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At least 343 records · Page 19

Metastable Phase Relations in the System Ca(sub O)-Al2(sub O)3-MgO-TiO(sub 2): Applications to Ca- And Al-Rich Inclusions

Introduction: High temperature phases such as corundum, hibonite, grossite, and perovskite are among the earliest phases that condensed in the early solar nebula. Recent work has shown that defect-structured phases occur in some ultrarefractory inclusions as metastable, possibly more kinetically-favored alternatives to the thermodynamically predicted stable phase assemblages [1-4]. For example, Han et al. have shown that non-stoichiometry in hibonite is accommodated by extra "spinel" blocks in the structure instead of the equilibrium assemblages hibonite+corundum or hibonite+spinel. To explore these relations, we have conducted a series of experiments in the system CaO-Al2O3- MgO-TiO2. Here we discuss the compositions and mineralogy of the experimental samples and how they relate to phases in refractory inclusions with a focus on perovskite and spinel. Methods: For the series of annealing studies, a CaO-Al2O3 eutectic melt is allowed to react with a pure alumina crucible at 1,530degC for either 4 hours or 5 days, followed by quenching in air. Later experiments were similar except that additions of 5 wt% MgO, and CaTiO(sub 3) were used to explore the effect of minor elements on the phase assemblages. The experimental conditions resulted in reaction zones approximately 100-300 m wide consisting of a hibonite layer immediately adjacent to the corundum, followed by a grossite layer, and finally krotite with residual quenched melt. For the experiments with Mg, spinel is distributed in all layers but is mainly concentrated in the krotite layer. In the Ti-bearing experiments, perovskite precipitated in association with the krotite and residual melt. In addition to the experiments, we also analyzed perovskite grains in the FUN inclusion SHAL [5] and a large compact type A CAI from Allende. The experiments and refractory inclusions were analyzed using a JEOL 7600F SEM and quantitative analyses were obtained using the JEOL 8530F field-emission electron microprobe.

Keller, L. P.↗

Petrology of Amoeboid Olivine Aggregates in Antarctic CR Chondrites: Evidence for Aqueous Alteration and Shock Metamorphism

CR chondrites are the group of carbonaceous chondrites that preserve records of formation of their components in the solar nebula. Although they are affected by aqueous alteration, many chondrules and CAIs are well-preserved, suggesting they have experienced little thermal metamorphism. We have been investigating the petrologic variations among the CR chondrites in Japanese-NIPR Antarctic meteorite collection. Especially we focused on the petrology of amoeboid olivine aggregates (AOAs) in order to understand secondary alteration on CR chondrite parent body. AOAs are composed of fine-grained forsteritic olivine and refractory minerals formed by condensation from solar nebula, and can be used as sensitive indicators of secondary alteration processes.

Komatsu, M.↗

Comet Dust: The Diversity of Primitive Particles and Implications

Comet dust is primitive and shows significant diversity. Our knowledge of the properties of primitive particles has expanded significantly through microscale investigations of cosmic dust samples (IDPs and AMMs) and of comet dust samples (Stardust and Rosetta's COSIMA), as well as through remote sensing (spectroscopy and imaging) via Spitzer and via spacecraft encounters with 103P/Hartley 2 and 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Microscale investigations show that comet dust and cosmic dust are particles of unequilibrated materials, including aggregates of materials unequilibrated at submicron scales. We call unequilibrated materials "primitive" and we deduce they were incorporated into ice-­‐rich (H2O-, CO2-, and CO-ice) parent bodies that remained cold, i.e., into comets, because of the lack of aqueous or thermal alteration since particle aggregation; yet some Stardust olivines suggest mild thermal metamorphism. Primitive particles exhibit a diverse range of: structure and typology; size and size distribution of constituents; concentration and form of carbonaceous and organic matter; D-, N-, and O- isotopic enhancements over solar; Mg-, Fe-contentsof thesilicate minerals; the compositions and concentrations of sulfides, and of less abundant mineral species such as chondrules, CAIs and carbonates. The unifomity within a group of samples points to: aerodynamic sorting of particles and/or particle constituents; the inclusion of a limited range of oxygen fugacities; the inclusion or exclusion of chondrules; a selection of organics. The properites of primitive particles imply there were disk processes that resulted in different comets having particular selections of primitive materials. The diversity of primitive particles has implications for the diversity of materials in the protoplanetary disk present at the time and in the region where the comets formed.

