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Astrobiology 740 Stardust Highlights from LPSC March 17, 2006

Astrobiology 740 Stardust Highlights from LPSC March 17, 2006. Dr. Karen J. Meech, Astronomer Institute for Astronomy, Univ. Hawaii meech@ifa.hawaii.edu ; (808) 956-6828. Return To Earth. Jan 15, 2006 Image from DC-8 flying N of the Nevada drop site Soft landing at 3:10am MST

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Astrobiology 740 Stardust Highlights from LPSC March 17, 2006

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  1. Astrobiology 740Stardust Highlights from LPSCMarch 17, 2006 Dr. Karen J. Meech, Astronomer Institute for Astronomy, Univ. Hawaii meech@ifa.hawaii.edu; (808) 956-6828

  2. Return To Earth • Jan 15, 2006 • Image from DC-8 flying N of the Nevada drop site • Soft landing at 3:10am MST • Landed in mud, not water • Some of the ablation material came off at impact, leaving a “clean” capsule • Capsule was intact

  3. Sample Recovery • Only Comet samples looked at, no ISM samples • Each compartment is removed (surrounded by a thin foil) • Aerogel is cut into wedges for particle extraction • Particles visible to the naked eye • Cratering analysis of the very small dust in the foils • Analysis goes through 7/15/06

  4. Mineralogy & Petrology • Crystalline amorphous silicates are abundant • Some very large particles ~40 mm • Many grains are chondritic in composition for most elements • C is heterogeneously distributed in particles • Particles are very primitive compared to IDPs • Large 1-10 micron grains of forsterite, enstatite, pyrrhotite, and perhaps CaI like minerals are common

  5. Possible contaminants • Many control studies • Aerogel ahs aromatic & aliphatic functional groups • C is heterogeneously distributed in grains • Weak organic signals • Organics rich in oxygen (alco-hols and ethers) and N (amines and pyrols) – similar to IDPs • Isotopic signatures (raman) • Higher D/H, 15N/14N: dD = 850 +/- 340 per mil • No evidence of carbonates or clay minerals Chemistry • Above: forsterite grain • Layer of melted aerogel on outside with NiFeS grains • CaO > 0.5 wt % • FeO < 1 wt % • High Cr, low Fe olivines

  6. Impact Craters • Seen in the Al foils • Many crater 0.5-1.0 mm across • Cumulative size distribution • Slope see in Al shallower than the dust flux monitor from flyby • Mass index of 0.2 vs. 0.7 for DFM • Conclusions • ~ 200 particles > 10 mm • Craters show aggregates of particles • Impact residues have a variety of compositions

  7. Conclusions • Crystalline & amorphous silicates are abundant: uncertain how much is preserved from ISM • Many high temperature minerals are seen • Clearly the cometary material has seen high Temperatures • Hot regions of solar nebula? • X-wind heating in the disk?

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