A new chronology of the early solar system
Final Report Abstract
Recent analytical advances in isotope geochemistry have started to lead to a fundamental revision of our understanding of early solar system evolution. Our project has been investigating this topic by (1) dating of various early solar system materials and (2) by assessing homogenisation processes in the early protoplanetary disk through measurements of heavy p-process isotopes that were exclusively produced in supernova environments. In the past, sufficiently precise measurements were nearly impossible due to instrumental limitations. Our group at Cologne-Bonn therefore founded a state of the art isotope laboratory, including acquisition of a new generation Multicollector ICPMS with better detection limits and improved amplifying systems, where such challenging measurements are now possible. We performed Hf-W chronometry, nucleosynthetic isotope measurements and high precision trace element measurements on a variety of extraterrestrial samples such as iron meteorites, primitive achondrites, chondrites and even lunar samples. Beyond cosmochemistry, our new isotope laboratory set the stage for a wide range of studies by our group and collaborators, covering fields like early Earth evolution, magmatism, geochronology and even low temperature fields like analytical paleontology, soil science or oceanography.
Publications
- (2009): Hf-W chronometry of the IAB iron meteorite parent body. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 180 (1-4): 185-193
Schulz, T., Münker, C., Palme, H. Mezger, K.
- (2010): A high field strength element perspective on early lunar differentiation. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 74 (24): 7340-7361
Münker, C.
- (2010): Hf–W chronometry of primitive achondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 74 (5): 1706-1718
Schulz, T., Münker, C., Palme, H. Mezger, K.
- (2012): Formation and exposurehistory of non-magmatic iron meteorites and winonaites: clues from Sm and W isotopes. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 85: 200-212
Schulz, T., Upadhyay, D, Münker, C. Mezger, K.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2012.02.012) - (2012): Refractory element fractionation in the Allende meteorite: Implications for solar nebula condensation and the chondritic composition of planetary bodies. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 85: 114-141
Stracke, A., Palme, H., Gellissen, M., Münker, C., Kleine, T., Birbaum, K., Günther, D., Bourdon, B., Zipfel, J.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2012.02.006) - (2013): p-Process 180 W anomalies in iron meteorites: nucleosynthetic versus non-nucleosynthetic origins. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 362: 246-257
Schulz, T, Münker, C., Peters, S.T.M.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2012.11.009) - (2014): Alpha-decay of 184 Os revealed by radiogenic 180 W in meteorites: Half life determination and viability as geochronometer. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 391: 69-76
Peters, S.T.M., Münker, C., Becker, H., Schulz, T.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.01.030)