Comet dust is primitive and shows significant dive↗

Aqueous Alteration and Shock Metamorphism of Antarctic CR Chondrites

CR chondrites are the group of carbonaceous chondrites that best preserve records of formation of their components in the solar nebula. Although they are affected by aqueous alteration, many chondrules and CAIs are well-preserved, suggesting they have experienced little thermal metamorphism. We have been investigating the petrologic variations among the CR chondrites in the NIPR Antarctic meteorite collection. We focused particular attention on the petrology of amoeboid olivine aggregates (AOAs) in order to understand secondary alteration on the CR chondrite parent body. AOAs are composed of fine-grained forsteritic olivine and refractory minerals formed by condensation in the solar nebula, and can be used as sensitive indicators of secondary alteration processes.

Komatsu, M.↗

The Significance of Slope 1 Variation in Early Solar System Solids

As originally demonstrated by Clayton and co-workers, primitive meteorites and their components commonly display mass-independent oxygen isotopic variation. As a tool to understand this behaviour, a number of reference lines have been defined, with slopes of approximately 1. The Carbonaceous Chondrite Anhydrous Mineral (CCAM) line, derived predominantly from analyses of components in the Allende (CV3) meteorite, is the most widely used reference and has a slope of 0.94 plus or minus 0.01 (2 sigma). However, the fundamental significance of the CCAM line has been questioned. Based on the results of a UV laser ablation study of an Allende CAI (calcium-aluminum–rich inclusion), it was suggested that a line of exactly slope 1 (Y&R line - Young and Russell line) was of more fundamental significance. SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) analysis of chondrules from primitive CRs and related chondrites define a third, distinct slope 1 line, known as the Primitive Chondrule Minerals (PCM) line. Here we discuss the results of bulk oxygen isotope analysis of CO, CV and CR chondrites and various separated components, with the aim of better understanding the origin of slope 1 behaviour in early Solar System materials.

Greenwood, R. C.↗

Experimentation to Understand Planet and Proto-Planet Formation

Experimental petrology has placed constraints on a wide variety of nebular and planet formation processes such as chondrule formation, CAI (Calcium-Aluminum-rich Inclusions) crystallization, asteroid magmatism, mantle melting, core formation, element partitioning related to radiogenic isotopes and heat production. Although great progress has been made, there remain several key problems where more data are required to constrain modelling, both empirical and thermodynamics-based. Here I will focus on several areas with implications for meteoritics and planetary science, including systems of low fO2 (Oxygen fugacity), constructing models that include both metal and silicate for mantle melting and differentiation, high pressure phase equilibria relevant to full range of silicate mantles, and core-mantle equilibria where H and O are specified, and their effects are measured.

Righter, K.↗

Remarkable Diversity of Refractory Inclusions in the Miller Range 090019 CO3.1 Chondrite

We have characterized the mineralogy, textures, bulk compositions, modal abundances and some mineral compositions in a suite of approximately 140 refractory inclusions from the MIL090019 carbonaceous chondrite. All of these 140 inclusions are found in a single thin section of this CO3.1 chondrite. These inclusions range from grossite- and hibonite-rich varieties, melilite-, spinel-, fassaite-diopside- and anorthite-rich types, and include a subset of aluminous AOAs (amoeboidal olivine aggregates). Grossite- and hibonite-bearing inclusions were discussed briefly in previous abstracts. X-ray mapping by energy dispersive spectrometry has permitted us to extract the bulk compositions of these inclusions from hyperspectral x-ray datasets. The bulk compositions of these inclusions represent the full range of recognized CAI (Calcium-Aluminum–rich Inclusions) types.

Ross, D. Kent↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-27659-DND

The Arctic is warming fast, a trend expected to continue. Rapid Arctic warming has far-reaching implications affecting the global energy budget, sea level rise, the global carbon cycle, and potentially the atmospheric and oceanic circulation. Our understanding of the forcing mechanisms driving Arctic climate change has rapidly evolved in the last decade. For 40 years, the melting of sea ice and snow has been implicated as the primary driver of amplified Arctic warming, however our results indicate a shift, whereby changes in the atmospheric temperature, humidity, and clouds have surpassed the warming effects of snow and sea ice loss in the latest CMIP5 model simulations. We examine the impacts of climate feedbacks on the Arctic surface energy budget: namely surface albedo, clouds, shortwave clear-sky feedbacks, longwave clear-sky feedbacks, ocean heat content, and surface turbulent fluxes. Simulations from 16 CMIP5 models running RCP8.5, a high-emission scenario are used. We employ the methodology used in Lu and Cai (2009) on a single CMIP3 model allowing an analysis of changes between CMIP3 and CMIP5.

