Basaltic volcanism on the angrite parent body: Comparison with 4 Vesta

Abernethy, F. A. J., Verchovsky, A. B., Franchi, I. A. and Grady, M. M.

Meteoritics & Planetary Science. doi: 10.1111/maps.13016

LINK

“Carbon and nitrogen data from stepped combustion analysis of eight angrites, seven eucrites, and two diogenites, alongside literature data from a further nine eucrites and two diogenites, have been used to assess carbon and nitrogen incorporation and isotope fractionation processes on the angrite parent body (APB), for comparison with volatile behavior on the HED parent body (4 Vesta). A subset of the angrite data has been reported previously (Abernethy et al. ). Two separate families of volatile components were observed. They were (1) moderately volatile material (MVM), mostly combusting between ~500 and 750 °C and indistinguishable from terrestrial contamination and (2) refractory material (RM), mainly released above 750 °C and thought to be carbon (as CO32−) and nitrogen (as N2 or NH4+) dissolved within the silicate lattice, fitting with the slightly oxidized (~IW to IW+2) angrite fO2 conditions. Isotopic fractionation trends for carbon and nitrogen within the plutonic and basaltic (quenched) angrites suggest that the behavior of the two volatile elements is loosely coupled, but that the fractionation process differs between the two angrite subgroups. Comparison with results from eucrites and diogenites implies similarities between speciation of carbon and nitrogen on 4 Vesta and the APB, with the latter being more enriched in volatiles than the former.”