Ca isotope variations in Allende

Abstract

Ca-isotope measurements of Allende Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs), together with those on an apatite-enriched fraction from Orgueil, indicate the existence of widespread excesses on the neutron-rich isotope Ca-48. Isotopic anomalies are noted in 7 out of 11 CAIs analyzed. This abundance of isotopic excesses places Ca alongside Ti and O, although no clear correlation has yet been found between Ca-48 and Ti-50, which are thought to be coproduced by neutron-rich nucleosynthetic processes within stars. It is suggested that the higher volatility of Ca, by comparison with Ti compounds, led to a variable dilution with isotopically normal Ca in vaporization and recondensation processes in stellar envelopes, the interstellar medium, and/or the solar nebula.