Incorporation of a Late-forming Chondrule into Comet Wild 2

TL;DR

This study analyzes a chondrule fragment from comet Wild 2, revealing late formation and transport in the early solar system, with implications for Jupiter's formation timing.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed petrological and isotopic analysis of a cometary chondrule, indicating late formation and large-scale transport in the solar nebula.

Findings

Chondrule formed at least 3 million years after the earliest solar system objects.

No evidence of extinct 26Al, suggesting late formation.

Presence in Kuiper Belt implies significant outward transport of material.

Abstract

We report the petrology, O isotopic composition, and Al-Mg isotope systematics of a chondrule fragment from the Jupiter-family comet Wild 2, returned to Earth by NASA's Stardust mission. This object shows characteristics of a type II chondrule that formed from an evolved oxygen isotopic reservoir. No evidence for extinct 26Al was found, with (26Al/ 27Al)0 < 3.0 x 10^-6. Assuming homogenous distribution of 26Al in the solar nebula, this particle crystallized at least 3 Myr after the earliest solar system objects--relatively late compared to most chondrules in meteorites. We interpret the presence of this object in a Kuiper Belt body as evidence of late, large-scale transport of small objects between the inner and outer solar nebula. Our observations constrain the formation of Jupiter (a barrier to outward transport if it formed further from the Sun than this cometary chondrule) to be more than 3 Myr after calcium-aluminum-rich inclusionss.