We report the Ti isotopic compositions of 8 mainstream, 22 Y, 9 Z, and 26 AB presolar SiC grains from two SiC-rich residues of the Murchison CM2 meteorite together with Si, C and some Mg-Al isotopic data for the same grains. Mainstream, Y and Z grains are believed to originate in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars of varying metallicities, but the stellar sources of AB grains are poorly understood. We find that the Ti-46,Ti-47,Ti-49/Ti-48 ratios are correlated with Si-29/Si-28 for all of the grain types, indicating that these ratios are mainly dominated by Galactic chemical evolution (GCE). The mainstream, Y and Z grains all show enrichments in Ti-50 from neutron capture nucleosynthesis. However, AGB models predict smaller excesses in Ti-50 (and Ti-49) than are observed in these grains. For Z grains and especially for Y grains, the enhancement of Ti-50 is greater than the enhancement in Si-30, indicating that the C-13 neutron source produced a greater total fluence of neutrons than the Ne-22 source in the low metallicity parent AGB stars. The Z grains plot below the mainstream correlation lines at more Ti-48-and Si-28-rich compositions in plots of Ti-46,Ti-47,Ti-49/Ti-48 vs. Si-29/Si-28. On the other hand, the Y grains plot close to the mainstream correlation line. This could imply that the Ti isotopes evolved non-linearly at metallicities below similar to 1/3 solar. The AB grains in this study have Ti isotopic compositions that fall along correlation lines defined by the mainstream grains, suggesting origins in close to solar metallicity stars. However, these grains fall below the mainstream correlation lines in plots of Ti-46,Ti-49,Ti-50/Ti-48 vs. Si-29/Si-28 and do not show enhancements in Ti-50, indicating that their parent stars did not undergo significant s-process nucleosynthesis. These data support origins of AB grains in J-type C stars rather than born-again AGB stars that undergo s-process nucleosynthesis. AB grains that do not have Ti-50 excesses may provide the best measure of Si and Ti isotope GCE since their parent stars were less affected by s-process nucleosynthesis than the mainstream grains. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data from the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) that flew on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft indicate that the O/Si weight ratio of Mercury's surface is 1.2 +/- 0.1. This value is lower than any other celestial surface that has been measured by GRS and suggests that 12-20% of the surface materials on Mercury are composed of Si-rich, Si-Fe alloys. The origin of the metal is best explained by a combination of space weathering and graphite-induced smelting. The smelting process would have been facilitated by interaction of graphite with boninitic and komatiitic parental liquids. Graphite entrained at depth would have reacted with FeO components dissolved in silicate melt, resulting in the production of up to 0.4-0.9 wt % CO from the reduction of FeO to Fe-0-CO production that could have facilitated explosive volcanic processes on Mercury. Once the graphite-entrained magmas erupted, the tenuous atmosphere on Mercury prevented the buildup of CO over the lavas. The partial pressure of CO would have been sufficiently low to facilitate reaction between graphite and SiO2 components in silicate melts to produce CO and metallic Si. Although exotic, Si-rich metal as a primary smelting product is hypothesized on Mercury for three primary reasons: (1) low FeO abundances of parental magmas, (2) elevated abundances of graphite in the crust and regolith, and (3) the presence of only a tenuous atmosphere at the surface of the planet within the 3.5-4.1 Ga timespan over which the planet was resurfaced through volcanic processes.

We report Mo isotopic data for 16 N-15-rich presolar SiC grains of type AB (N-14/N-15 < solar, AB1) and their correlated Sr and Ba isotope ratios when available. Of the 16 AB 1 grains, 8 show s-process Mo isotopic compositions, together with s-process Ba and/or Sr isotopic compositions. We found that a higher percentage of AB 1 grains show anomalous isotopic compositions than that of AB2 grains (N-14/N-15 > solar), thus providing further support to the division of the two AB subgroups recently proposed by Liu et al., who showed that AB1 grains most likely originated from Type II supernovae (SNe) with explosive H burning. Comparison of the Sr, Mo, and Ba isotopic compositions of the AB1 grains with SN model predictions indicates that the s-process isotopic compositions of AB1 grains resulted from neutron-capture processes occurring during the progenitor massive stars' pre-SN evolution rather than from an explosive neutron-capture process. In addition, the observations of (1) explosive H burning occurring in the C-rich regions of the progenitor SNe of X grains as suggested by the isotopic compositions of X grains, and (2) explosive H burning occurring both at the bottom of the He/C zone and at the top of the He/N zone as suggested by model simulations, imply that explosive H burning is a common phenomenon in outer SN zones.

We report the development of a novel method to nondestructively identify presolar silicon carbide (SiC) grains with high initial Al-26/Al-27 ratios (>0.01) and extreme C-13-enrichments (C-12/(13)C10) by backscattered electron-energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and micro-Raman analyses. Our survey of a large number of presolar SiC demonstrates that (1) similar to 80% of core-collapse supernova and putative nova SiC can be identified by quantitative EDX and Raman analyses with >70% confidence; (2) similar to 90% of presolar SiC are predominantly 3C-SiC, as indicated by their Raman transverse optical (TO) peak position and width; (3) presolar 3C-SiC with C-12/(13)C10 show lower Raman TO phonon frequencies compared to mainstream 3C-SiC. The downward shifted phonon frequencies of the C-13-enriched SiC withconcomitant peak broadening are a natural consequence of isotope substitution. C-13-enriched SiC can therefore be identified by micro-Raman analysis; (4) larger shifts in the Raman TO peak position and width indicate deviations from the ideal 3C structure, including rare polytypes. Coordinated transmission electron microscopy analysis of one X and one mainstream SiC grain found them to be of 6H and 15R polytypes, respectively; (5) our correlated Raman and NanoSIMS study of mainstream SiC shows that high nitrogen content is a dominant factor in causing mainstream SiC Raman peak broadening without significant peak shifts; and (6) we found that the SiC condensation conditions in different stellar sites are astonishingly similar, except for X grains, which often condensed more rapidly and at higher atmospheric densities and temperatures, resulting in a higher fraction of grains with much downward shifted and broadened Raman TO peaks.

