Samples of stars beyond the solar system: silicate grains in interplanetary dust.
We have identified six circumstellar silicate grains within interplanetary dust particles (IDPs). Their extrasolar origins are demonstrated by their extremely anomalous oxygen isotopic compositions. Three 17O-rich grains appear to originate from red giant or asymptotic giant branch stars. One 16O-rich grain may be from a metal-poor star. Two 16O-poor grains have unknown stellar sources. One of the grains is forsterite, and two are amorphous silicate "GEMS" (glass with embedded metal and sulfides), which is consistent with astronomical identifications of crystalline and amorphous silicates in the outflows of evolved stars. These observations suggest cometary origins of these IDPs and underscore the perplexing absence of silicates among circumstellar dust grains from meteorites.
Messenger
Scott
S
Laboratory for Space Sciences and Physics Department, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Keller
Lindsay P
LP
Stadermann
Frank J
FJ
Walker
Robert M
RM
Zinner
Ernst
E
D055580:Astronomical Phenomena; D001256:Astronomy; D002244:Carbon; D019443:Cosmic Dust; D019110:Meteoroids; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D017640:Silicates; D016082:Solar System; D013696:Temperature
D019443:Cosmic Dust; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D017640:Silicates; D002244:Carbon