A chondrule formation experiment aboard the ISS: microtomography, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy on Mg2SiO4 dust aggregates

被引：0

作者：

Spahr, Dominik ^{[1
]}

Koch, Tamara E. ^{[1
]}

Merges, David ^{[1
]}

Bayarjargal, Lkhamsuren ^{[1
]}

Genzel, Philomena-Theresa ^{[1
]}

Christ, Oliver ^{[1
]}

Wilde, Fabian ^{[2
]}

Brenker, Frank E. ^{[1
]}

Winkler, Bjoern ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] Goethe Univ Frankfurt, Inst Geosci, Altenhoferallee 1, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany

[2] Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon, Inst Mat Phys, Max Planck Str 1, D-21502 Geesthacht, Germany

来源：

PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF MINERALS | 2022年 / 49卷 / 05期

关键词：

Microgravity; Arc discharges; International Space Station ISS; Chondrule formation; Microtomography; IMPACT; DISCHARGES; MODEL;

D O I：

10.1007/s00269-022-01185-7

中图分类号：

T [工业技术];

学科分类号：

08 ;

摘要：

We performed an experiment under long-term microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to obtain information on the energetics and experimental constraints required for the formation of chondrules in the solar nebula by 'nebular lightning'. As a simplified model system, we exposed porous forsterite (Mg2SiO4) dust particles to high-energetic arc discharges. The characterization of the samples after their return by synchrotron microtomography and scanning electron microscopy revealed that aggregates had formed, consisting of several fused Mg2SiO4 particles. The partial melting and fusing of Mg2SiO4 dust particles under microgravity conditions leads to a strong reduction of their porosity. The experimental outcomes vary strongly in their appearance from small spherical melt-droplets (empty set approximate to 90 mu m) to bigger and irregularly shaped aggregates (empty set approximate to 350 mu m). Our results provided new constraints with respect to energetic aspects of chondrule formation and a roadmap for future and more complex experiments on Earth and in microgravity conditions.

引用

页数：9