We compare element and isotopic fractionations measured in bulk solar wind samples collected by NASA's Genesis mission with those predicted from models incorporating both the ponderomotive force in the chromosphere and conservation of the first adiabatic invariant in the low corona. Generally good agreement is found, suggesting that these factors are consistent with the process of solar wind fractionation. Based on bulk wind measurements, we also consider in more detail the isotopic and elemental abundances of O. We find mild support for an O abundance in the range 8.75-8.83, with a value as low as 8.69 disfavored. A stronger conclusion must await solar wind regime-specific measurements from the Genesis samples.

NanoSIMS C-, N-, and O-isotopic mapping of matrix in CO3.0 chondrite Dominion Range (DOM) 08006 revealed it to have in its matrix the highest abundance of presolar O-rich grains (257 + 76/-96 ppm, 2 sigma) of any meteorite. It also has a matrix abundance of presolar SiC of 35 (+ 25/-17, 2 sigma) ppm, similar to that seen across primitive chondrite classes. This provides additional support to bulk isotopic and petrologic evidence that DOM 08006 is the most primitive known CO meteorite. Transmission electron microscopy of five presolar silicate grains revealed one to have a composite mineralogy similar to larger amoeboid olivine aggregates and consistent with equilibrium condensation, two non-stoichiometric amorphous grains, and two olivine grains, though one is identified as such solely based on its composition. We also found insoluble organic matter (IOM) to be present primarily as sub-micron inclusions with ranges of C-and N-isotopic anomalies similar to those seen in primitive CR chondrites and interplanetary dust particles. In contrast to other primitive extraterrestrial materials, H isotopic imaging showed normal and homogeneous D/H. Most likely, DOM 08006 and other CO chondrites accreted a similar complement of primitive and isotopically anomalous organic matter to that found in other chondrite classes and IDPs, but the very limited amount of thermal metamorphism experienced by DOM 08006 has caused loss of D-rich organic moieties, while not substantially affecting either the molecular carriers of C- and N anomalies or most inorganic phases in the meteorite. One C-rich grain that was highly depleted in C-13 and N-15 was identified; we propose it originated in the Sun's parental molecular cloud. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

About 30%-40% of classical novae produce dust 20-100 days after the outburst, but no presolar stardust grains from classical novae have been unambiguously identified yet. Although several studies claimed a nova paternity for certain grains, the measured and simulated isotopic ratios could only be reconciled, assuming that the grains condensed after the nova ejecta mixed with a much larger amount of close-to-solar matter. However, the source and mechanism of this potential post-explosion dilution of the ejecta remains a mystery. A major problem with previous studies is the small number of simulations performed and the implied poor exploration of the large nova parameter space. We report the results of a different strategy, based on a Monte Carlo technique, that involves the random sampling over the most important nova model parameters: the white dwarf composition; the mixing of the outer white dwarf layers with the accreted material before the explosion; the peak temperature and density; the explosion timescales; and the possible dilution of the ejecta after the outburst. We discuss and take into account the systematic uncertainties for both the presolar grain measurements and the simulation results. Only those simulations that are consistent with all measured isotopic ratios of a given grain are accepted for further analysis. We also present the numerical results of the model parameters. We identify 18 presolar grains with measured isotopic signatures consistent with a CO nova origin, without assuming any dilution of the ejecta. Among these, the grains G270_2, M11-334-2, G278, M11-347-4, M11-151-4, and Ag2_6 have the highest probability of a CO nova paternity.

Corundum (alpha-Al2O3) and amorphous or metastable Al2O3 are common components of circumstellar dust observed around O-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and found in primitive meteorites. We report a detailed isotopic and microstructural investigation of a unique presolar corundum grain, QUE060, identified in an acid residue of the Queen Alexandra Range 97008 (LL3.05) meteorite. Based on its O and Mg isotopic compositions, this 1.4 mu m diameter grain formed in a low- or intermediate-mass AGB star. It has four developed rhombohedral {011} faces of corundum and a rough, rounded face with cavities. High Mg contents (Mg/Al > 0.004) are due to the decay of radioactive Al-26. No spinel (MgAl2O4) inclusions that might have exsolved from the corundum are observed, but there are several high-Mg domains with modulated structures. The subhedral shape of grain QUE060 is the first clear evidence that corundum condenses and grows to micrometer sizes in the extended atmospheres around AGB stars. The flat faces indicate that grain QUE060 experienced little modification by gas-grain and grain-grain collisions in the interstellar medium (ISM) and solar nebula. The Mg distribution in its structure indicates that grain QUE060 has not experienced any severe heating events since the exhaustion of Al-26. However, it underwent at least one very transient heating event to form the high-Mg domains. A possible mechanism for producing this transient event, as well as the one rough surface and cavity, is a single grain-grain collision in the ISM. These results indicate that grain QUE060 is the most pristine circumstellar corundum studied to date.