Remnants of the early solar system water enriched in heavy oxygen isotopes

Science. 2007 Jul 13;317(5835):231-3. doi: 10.1126/science.1142021. Epub 2007 Jun 14.

Abstract

Oxygen isotopic composition of our solar system is believed to have resulted from mixing of two isotopically distinct nebular reservoirs, 16O-rich and (17,18)O-rich relative to Earth. The nature and composition of the (17,18)O-rich reservoir are poorly constrained. We report an in situ discovery of a chemically and isotopically unique material distributed ubiquitously in fine-grained matrix of a primitive carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094. This material formed by oxidation of Fe,Ni-metal and sulfides by water either in the solar nebula or on a planetesimal. Oxygen isotopic composition of this material indicates that the water was highly enriched in 17O and 18O (delta(17,18)O(SMOW) = +180 per thousand per mil), providing the first evidence for an extremely (17,18)O-rich reservoir in the early solar system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Meteoroids*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxygen / analysis*
  • Oxygen Isotopes / analysis*
  • Solar System*
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Oxygen Isotopes
  • Water
  • Oxygen