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Meteorites, Asteroids and the Age and Origin of the Solar System

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Solar System Astrophysics

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Abstract

In the previous chapter, we discussed sporadic meteors and meteor showers and indicated that some of the former and most of the latter likely originate from comets. Here we discuss the source of the other meteors, especially those that survive their fiery passage through the atmosphere and impact the Earth. These meteorites have become a primary source of knowledge about the age and origin of the solar system. Another important source is the increasing number of small bodies being detected in both the inner and the outer solar system, so we will also describe what has been learned about these objects in recent years. Finally we consider the birth of the solar system in the context of what we know about proto-stellar disks.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The on-line catalogue of London’s Natural History Museum, provides updated numbers for specific groups of meteorites. At the time of writing, the updates were to 2002, Hereafter, we refer to this source as NHM (2002): http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/metcat/search/metsPerGroup.dsml

  2. 2.

    The analogy is limited because the spectral subclasses are refinements to the main classification criteria that are primarily dependent on the temperature of the photosphere. Here, the numbers represent different groups of properties, not completely dependent on the chemical composition.

  3. 3.

    Classes (1) and (2) seem to have been subject to aqueous alteration, and (4) and (6) to alteration by heating.

  4. 4.

    The half-life is the time interval (t – t 0) at the end of which \( N/{N}_0={\scriptscriptstyle \frac{1}{2}} \), where N and N 0 are the numbers of radioactive nuclides at instants t and t 0, respectively. It is related to the decay constant λ, as follows: the decay equation is

    $$ \mathrm{d}N/N=-\lambda \mathrm{d}t $$
    (15.3)

    the integration of which yields \( N={N}_0{e}^{-\lambda \left(t-{t}_0\right)} \) so that ln(N/N 0) = − λ(t − t 0) and so when N/N 0 = 1/2, \( \lambda {\left(t-{t}_0\right)}_{\frac{1}{2}}= \ln 2 \). Then \( {\left(t-{t}_0\right)}_{\frac{1}{2}}=0.693/\lambda \), or \( \lambda =0.693/{\left(t-{t}_0\right)}_{\frac{1}{2}} \) and we obtain,

    $$ N={N}_0\kern0.35em \exp \left[-0.693\left(t-{t}_0\right)/{\left(t-{t}_0\right)}_{\frac{1}{2}}\right] $$
    (15.4)
  5. 5.

    The question about the origin of the SNC meteorites aroused considerable controversy in past decades. Wasson (1985, p. 79) states that the escape velocity (in m/s) from planetary bodies with the density of ordinary chondrites, ~3,500 kg/m3, is:

    $$ {v}_{esc}\approx 1.4R $$
    (15.5)

    where R is the planetary radius in meters. In general, this quantity is:

    $$ {v}_{esc}={v}_{parabolic}={\left[2 GM/R\right]}^{\frac{1}{2}}={\left[\left(8\pi G/3\right)\rho {R}^2\right]}^{\frac{1}{2}} $$
    (15.6)

    which indeed yields ~1.40 for the constant in Wasson’s equation, with his assumptions. Actually, the density of Mars is ~3,900 kg/m3, so the appropriate coefficient for Mars is ~1.48. He asserts that if an object impacts a planetary body at several times the escape velocity, the mass of the ejecta will exceed the mass of the object. Mars’ escape velocity is 5.01 km/s and it has a mean orbital velocity of about 24 km/s (26.5 at perihelion), so that an object approaching at a high enough velocity to result in ejection of Martian material would need a velocity within ~15 km/s of this orbital speed. Such a difference is certainly plausible. In any case, the chemical evidence for Martian origin is fairly persuasive, and taken together the arguments support a Martian origin for the SNC meteorites.

  6. 6.

    This is the ratio of the sidereal orbital periods: 3P Neptune = 2P Plutinos.

  7. 7.

    These quantities made may be thought of as incremental amounts per wavelength interval, thus: l λ = Δl/Δλ.

  8. 8.

    Coercivity measures the resistance that a ferromagnetic material offers to being demagnetized; e.g., permanent magnets are made from high-coercivity material (strongly resistant to being demagnetized).

  9. 9.

    For example, by Karttunen et al. (2003, pp. 146–148) or Zeilik and Gregory (1998, p. P12).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Physics & Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Eugene F. Milone (Professor Emeritus) & William J. F. Wilson (Senior Instructor Emeritus)

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  1. Eugene F. Milone
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  2. William J. F. Wilson
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Challenges

Challenges

  1. [15.1]

    Discuss how points along the plot of the ratios 87Sr/86Sr vs. 87Rb/86Sr change with time. What do we mean by “time” here anyway? (See Fig. 15.6)

  2. [15.2]

    Examine the validity of equations (15.5) and (15.6), defining all quantities, and evaluate the dynamic evidence that SNC meteorites come from Mars. Assume the correctness of Wasson’s assertion that an impactor with substantially greater speed than υ ∞ may result in planetary mass loss.

  3. [15.3]

    Summarize the different types of ages that a meteorite can have and associate each with a stage of a meteorite’s history.

  4. [15.4]

    Examine the list of the principal types of asteroids and their associated meteorites. What can you conclude about the origin of those meteorites.

  5. [15.5]

    Discuss what meteorites could be expected from cometary impact on Earth and on meteoroids or their parent bodies. Do we have any evidence that such impacts occur in any known meteorite specimens?

  6. [15.6]

    Describe the time-line of the development stages of the material in the Zagami meteorite from the original aggregation of elements to the fall and recovery.

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Milone, E.F., Wilson, W.J.F. (2014). Meteorites, Asteroids and the Age and Origin of the Solar System. In: Solar System Astrophysics. Astronomy and Astrophysics Library. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9090-6_6

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