Chondrule size and related physical properties: a compilation and evaluation of current data across all meteorite groups

TL;DR

This paper compiles and evaluates current data on chondrule sizes and physical properties across all meteorite groups to aid classification, astrophysical modeling, and space resource utilization.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive compilation and commentary on chondrule size data and related physical properties, including all meteorite groups and primitive achondrites.

Findings

Distinct size-frequency distributions for different chemical groups

Compilation of chondrule mass and density data

Analysis of compound and cratered chondrules frequencies

Abstract

The examination of the physical properties of chondrules has generally received less emphasis than other properties of meteorites such as their mineralogy, petrology, and chemical and isotopic compositions. Among the various physical properties of chondrules, chondrule size is especially important for the classification of chondrites into chemical groups, since each chemical group possesses a distinct size-frequency distribution of chondrules. Knowledge of the physical properties of chondrules is also vital for the development of astrophysical models for chondrule formation, and for understanding how to utilize asteroidal resources in space exploration. To examine our current knowledge of chondrule sizes, we have compiled and provide commentary on available chondrule dimension literature data. We include all chondrite chemical groups as well as the acapulcoite primitive achondrites, some of which contain relict chondrules. We also compile and review current literature data for other astrophysically-relevant physical properties (chondrule mass and density). Finally, we briefly examine some additional physical aspects of chondrules such as the frequencies of compound and 'cratered' chondrules. A purpose of this compilation is to provide a useful resource for meteoriticists and astrophysicists alike.