Question

This is for Cosmochemistry

a) Assuming you wanted to study aqueously mediated chemistry and parent-body processing on an asteroid in the early solar system, name two materials you might study and why.

b) In comparison, if you were interested in understanding vapor-phase condensation in the early solar nebula, name two materials you might examine and why.

Answer 1

a) I would like to study on Enstatite chondrites and Carbonaceous chondrites as both of them are believed to be the most primitive remnants of planetesimals of the early solar system.

Enstatite chondrites: They are formed from chondrules which are basically round grains which are formed by minerals. It is believed that these were formed at beginning of the solar system. These are of a rare type and comprise only about 2% of the chondrites that fall on earth. They have high amounts of mineral enstatite which is one of the most chemically reduced rocks known.

Carbonaceous chondrites: They experience an aqueous alteration in an extensive manner.This results in hydrated silicates and carbon minerals. They also consist prominent amounts of amino acids. They have the highest proportion of volatile compounds present in them which indicates they have formed far away from the sun. They also contain minerals that have been altered by the presence of water.

b) For understanding the vapor phase condensation in the early solar nebula I would like to examine forsterite and enstatite.

forsterite was found in cometary dust returned from Stardust probe in the year 2005 and it was also found in the dusty clouds of gas around a newly forming star. It was present in the form of tiny crystals.

Both these materials can be interchanged with each other with the use of Silicon monoxide in the presence of water. They were the key materials present at that moment and certainly examining them will reveal certain secrets for sure.