Correlation between relative ages inferred from 26Al and bulk compositions of ferromagnesian chondrules in least equilibrated ordinary chondrites

Abstract

We have studied the relationship between bulk chemical compositions and relative formation ages inferred from the initial 26Al/27Al ratios for sixteen ferromagnesian chondrules in least equilibrated ordinary chondrites, Semarkona (LL3.0) and Bishunpur (LL3.1). The initial 26Al/27Al ratios of these chondrules were obtained by Kita et al. (2000) and Mostefaoui et al. (2002), corresponding to relative ages from 0.7 +/- 0.2 to 2.4 -0.4/+0.7 Myr after calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), by assuming a homogeneous distribution of 26Al in the early solar system. The measured bulk compositions of the chondrules cover the compositional range of ferromagnesian chondrules reported in the literature and, thus, the chondrules in this study are regarded as representatives of ferromagnesian chondrules. The relative ages of the chondrules appear to correlate with bulk abundances of Si and the volatile elements (Na, K, Mn, and Cr), but there seems to exist no correlation of relative ages neither with Fe nor with refractory elements. Younger chondrules tend to be richer in Si and volatile elements. Our result supports the result of Mostefaoui et al. (2002) who suggested that pyroxene-rich chondrules are younger than olivine-rich ones. The correlation provides an important constraint on chondrule formation in the early solar system. It is explained by chondrule formation in an open system, where silicon and volatile elements evaporated from chondrule melts during chondrule formation and recondensed as chondrule precursors of the next generation.