Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2022

Presentation information

[J] Oral

P (Space and Planetary Sciences ) » P-PS Planetary Sciences

[P-PS08] Formation and evolution of planetary materials in the Solar System

Fri. May 27, 2022 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM 302 (International Conference Hall, Makuhari Messe)

convener:Shin Ozawa(Department of Earth Science, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University), convener:Yuki Hibiya(Department of General Systems Studies, The University of Tokyo), Noriyuki Kawasaki(Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University), convener:Toru Matsumoto(Kyushu University), Chairperson:Noriyuki Kawasaki(Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University), Toru Matsumoto(The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University)


11:05 AM - 11:20 AM

[PPS08-07] Mineralogy and space weathering found in the fine-grained fraction of samples returned from the C-type asteroid Ryugu.

*Takaaki Noguchi1,2, Toru Matsumoto1, Akira Miyake1, Yohei Igami1, Mitsutaka Haruta1, Hikaru Saito2, Satoshi Hata2, Yusuke Seto3, Masaaki Miyahara4, Naotaka Tomioka5, Akira Tsuchiyama6,7,8, Masahiro Yasutake9, Junya Matsuno6, Shota Okumura1, Itaru MITSUKAWA1, Kentaro Uesugi9, Masayuki Uesugi9, Akihisa Takeuchi9, Satomi Enju10, Aki Takigawa11, Tatsuhiro Michikami12, Tomoki Nakamura13, Megumi Matsumoto13, Yusuke Nakauchi14, Hisayoshi Yurimoto15, Kazuhide Nagashima16, Noriyuki Kawasaki15, Naoya Sakamoto15, Ryuji Okazaki2, Hiroshi Naraoka2, Hikaru Yabuta4, Sakamoto Kanako14, Shogo Tachibana11, Sei-ichiro WATANABE17, Yuichi Tsuda14, The Hayabusa2-initial-analysis Sand team (overseas members) (1.Kyoto University, 2.Kyushu University, 3.Kobe University, 4.Hiroshima University, 5.JAMSTEC, 6.Ritsumeikan University, 7.Guangzhou Institute Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, 8.CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, 9.JASRI, 10.Ehime University, 11.University of Tokyo, 12.Kindai University, 13.Tohoku University, 14.JAXA, 15.Hokkaido University, 16.University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 17.Nagoya University)

Keywords:Ryugu, CI chondrites, Space weathering

Introduction: The JAXA Hayabusa2 spacecraft returned samples from near-Earth C-type asteroid Ryugu. Our Min-Pet Fine sub-team has investigated mineralogy and petrology and space weathering of grains in the fine fraction of the samples. Space weathering is alteration induced mainly by solar wind irradiation and micrometeoroid impact. Here, we report the mineralogy and microstructural and chemical features related to space weathering of the Ryugu grains.
Samples and Methods: Surface morphologies of ~700 grains were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB)-SEM. A polished sample of a fragment originating from a large grain A0058 was also investigated. Thin foil samples were prepared by FIB-SEM. We performed transmission electron microscopy (TEM), synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption fine structure (XANES and EXAFS) spectroscopy, nanotomography, and atom probe analysis at 16 universities and laboratories spread across the world.
Results and discussion: Mineralogy of fine fraction of the Ryugu samples. Major minerals of the small Ryugu grains are saponite, serpentine, Fe-Ni sulfides, magnetite, dolomite, and breunnerite. The mineralogy and petrology of the Ryugu FIB sections investigated are similar to CI chondrites, but the samples lack ferrihydrite and sulfates, commonly found in CI chondrites [1]. Considering the effects of terrestrial weathering of CI chondrites, we infer that the mineralogy of investigated Ryugu grains is similar to that of CI chondrites prior to their weathering upon arrival on Earth.
Space weathering of Ryugu samples. Recognizable surface modifications of the phyllosilicate-rich matrix were found on 6% to 7% of the observed grains. A variety of surface modifications are observed: melt splashes, amorphous layers, and melt layers. The amorphous layers form a continuous sheet ~0.1 µm thick composed of amorphous silicate material at the top surface. Their bulk chemical compositions are indistinguishable from those of the underlying phyllosilicate-rich matrix, but they have a higher ratio of Fe2+ relative to Fe3+ than the interior phyllosilicate-rich matrix. The melt layers have bubbles and numerous submicroscopic (<100 nm) rounded Fe-Ni sulfide beads. These data suggest that both silicate and Fe-Ni sulfides were melted and immiscibly separated into silicate and sulfide melts. Such melt layers have higher Fe and lower Si+Al and Mg contents, as well as a higher ratio of Fe2+ relative to Fe3+ than the interior phyllosilicate-rich matrix.
The surface morphology of the amorphous layers resembles the surface of an experimental product of Orgueil CI chondrite that was irradiated by 4 keV He+. To a first approximation, it appears that solar-wind irradiation likely played an important role in modifying the surface of the phyllosilicate-rich matrix. Structures of the melt layers resemble those of the products from the laser irradiation experiments that simulate micrometeoroid impacts [2], suggesting that they had an important role in forming the melt layers.
Multiple types of surface modifications are observed on some grains. Given textural relationships of these surface modifications and the assumptions that solar wind irradiation is rapid and that micrometeoroid impact processing is slow [3], Ryugu grains preserve a range of stages of space weathering.
The Hayabusa2-initial-analysis Sand team (overseas members): Hope A. Ishii, John P. Bradley, Kenta Ohtaki, Elena Dobrică, Hugues Leroux, Corentin Le Guillou, Damien Jacob, Maya Marinova, Francisco de la Peña, Falko Langenhorst, Dennis Harries, Pierre Beck, Thi H. V. Phan, Rolando Rebois, Neyda M. Abreu, Jennifer Gray, Thomas Zega, Pierre-M. Zanetta, Michelle S. Thompson, Rhonda Stroud, Kate Burgess, Brittany A. Cymes, John C. Bridges, Leon Hicks, Martin R. Lee, Luke Daly, Phil A. Bland, Michael E. Zolensky, David R. Frank, James Martinez, Mingqi Sun
References: [1] Brearley, A. J., Jones, R. H. (1998) Rev. Min. 36, C1. [2] Thompson, M. S. et al. (2019) Icarus 319, 499-511. [3] Vernazza, P. et al. (2009) Nature 458, 993-995.