Robyn C Boeke↗

PRESOLAR GRAIN ABUNDANCE VARIATION IN THE MILLER RANGE 090019 CO3.1 CHONDRITE

Presolar grains condensed in the outflows of evolved red giant stars and the ejecta of supernovae (SNe) and novae. These grains have greatly anomalous isotopic compositions compared to solar system material, reflecting their stellar origins [1]. They have been identified in primitive meteorites, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), Antarctic micrometeorites, and comet Wild 2 samples returned by NASA’s Stardust mission. Presolar silicates are one of the most abundant presolar phases and their concentrations extend up to 1.5% in primitive IDPs believed to derive from comets [2]. These grains are highly susceptible to alteration and destruction by secondary processing in the interstellar medium, nebula, and asteroid or comet parent body. Presolarsilicate abundance variations between primitive meteorites and chemical and mineralogical studies provide indications of the extent of secondary hydrothermal alteration [3, 4]. The abundance of presolar SiC grains is generally consistent among chondrites, but lower abundances in some meteorites have been attributed to thermal alteration [5, 6]. Presolar grain abundance variations attributed to localized alteration have also been reported within different regions of a chondrite [e.g., 7].Carbonaceous chondrites from the CO and CR groups have the highest abundances of presolar silicates among meteorites, attesting to their primitive nature. The CO3 chondrite Dominion Range (DOM) 08006 has the highest presolar O-rich grain abundance of ~260 ppm [8, 9]. MillerRange (MIL) 090019 is classified as a CO3.1 chondrite and has affinities to Acfer 094, DOM 08004/6 and Allan Hills (ALH) 77307. These chondrites have high presolar silicate abundances and contain high abundances of various types of refractory inclusions. We previously conducted detailed studies of CAIs in MIL 090019 [10, 11]. Here we evaluate its presolar grain inventory to assess the degree of parent body alteration and compare to other chondrites

A. N. Nguyen↗

Anomalous and Ungrouped Carbonaceous Chondrites in the US Antarctic Meteorite Collection and their Potential Relevance to Ryugu and Bennu

