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Queenie Chan

Publications and source records attributed to Queenie Chan.

Analysis of Ryugu Fluid Inclusions: An Update

The most direct and convincing evidence for the presence of water and organic molecules on protoplanetary bodies is provided by fluid inclusions trapped in secondary minerals. Our previous work has demonstrated that early solar system fluids have survived as fluid inclusions in a Ryugu pyrrhotite crystal [2]. We hypothesize that the bulk molecular and isotopic composition of individual Ryugu fluid inclusions can be measured to provide ground truth for exploring and thermochemical modeling of the compositional and isotopic evolution of fluids in protoplanetary bodies including asteroids, comets and icy moons. This presentation is an update on our efforts to make measurements of elemental, molecular and, in particular, isotopic compositions of individual aqueous fluid inclusions in Ryugu samples. The measurements we plan will permit us to (1) understand elemental composition of the aqueous fluids present on Ryugu’s progenitor body, (2) track changes in the chemical and stable isotopic composition of altering fluids in small bodies over time, (3) verify the presence of organics in Ryugu fluids, (4) verify the reported significant CO 2 in Ryugu fluids, (5) measure O and H isotopes in preserved Ryugu fluids, (6) provide constraints on temperature range calculations for the mineralizing reactions being performed by other groups using mineral pairs, (7) measure sulfur/chloride and chloride/phosphorus ratios of Ryugu fluids. We note here that recent results from Enceladus reveal the importance of phosphorus in small body aqueous brines, indicating that our proposed research will benefit studies of all current ocean worlds.

Andrei Dolocan↗

Outer Solar System Carbon in the Laboratory

Samples of outer solar system carbon in various forms are available for analysis in the laboratory. The Stardust Mission returned organics and a few carbonate grains from Jupiter Class comet Wild-2 [1]. These complement similar phases available in chondritic interplanetary dust particles, some of which derive from comets, although it is not definitively known which have that origin. Carbonaceous chondrites probably derive from C-complex asteroids which may have outer solar system origins, though this origin is model dependent. There are rare carbonaceous xenoliths in, principally, ordinary chondrites and ureilites whose bulk isotopic and bulk chemical compositions suggest an origin farther from the Sun that the remainder of carbonaceous chondrites [2,3]. These contain abundant carbonaceous materials, including organic-bearing aqueous fluid inclusions [4]. The Hayabusa2 spacecraft recently returned samples of C-class asteroid Ryugu to Earth, now being analyzed in labs worldwide. These materials are expected to be dominated by materials similar to C1 and C2 carbonaceous chondrites [5].

Michael Zolensky↗

Initial analysis of “stone” size Ryugu samples: current status

As a part of the initial analysis of the Ryugu samples, we perform a variety of analyses of millimeter-sized "stones". Our goals are to elucidate the entire formation process of C-type asteroid Ryugu from the viewpoint of petrology and mineralogy ande obtain necessary information by sample analysis, and then simulate the formation of Ryugu based on the evidencef obtained rom sample analysis. Eighteen stones (8 from Room A and 10 from Room C) were received from the ISAS curation facility on June 1, 2021, and brought into a fully nitrogen-displaced glove box at Tohoku University. At the same time, we also received the powder samples from Room A and Room C. To completely block the atmosphere from leaking into the container, all samples were put in the sample transport containers prepared by ISAS, transferred from the main chamber to the glovebox at ISAS, and then all containers were completely sealed in plastic bags with moisture and oxygen absorbers. No moisture or oxygen was detected when the bags were opened in the glove box at Tohoku University, so it was confirmed that there was no exposure to the atmosphere during transport. To date, a number of analyses have been carried out successfully and almost on schedule. The analysis started with the measurement of reflectance spectra, which are sensitive to atmospheric oxidation, hydroxylation, and adsorbed water. The visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared reflectance spectra were measured while the samples were kept airtight. The spectra of powder samples and stone samples (as aggregates and as single stone) were successfully obtained. A major feature of the stone team's analysis is the use of synchrotron radiation facilities around the world. Since this analysis is non-destructive, stone samples whose reflectance spectra were measured were sent to KEK, SPring-8, ESRF (France), SOLEIL (France), DESY (Germany), and APS (USA). Using these synchrotron radiation facilities, high spatial resolution and sensitivity XRD, STXM, XANES, CT [1], IR-CT, FT-IR [2, 3], XRF, and Mössbauer analyses were performed. Most of the analyses were carried out under air-tight conditions on the stone samples and the particulates separated from the stone samples. These analyses allowed us to determine the three-dimensional distribution of minerals and elements, redox state, density and porosity of the stone samples. Furthermore, as a characteristic analysis of the stone team, light elemental analysis using negative Muon was performed at the MLF facility of J-PARC with an exceptionally long allocation of machine time. This is the only non-destructive method to measure the concentration of light elements in the whole (not the surface) of stone samples. Because the characteristic X-rays produced by muon irradiation are much higher in energy than the fluorescent X-rays produced by X-ray irradiation, there is little effect of self-absorption by the sample, and therefore, the concentration of light elements such as carbon, oxygen, and Na in the entire "stone" sample can be determined. Some stone samples are currently being measured for heat and strength physical properties in order to understand the physical properties of asteroid Ryugu. The data obtained from these measurements are useful for interpreting the remote-sensing data data taken from the surface layer of the asteroid Ryugu [4-7]. It is also important for understanding the behavior of the Ryugu material during impact events. The surfaces of many stone samples were observed by electron microscopy and other techniques, especially on natural “flat” surfaces formed on 5 stomes. As a result, characteristric mineral aggregates formed by the reactions with water and characteiristic impact features were observed on some of the samples. Based on the observations of surfaces and the synchrotron measurements of the whole stones, important objects such as characteristic structures and specific crystal aggregates for understanding the formation history of the asteroid were identified, and these parts were separated from the stone samples using an Xe beam (pFIB) and analyzed by various methods including transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron radiation analysis. Many stone samples, from which important objects have been separated, are embedded in epoxy resin and cut to produce many polished sections. Electron microscopy and spectroscopic measurements of the polished surfaces are being carried out to reveal the detailed mineralogical properties and elemental distribution inside the stone samples. In the fall, machine time for synchrotron radiation will begin, and we plan to analyze single crystals and characteristic objects separated from the stone samples.

Tomoki Nakamura↗