and 10Be for solar system formation triggered by a low-mass supernova
One hypothesis for solar system formation is gas compression by a nearby supernova, whose traces should be found in isotopic anomalies. Here the authors show that this mechanism is viable only if the triggering event was a low-mass supernova, looking at short-lived 10Be and lack of anomalies in stable isotopes.
- Projjwal Banerjee
- , Yong-Zhong Qian
- & W C Haxton
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| Open AccessYoung asteroidal fluid activity revealed by absolute age from apatite in carbonaceous chondrite
Chondritic meteorites formed in the early solar system and may tell us about primary processes at that time. Here, Zhang et al. report an absolute 207Pb/206Pb isochron age (4,450±50 Ma) of apatite from a carbonaceous chondrite constraining timing of fluid activity in meteorites.
- Ai-Cheng Zhang
- , Qiu-Li Li
- & Ru-Cheng Wang
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| Open AccessThe solar magnetic activity band interaction and instabilities that shape quasi-periodic variability
The origins of the Sun’s periodic activity, such as sunspot cycles, are poorly understood. McIntosh et al.posit that the rotational forcing of the activity bands comprising the 22-year magnetic cycle undergoes shorter-term variations, driving magnetic flux surges that impact solar output on those timescales.
- Scott W. McIntosh
- , Robert J. Leamon
- & Roger K. Ulrich