With two different carbonaceous asteroid sample return missions in full swing, attention has focused on what connections can be made between the asteroid samples and the wide range of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites in worldwide collections. The US Antarctic meteorite collection contains nearly 1000 carbonaceous chondrites of various types including many in well-established groups as well as ungrouped, unusual or anomalous groups [1]. Some of the latter have been included in, or are possibly related to, recently proposed new carbonaceous chondrite classifications – CA and CY chondrites [2,3]. In addition to these, there are numerous ungrouped samples that have properties intermediate between established groups (like CM and CO; [4]), distinct from any other groups [5], or have anomalous properties that might be attributable to parent body processes such as heating, fluid interaction, or impacts [6]. Some CM anomalous or ungrouped chondrites share spectral features with Ryugu, which has a small hydration peak arguably due to hydrated minerals left after either impact heating or shock in carbonaceous chondrites [7]. PCA 91008, PCA 02012, GRO 95566, and LEW 85311 are all CMs that have experienced heating or metamorphism that may be due to impacts, solar radiation, or radiogenic decay [6]. These samples all have low H contents, C/H (bulk), and low 17O [6,8] and may hold clues to understanding the mineralogy of Ryugu, or interpretations of its spectral properties. WIS 91600, on the other hand, appears to be related to several other highly altered CM [6], and shares properties with the newly proposed CY chondrites [6]. An understanding of this grouplet will also aid in the interpretation of Bennu samples which have strong hydration features. In addition, ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites may provide valuable insights into the aqueous alteration potentially recorded in Bennu and Ryugu samples; such as the relatively moderate aqueous alteration recognized and dated at 4-5 myr after CAIs in MAC 88107 (C2-ungrouped) by [9] to the extensive aqueous alteration apparent in MIL 090292 (C1-ungrouped) [10]. Finally, LON 94101/94102 is a brecciated CM chondrite with numerous lithologies. Its appearance is similar to some of the brecciated lithologies visible at the surface of Bennu and Ryugu [11]. Although CM chondrites with multiple lithologies are common (e.g., [12]), the lithologies are often difficult to resolve at the hand specimen scale and only after some detailed e-beam characterization are the subtle lithologic differences evident (e.g., [13]). LON 94102 contains visibly distinct clasts at the hand specimen scale, relatively rare for CM breccias. The largest CM chondrites by mass from the U.S. Antarctic meteorite collection may provide insights into the extent of brecciation and heterogeneity within more typical CM chondrite-like source asteroids. For example, recent curation CT scans [14] show possible clasts within in a subsplit of ALH 83100 (CM1/2) which is the largest CM chondrite or CM chondrite pairing group in the U.S. Antarctic collection with an original mass of 3.019 kg. Similar work on additional subsplits or meteorites may aid our understanding of heterogeneity within CM chondrites from Antarctica. Initial classification of CM chondrites in U.S. Antarctic meteorite collection includes preliminary pairing when petrographically similar CM chondrites that have been previously found in the same field area. The two largest CM chondrite preliminary pairing groups by mass are the ALH 83102 (CM2) pairing group with an original mass of 2.554 kg and the EET 96005 (CM2) pairing group with an original mass of 1.125 kg. However, preliminary pairing groups assigned at classification—intrinsically— do not include stones that are petrographically distinct. Rigorous pairing group studies of CM chondrites from specific field sites are needed to investigate if there is unrecognized heterogeneity in CM chondrites from Antarctica that may represent common asteroid impactors (pre-atmospheric entry asteroids/meteoroids). Detailed pairing studies have the potential to recognize initial stones with multiple lithologies and investigate if there are stones that only sample one of those respective lithologies in the collection. These groups of heated CMs, extensively hydrated CMs, intermediate between CM and CO chondrites, and brecciated samples are all potentially relevant to Bennu and Ryugu samples, where heating, hydration, and brecciation have all come into play. These bodies might also be comprised of material intermediate to CM and CO chondrites, or at least distinct from the well-established CC groups. These small and unusual groups of carbonaceous chondrites may help to unlock new information about early solar system processes and aid in the understanding of the evolution of these carbonaceous asteroids.

meteorites↗

Aqueous alteration of Cb-type asteroid Ryugu

The samples from the asteroid Ryugu, which returned to Earth in the winter of 2020 [1], were stored under pure Nitrogen conditions at the Extraterrestrial Materials Curation Center of ISAS. After basic description [2-3], they were distributed to six initial analysis teams in Japan in June 2021. The initial analysis "Stone" team, which was responsible for the analysis of coarse particles (>1 mm in size), consisted of about 150 scientists from Japan and abroad, and conducted a series of analyses We analyzed sixteen coarse Ryugu particles 1 ~ 8 mm in size: six from the 1st touch-down site and ten from the 2nd touch-down site. Individual coarse samples were cut by Xe-FIB or wire-saw to expose particular objects or textures to be exposed on the surface based on 3D structure and element distribution obtained by synchrotron X-ray CT analysis and XRF analysis, respectively. FE-SEM/EDS and FE-EPMA/WDS analysis were made on all polished sections. TEM observation of many FIB sections was made to see microstructures and to compare with carbonaceous chondrites. Many other analyses were carried out to characterize mineralogical and compositional properties and summary of the analysis procedures is described in [4]. X-ray CT analysis showed that all sixteen Ryugu particles are composed of fine-grained material, with no chondrules and CAIs larger than 100 μm in size. FE-EPMA observation showed that Ryugu samples are breccias, consisting of many small rock fragments of different compositions, lithologies, and histories. The most common lithology includes Mg-rich saponite and serpentine, dolomite, magnesite, hydroxyapatite, pyrrhotite, and magnetite as main constituents. The mineralogy of this major lithology supports the classification of Ryugu samples as CI chondrites, which experienced extensive aqueous alteration in Ryugu’s parent asteroid. Based on the obtained mineralogical properties, we performed chemical modeling of aqueous alteration of Ryugu’s parent asteroid [5]. Numerical simulations [6-8] to reproduce thermal history and impact-induced destruction of the Ryugu’s parent asteroid were also carried out using mineralogical and physical properties of the Ryugu samples. In the talk, I would like to explain the conditions of aqueous alteration occurred in the parent asteroid of Ryugu in order to show how the water in the asteroid changed the mineralogy and chemistry of the nebular dust.

