Magnesium isotope evidence that accretional vapour loss shapes planetary compositions

Autoren

Remco C Hin
Christopher D Coath
Philip J Carter
Francis Nimmo
Yi-Jen Lai
Philip AE Pogge von Strandmann
Matthias Willbold
Zoë M Leinhardt
Michael J Walter
Tim Elliott

DOI

10.1038/nature23899

eISSN

1476-4687

ISSN

0028-0836

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

7673

Zeitschrift

Nature

Sprache

en

Online publication date

2017

Paginierung

511 - 515

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2017

Status

Published

Herausgeber

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Herausgeber URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature23899

Datum der Datenerfassung

2023

Titel

Magnesium isotope evidence that accretional vapour loss shapes planetary compositions

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

549

Data source: Crossref

Abstract

It has long been recognized that Earth and other differentiated planetary bodies are chemically fractionated compared to primitive, chondritic meteorites and, by inference, the primordial disk from which they formed. However, it is not known whether the notable volatile depletions of planetary bodies are a consequence of accretion or inherited from prior nebular fractionation. The isotopic compositions of the main constituents of planetary bodies can contribute to this debate. Here we develop an analytical approach that corrects a major cause of measurement inaccuracy inherent in conventional methods, and show that all differentiated bodies have isotopically heavier magnesium compositions than chondritic meteorites. We argue that possible magnesium isotope fractionation during condensation of the solar nebula, core formation and silicate differentiation cannot explain these observations. However, isotopic fractionation between liquid and vapour, followed by vapour escape during accretionary growth of planetesimals, generates appropriate residual compositions. Our modelling implies that the isotopic compositions of magnesium, silicon and iron, and the relative abundances of the major elements of Earth and other planetary bodies, are a natural consequence of substantial (about 40 per cent by mass) vapour loss from growing planetesimals by this mechanism.

Addresses

School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.

Autoren

Remco C Hin
Christopher D Coath
Philip J Carter
Francis Nimmo
Yi-Jen Lai
Philip AE Pogge von Strandmann
Matthias Willbold
Zoë M Leinhardt
Michael J Walter
Tim Elliott

DOI

10.1038/nature23899

eISSN

1476-4687

Externe Identifier

PubMed Identifier: 28959965
PubMed Central ID: PMC5624506

Funding acknowledgements

Natural Environment Research Council: NE/K004778/1
Natural Environment Research Council: NE/L007428/1
European Research Council: 321209
Science and Technology Facilities Council: ST/M000907/1

Open access

true

ISSN

0028-0836

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

7673

Zeitschrift

Nature

Sprache

eng

Medium

Print

Open access status

Open Access

Paginierung

511 - 515

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2017

Status

Published

Datum der Datenerfassung

2017

Titel

Magnesium isotope evidence that accretional vapour loss shapes planetary compositions.

Sub types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
research-article
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

549

Files

https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc5624506?pdf=render

Data source: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract

It has long been recognized that Earth and other differentiated planetary bodies are chemically fractionated compared to primitive, chondritic meteorites and, by inference, the primordial disk from which they formed. However, it is not known whether the notable volatile depletions of planetary bodies are a consequence of accretion or inherited from prior nebular fractionation. The isotopic compositions of the main constituents of planetary bodies can contribute to this debate. Here we develop an analytical approach that corrects a major cause of measurement inaccuracy inherent in conventional methods, and show that all differentiated bodies have isotopically heavier magnesium compositions than chondritic meteorites. We argue that possible magnesium isotope fractionation during condensation of the solar nebula, core formation and silicate differentiation cannot explain these observations. However, isotopic fractionation between liquid and vapour, followed by vapour escape during accretionary growth of planetesimals, generates appropriate residual compositions. Our modelling implies that the isotopic compositions of magnesium, silicon and iron, and the relative abundances of the major elements of Earth and other planetary bodies, are a natural consequence of substantial (about 40 per cent by mass) vapour loss from growing planetesimals by this mechanism.

Date of acceptance

2017

Autoren

Remco C Hin
Christopher D Coath
Philip J Carter
Francis Nimmo
Yi-Jen Lai
Philip AE Pogge von Strandmann
Matthias Willbold
Zoë M Leinhardt
Michael J Walter
Tim Elliott

Autoren-URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28959965

DOI

10.1038/nature23899

eISSN

1476-4687

Externe Identifier

NIH Manuscript Submission ID: EMS73752
PubMed Central ID: PMC5624506

Funding acknowledgements

European Research Council: 321209

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

7673

Zeitschrift

Nature

Sprache

eng

Country

England

Paginierung

511 - 515

PII

nature23899

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2017

Status

Published

Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde

2018

Titel

Magnesium isotope evidence that accretional vapour loss shapes planetary compositions.

Sub types

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

549

Data source: PubMed

Magnesium isotope evidence that accretional vapour loss shapes planetary compositions

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