Oxygen Isotope Tracing of the Solar System

Oxygen isotopes show extremely large variability in solar system materials.

While on Earth we see the most variability in mass dependent fractionation,

the locus of variability in the solar system lies in the effective abundance

of 16O. This allows meteorites and asteroids to be placed in quite specific

groupings and is particularly apparent in carbonaceous chondrites and

their inclusions. The origin of the 16O fractionation is still debated

but is best explained as inheritance of CO, H2O, and [SiO4]2- components

from the molecular cloud out of which our solar system formed. Recent

asteroid sample return missions have opened up new avenues for research,

and the potential for a Mars sample return is increasingly likely. Mars

as a planet provides many interesting comparisons with Earth history.

Trevor R. Ireland教授，澳大利亚科学院院士，AGU fellow，国际地球化学会士。Bunsen奖得主，国际陨石学会前主席，离子探针专家，主持设计SHRIMP SI，SHRIMP V。在小行星、火星等领域有重要建树。