T. Nakamura↗

Machiite, Al2Ti3O9, A New Oxide Mineral from the Murchison Carbonaceous Chondrite: A New Ultra-refractory Phase From the Solar Nebula

Machiite (IMA 2016-067), Al2Ti3O9, is a new mineral that occurs as a single euhedral crystal, 4.4 mm in size, in contact with an euhedral corundum grain, 12 mm in size, in a matrix of the Murchison CM2 carbonaceous chondrite. The mean chemical composition of holotype machiite by electron probe microanalysis is (wt%) TiO2 59.75, Al2O3 15.97, Sc2O3 10.29, ZrO2 9.18, Y2O3 2.86, FeO 1.09, CaO 0.44, SiO2 0.20, MgO 0.10, total 99.87, giving rise to an empirical formula (based on 9 oxygen atoms pfu) of (Al1.17Sc0.56Y0.10Ti4+0.08Fe0.06Ca0.03Mg0.01)(Ti4+2.71Zr0.28Si0.01)O9. The general formula is (Al,Sc)2(Ti4+,Zr)3O9. The end-member formula is Al2Ti3O9. Machiite has the C2/c schreyerite-type structure with a = 17.10 Å, b = 5.03 Å, c = 7.06 Å, b = 107°, V = 581 Å3, and Z = 4, as revealed by electron backscatter diffraction. The calculated density using the measured composition is 4.27 g/cm3. The machiite crystal is highly 16O-depleted relative to the coexisting corundum grain (D17O = –0.2 ± 2.4‰ and –24.1 ± 2.6‰, respectively; where D17O = d17O – 0.52 × d18O). Machiite is a new member of the schreyerite (V2Ti3O9) group and a new Sc,Zr-rich ultrarefractory phase formed in the solar nebula, either by gas-solid condensation or as a result of crystallization from a Ca,Al-rich melt having solar-like oxygen isotopic composition (D17O ~ –25‰) under high-temperature (~1400–1500 °C) and low-pressure (~10-4–10-5 bar) conditions in the CAI-forming region near the protosun. The currently observed disequilibrium oxygen isotopic composition between machiite and corundum may indicate that machiite subsequently experienced oxygen isotopic exchange with a planetary-like 16O-poor gaseous reservoir either in the solar nebula or on the CM chondrite parent body. The name machiite is in honor of Chi Ma, mineralogist at California Institute of Technology, for his contributions to meteorite mineralogy and discovery of many new minerals representing extreme conditions of formation.

Alexander N Krot↗

Machiite, Al2Ti3O9, a New Oxide Mineral from the Murchison Carbonaceous Chondrite: A New Ultra-refractory Phase from the Solar Nebula

Machiite (IMA 2016-067), Al2Ti3O9, is a new mineral that occurs as a single euhedral crystal, 4.4 mm in size, in contact with an euhedral corundum grain, 12 mm in size, in a matrix of the Murchison CM2 carbonaceous chondrite. The mean chemical composition of holotype machiite by electron probe microanalysis is (wt%) TiO2 59.75, Al2O3 15.97, Sc2O3 10.29, ZrO2 9.18, Y2O3 2.86, FeO 1.09, CaO 0.44, SiO2 0.20, MgO 0.10, total 99.87, giving rise to an empirical formula (based on 9 oxygen atoms pfu) of (Al1.17Sc0.56Y0.10Ti4+0.08Fe0.06Ca0.03Mg0.01)(Ti4+2.71Zr0.28Si0.01)O9. The general formula is (Al,Sc)2(Ti4+,Zr)3O9. The end-member formula is Al2Ti3O9. Machiite has the C2/c schreyerite-type structure with a = 17.10 Å, b = 5.03 Å, c = 7.06 Å, b = 107°, V = 581 Å3, and Z = 4, as revealed by electron backscatter diffraction. The calculated density using the measured composition is 4.27 g/cm3. The machiite crystal is highly 16O-depleted relative to the coexisting corundum grain (D17O = –0.2 ±2.4‰ and –24.1 ± 2.6‰, respectively; where D17O = d17O – 0.52 ×d18O). Machiite is a new member of the schreyerite (V2Ti3O9) group and a new Sc,Zr-rich ultrarefractory phase formed in the solar nebula, either by gas-solid condensation or as a result of crystallization from a Ca, Al-rich melt having solar-like oxygen isotopic composition (D17O ~ –25‰) under high-temperature (~1400–1500 °C) and low-pressure (~10-4–10-5 bar) conditions in the CAI-forming region near the protosun. The currently observed disequilibrium oxygen isotopic composition between machiite and corundum may indicate that machiite subsequently experienced oxygen isotopic exchange with a planetary-like 16O-poor gaseous reservoir either in the solar nebula or on the CM chondrite parent body. The name machiite is in honor of Chi Ma, mineralogist at California Institute of Technology, for his contributions to meteorite mineralogy and discovery of many new minerals representing extreme conditions of formation.

