Redistribution of Sr and rare earth elements in the matrices of CV3 carbonaceous chondrites during aqueous alteration in their parent body

Abstract

Abstract We measured the abundances of Sr and rare earth elements (REEs) in the matrices of five CV3 carbonaceous chondrites: Meteorite Hills (MET) 00430, MET 01070, La Paz ice field (LAP) 02206, Asuka (A) 881317 and Roberts Massif (RBT) 04143. In the MET 00430 and MET 01074 matrices, the Sr/CI and light REE (LREE, La–Nd)/CI ratios positively correlate with the amounts of Ca-rich secondary minerals, which formed during aqueous alteration in the CV3 chondrite parent body. In contrast, in the LAP 02206 and RBT 04143 matrices, although the Sr/CI ratios correlate with the amounts of Ca-rich secondary minerals, the LREE/CI ratios vary independently from the amounts of any secondary minerals. This suggests that the LREE/CI ratios in these matrices were produced prior to the parent body alteration, probably in the solar nebula. The LREE/CI ratios of the LAP 02206 and RBT 04143 matrices reveal the mixing process of matrix minerals prior to the accretion of the CV3 chondrite parent body. The mixing degrees of matrix minerals might be different between these two matrices. Because solid materials would be mixed over time according to the radial diffusion model of a turbulent disk, the matrix minerals consisting of LAP 02206 and RBT 04143 matrices might be incorporated into their parent body with different timing.

Keywords

• Rare earth element
• CV3 carbonaceous chondrite
• Aqueous alteration
• Solar nebula