Decoding the formation of barred olivine chondrules: Realization of numerical replication.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40408498.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.adw1187 and PMC identifier 12101491.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Millimeter-sized silicate spherules embedded in primitive meteorites, namely, "chondrules," are the primary solid component of the early solar nebula. They exhibit distinctive solidification textures, formed through rapid cooling from a molten state. The formation conditions of these textures have primarily been inferred on the basis of dynamic crystallization experiments; however, the theoretical verification of the solidification process has been largely neglected. Here, we conducted numerical simulations of the solidification of chondrule melt and successfully reproduced a crystal growth pattern resembling a typical barred olivine chondrule texture. This pattern emerged under conditions of rapid cooling, exceeding 10<sup>4</sup> kelvins hour<sup>-1</sup>, which is substantially larger than those inferred experimentally. These results suggest that theories of chondrule formation in the nebula, which have been developed based on experimental results, should be reexamined.