Machiite↗

I-Xe Dating of Aqueous Alteration in the CI Chondrite Orgueil: I. Magnetite and Ferromagnetic Separates

The I-Xe system was studied in a ferromagnetic sample separated from the Orgueil CI carbonaceous chondrite with a hand-held magnet and in two magnetite samples, one chemically separated before and the other one after neutron irradiation. This work was done in order to investigate the effects of chemical separation by LiCl and NaOH on the I-Xe system in magnetite. Our test demonstrated that the chemical separation of magnetite before irradiation using either LiCl or NaOH, or both, does not contaminate the sample with iodine and thus cannot lead to erroneous I-Xe ages due to introduction of uncor-related128*Xe. The I-Xe ages of two Orgueil magnetite samples are mutually consistent within experimental uncertainties and, when normalized to an absolute time scale with the reevaluated Shallowater aubrite standard, place the onset of aqueous alteration on the CI parent body at 4564.3 ± 0.3 Ma, 2.9 ± 0.3 Ma after formation of the CV Ca-AI-rich inclusions (CAIs). The I-Xe age ofthe ferromagnetic Orgueil separate is 3.4 Ma younger, corresponding to a closure of the I-Xe system at 4560.9 ± 0.2 Ma. These and previously published I-Xe data for Orgueil (Hohenberg et al., 2000) indicate that aqueous alteration on the CI parent body lasted for at least 5 Ma. Although the two magnetite samples gave indistinguishable I-Xe ages, their temperature release profiles differed. One of the two Orgueil magnetites released less radiogenic Xe than the other, 80% of it corresponding to the low-temperature peak of the release profile, compared to only 6% in case of the second Orgueil magnetite sample. This could be due to the difference in iodine trapping efficiencies for magnetite grains of different morphologies. Alternatively, the magnetite grains with the lower radiogenic Xe concentrations may have formed at a later stage of alteration when iodine in an aqueous solution was depleted.

I-Xe systematics↗

Less-Altered CI Lithology in the Kaidun Meteorite Breccia

One of the most interesting initial results of the characterization of the asteroid Ryugu regolith material returned by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft is the presence of a significant quantity of less-aqueously altered CI material, tentatively called “CI2”. This lithology is characterized by an approximately ten-fold increase in the amount of an hydrous ferromagnesian silicates over what is found n CI1 chondrites, with these being principally olivine, low- and high-calcium pyroxene. Remnant CAI phases are found as well as probable chondrule fragments. Magnetite, pyrrhotite and hydroxyapatite are abundant. The main carbonate is calcite. Matrix is mainly a mixture of saponite and serpentine phases. Assuming that this lithology should be a better representative of the more “primordial” mineralogy of early nebular solids than more processed CI1 material, we have been re-examining CI lithologies found as separate meteorites as well as clasts in other meteorites, seeking similar CI2 material. The Kaidun breccia is notorious for including almost every type of meteorite class except CR2 (which is ironic considering that Kaidun is still officially classified as CR2). We report here the discovery of a probable CI2 lithology in one carbonaceous chondrite-rich Kaidun sample.

