Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction
Prior to becoming chondritic meteorites, primordial solids were a poorly consolidated mix of mm-scale igneous inclusions (chondrules) and high-porosity sub-μm dust (matrix). We used high-resolution numerical simulations to track the effect of impact-induced compaction on these materials. Here we sho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Nature Publishing Group
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41242 |
| _version_ | 1848756090277199872 |
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| author | Bland, Phil Collins, G. Davison, T. Abreu, N. Ciesla, F. Muxworthy, A. Moore, J. |
| author_facet | Bland, Phil Collins, G. Davison, T. Abreu, N. Ciesla, F. Muxworthy, A. Moore, J. |
| author_sort | Bland, Phil |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Prior to becoming chondritic meteorites, primordial solids were a poorly consolidated mix of mm-scale igneous inclusions (chondrules) and high-porosity sub-μm dust (matrix). We used high-resolution numerical simulations to track the effect of impact-induced compaction on these materials. Here we show that impact velocities as low as 1.5 km s−1 were capable of heating the matrix to >1,000 K, with pressure–temperature varying by >10 GPa and >1,000 K over ~100 μm. Chondrules were unaffected, acting as heat-sinks: matrix temperature excursions were brief. As impact-induced compaction was a primary and ubiquitous process, our new understanding of its effects requires that key aspects of the chondrite record be re-evaluated: palaeomagnetism, petrography and variability in shock level across meteorite groups. Our data suggest a lithification mechanism for meteorites, and provide a ‘speed limit’ constraint on major compressive impacts that is inconsistent with recent models of solar system orbital architecture that require an early, rapid phase of main-belt collisional evolution. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:06:40Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-41242 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:06:40Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-412422017-09-13T14:13:04Z Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction Bland, Phil Collins, G. Davison, T. Abreu, N. Ciesla, F. Muxworthy, A. Moore, J. Prior to becoming chondritic meteorites, primordial solids were a poorly consolidated mix of mm-scale igneous inclusions (chondrules) and high-porosity sub-μm dust (matrix). We used high-resolution numerical simulations to track the effect of impact-induced compaction on these materials. Here we show that impact velocities as low as 1.5 km s−1 were capable of heating the matrix to >1,000 K, with pressure–temperature varying by >10 GPa and >1,000 K over ~100 μm. Chondrules were unaffected, acting as heat-sinks: matrix temperature excursions were brief. As impact-induced compaction was a primary and ubiquitous process, our new understanding of its effects requires that key aspects of the chondrite record be re-evaluated: palaeomagnetism, petrography and variability in shock level across meteorite groups. Our data suggest a lithification mechanism for meteorites, and provide a ‘speed limit’ constraint on major compressive impacts that is inconsistent with recent models of solar system orbital architecture that require an early, rapid phase of main-belt collisional evolution. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41242 10.1038/ncomms6451 Nature Publishing Group fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Bland, Phil Collins, G. Davison, T. Abreu, N. Ciesla, F. Muxworthy, A. Moore, J. Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction |
| title | Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction |
| title_full | Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction |
| title_fullStr | Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction |
| title_short | Pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction |
| title_sort | pressure-temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41242 |