Impact-induced shock and the formation of natural quasicrystals in the early solar system

Lincoln S. Hollister, Luca Bindi, Nan Yao, Gerald R. Poirier, Christopher L. Andronicos, Glenn J. MacPherson, Chaney Lin, Vadim V. Distler, Michael P. Eddy, Alexander Kostin, Valery Kryachko, William M. Steinhardt, Marina Yudovskaya, John M. Eiler, Yunbin Guan, Jamil J. Clarke and Paul J. Steinhardt ()
Additional contact information
Lincoln S. Hollister: Princeton University, Guyot Hall
Luca Bindi: Università di Firenze
Nan Yao: Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University
Gerald R. Poirier: Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University
Christopher L. Andronicos: Purdue University
Glenn J. MacPherson: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
Chaney Lin: Princeton University, Jadwin Hall
Vadim V. Distler: Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry (IGEM), Russian Academy of Sciences
Michael P. Eddy: Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Alexander Kostin: Geoscience Technology, BHP Billiton
Valery Kryachko: Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry (IGEM), Russian Academy of Sciences
William M. Steinhardt: Harvard University
Marina Yudovskaya: Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry (IGEM), Russian Academy of Sciences
John M. Eiler: California Institute of Technology
Yunbin Guan: California Institute of Technology
Jamil J. Clarke: Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc.
Paul J. Steinhardt: Princeton University, Jadwin Hall

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract The discovery of a natural quasicrystal, icosahedrite (Al63Cu24Fe13), accompanied by khatyrkite (CuAl2) and cupalite (CuAl) in the CV3 carbonaceous chondrite Khatyrka has posed a mystery as to what extraterrestrial processes led to the formation and preservation of these metal alloys. Here we present a range of evidence, including the discovery of high-pressure phases never observed before in a CV3 chondrite, indicating that an impact shock generated a heterogeneous distribution of pressures and temperatures in which some portions reached at least 5 GPa and 1,200 °C. The conditions were sufficient to melt Al–Cu-bearing minerals, which then rapidly solidified into icosahedrite and other Al–Cu metal phases. The meteorite also contains heretofore unobserved phases of iron–nickel and iron sulphide with substantial amounts of Al and Cu. The presence of these phases in Khatyrka provides further proof that the Al–Cu alloys are natural products of unusual processes that occurred in the early solar system.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5040

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