Michael Zolensky↗

Hayabusa2#’s Exploration to Asteroids 2001 CC21 and 1998 KY26 Provides Key Insights Into Planetary Defense

The Hayabusa2 extended mission, nicknamed Hayabusa2# (SHARP: Small Hazardous Asteroid Reconnaissance Probe), started its mission after the Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully returned in December 2020 to the Earth with Ryugu's samples and released the Sample Return Capsule containing it. Hayabusa2#’s key operations include flying by Near Earth Asteroid (98943) 2001 CC21 and rendezvousing with Near-Earth Asteroid 1998 KY26. The flyby is planned to be in 2026, and the rendezvous will be in 2031. Detailed investigations of these targets enable maturing key knowledge and technologies necessary for planetary defense. This paper reviews the characteristics of these targets and strategies to maximize outcomes from the mission. The spacecraft will fly by 2001 CC21 at a speed of ~5 km/s in 2026. Given constraints on the spacecraft condition, not designed to perform a flyby operation, operational plans require careful assessments to maximize the proximity observations of this asteroid. The ~700 m diameter asteroid's shape is currently unknown, though lightcurve observations suggest the asteroid is elongated. While the spin pole is not constrained well, the spin period is about 5.02 h with uncertainties of 0.01 h [1]. The taxonomic class may be L-type, which implies the presence of Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAI), one of the primitive materials in the solar system [2], although there are studies suggesting an S-type. Therefore, this must be carefully examined. Photometric and spectroscopic observations will strongly constrain this asteroid’s properties. Our rendezvous target, 1998 KY26, is a ~30 m diameter roundish object spinning at a spin period of 10.7 min, which may represent one of the common groups of Near Earth Asteroids in size and composition that give a higher likelihood of threatening the Earth. Radar and optical observations reconstructed this asteroid's shape with high uncertainties and inferred that its surface composition might be similar to that of carbonaceous asteroids [3]. No spacecraft has ever visited such small bodies. Hayabusa2# visiting 1998 KY26 will be the first mission to document its geophysical properties, offering strong insights into what most frequent invaders look like [4].

Hayabusa2#↗

A Unifying View of Estimation and Control Using Belief Propagation With Application to Path Planning

The use of estimation techniques on stochastic models to solve control problems is an emerging paradigm that falls under the rubric of Active Inference (AI) and Control as Inference (CAI). In this work, we use probability propagation on factor graphs to show that various algorithms proposed in the literature can be seen as specific composition rules in a factor graph. We show how this unified approach, presented both in probability space and in log of the probability space, provides a very general framework that includes the Sum-product, the Max-product, Dynamic programming and mixed Reward/Entropy criteria-based algorithms. The framework also expands algorithmic design options that lead to new smoother or sharper policy distributions. We propose original recursions such as: a generalized Sum/Max-product algorithm, a Smooth Dynamic programming algorithm and a modified versions of the Reward/Entropy algorithm. The discussion is carried over with reference to a path planning problem where the recursions that arise from various cost functions, although they may appear similar in scope, bear noticeable differences. We provide a comprehensive table of composition rules and a comparison through simulations, first on a synthetic small grid with a single goal with obstacles, and then on a grid extrapolated from a real-world scene with multiple goals and a semantic map.

Francesco A. N. Palmieri↗

The Effects of Peel Ply on the Damage Tolerance Characteristics of the Space Launch System (SLS) Payload Adapter Fitting (PAF)

A payload adaptor fitting (PAF) has been manufactured at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in support of the Space Launch System (SLS) program. This structure is essentially a large cone made up of eight curved “lobes” that are joined together to form the cone. The lobes were manufactured via automated fiber placement (AFP). The PAF will carry predominantly compressive loads thus compression strength will be the focus of this study. The lobes are sandwich structure made with aluminum honeycomb core and carbon/epoxy face sheets. The lobes will be inserted into metallic rings at the top and bottom of the cone to form the full cone. Both front and back exterior surfaces of each lobe have a plain weave fabric placed at ±45⁰ to the vertical direction to help prevent fiber “breakout” during drilling. The face sheet of each lobe is thickest at the top and plies are dropped as the cone reaches the main acreage in the bottom section of the cone. The entire structure used resin impregnated peel ply that, once removed, supplies a good bonding surface for secondary bonding steps. The peel ply can be removed either directly after cure, or just before any bonding operation. Since foreign object impact can occur to the structure at any time during its life, damage tolerance of the PAF structure both with and without peel ply needed to be addressed because a previous study, albeit with limited data, showed some significant differences in damage tolerance whether the peel ply was present or not [1]. A literature search showed no results for comparing impact damage on composite laminates with and without peel ply. Load versus deflection of impact curves, visual damage, dent depth, damage as ascertained by thermography and cross-sectional microscopy were evaluated as part of the damage resistance of the structure. Compression After Impact (CAI) was performed to assess damage tolerance. The impact tests were conducted on representative specimens both with and without the peel ply present.

Sandwich Structure↗