Q noble gases in the Orgueil HF/HCl residue: a high-pressure experiment

Verchovsky, A. B.; Montgomery, W. and Sephton, M. A. (2011). Q noble gases in the Orgueil HF/HCl residue: a high-pressure experiment. In: 74th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, 8-12 Aug 2011, London, UK.

URL: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2011/pdf/53...

Abstract

Introduction: The origin of the planetary noble gases (PNG) carrier (Q) in meteorites remains enigmatic. All attempts to separate Q have been unsuccessful in spite of a number of characteristic distinctive features. It is carbonaceous and accounts for a small (~5%) fraction of the total carbonl in meteorites. Solvation experiments with pyridine suggest that it has an organic structure that can be partially destroyed by the reagent, resulting in a partial loss of PNG. Q is destroyed by oxidizing reagents such as HNO₃, H₂O₂, HClO₄ and oxidized in pure oxygen atmosphere at low temperatures (400-600°C). It is more readily transformed into diamond by shock metamorphism than the other organics. On the other hand it is less susceptible to parent body metamorphism than most of the macromolecular material. In the present study we decided to examine how Q reacts to high static pressures. For this purpose a HF/HCl residue from Orgueil has been taken to high pressure and modest temperature in a diamond-anvil cell (DAC). The treated and original samples then were analyzed for C, N, Ar and Xe and by micro-Raman.

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