Formation of refractory inclusions by evaporation of condensate precursors

Berman’s (1983) activity-composition model for CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 liquids is used to calculate the change in bulk chemical and isotopic composition during simultaneous cooling, evaporation, and crystallization of droplets having the compositions of reasonable condensate precursors of Types A and B refractory inclusions in CV3 chondrites. The degree of evaporation of MgO and SiO2, calculated to be faithfully recorded in chemical and isotopic zoning of individual melilite crystals, is directly proportional to evaporation rate, which is a sensitive function of PH2, and inversely proportional to the droplet radius and cooling rate. When the precursors are partially melted in pure hydrogen at peak temperatures in the vicinity of the initial crystallization temperature of melilite, their bulk chemical compositions evolve into the composition fields of refractory inclusions, mass-fractionated isotopic compositions of Mg, Si, and O are produced that are in the range of the isotopic compositions of natural inclusions, and melilite zoning profiles result that are similar to those observed in real inclusions. For droplets of radius 0.25 cm evaporating at PH2 10 6 bar, precursors containing 8 to 13 wt.% MgO and 20 to 23% SiO2 evolve into objects similar to compact Type A inclusions at cooling rates of 2 to 12 K/h, depending on the precise starting composition. Precursors containing 13 to 14 wt.% MgO and 23 to 26% SiO2 evolve into objects with the characteristics of Type B1 inclusions at cooling rates of 1.5 to 3 K/h. The relatively SiO2-poor members of the Type B2 group can be produced from precursors containing 14 to 16 wt.% MgO and 27 to 33% SiO2 at cooling rates of 1 K/h. Type B2’s containing 27 to 35 wt.% SiO2 and 12% MgO require precursors with higher SiO2/MgO ratios at MgO 15% than are found on any condensation curve. The characteristics of fluffy Type A inclusions, including their reversely zoned melilite, can only be understood in the context of this model if they contain relict melilite. Copyright © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd