Knowing the cosmic ray exposure ages of a sufficiently large number of meteorites and using the earth as analyser with special assumptions, criteria can be found to distinguish between a lunar or asteroidal origin of meteorites. Several of the following arguments are based on new and unpublished results of rare gas measurements by HINTENBERGER, SCHULTZ und WÄNKE70.Bronzite-chondrites :1. Arguments for an origin near the surface of the parent body. a) Porosity of the chondrites 0—20%. b) Many bronzite-chondrites contain light primordial rare gases, originating from the exposure of the single meteorite grains to the solar wind. c) Primordial rare gas content always connected with light-dark structure. d) In the distribution of the cosmic ray exposure ages certain groupings can be distinguished. The age distribution of bronzite-chondrites with light primordial rare gases is identical with the distribution of the cosmic ray exposure ages of all bronzite-chondri-tes. The bronzite-chondrites containing primordial gas therefore are probably coming from the very upper layers, and the other bronzite-chondrites from somewhat deeper layers of their parent body.2. Arguments for an origin close to the earth’s orbit. a) Bronzite-chondrites with high cosmic ray exposure ages show a slight tendency to fall in the afternoon (noon until midnight) . b) For the bronzite-chondrites, which are morning falls (midnight until noon), diffusion losses of 3He and 4He are higher and more frequent compared to the afternoon falls. The reason for this can be found in a closer approach to the sun of the first ones. Hypersthene-chondrites do not show this effect. c) Bronzite-chondrites with light primordial rare gas content concentrate among the afternoon falls. d) The mean cosmic ray exposure age of the bronzite-chondrites is considerably lower than that of the hypersthene-chondrites.3. Arguments concerning the size of the parent body. Light primordial rare gas and their connection with light-dark structure indicate a parent body of the size of the moon or a large asteroid.None of these arguments are strictly conclusive. In some cases they are based on observations, which can only be obtained by using statistical methods. Most of these effects are close to the mean error. Adding, however, all observations together, a lunar origin of the bronzite-chondrites becomes nearly undoubtable. A lunar origin of stone meteorites was in recent times first proposed by URET 3.Hypersthene-chondrites :Hypersthene-chondrites with low cosmic ray exposure ages are rare among the morning falls. Their parent body therefore probably has to be found outside the earth’s orbit. Their distribution of the cosmic ray exposure ages may also lead to this conclusion. As proposed by ANDERS 4, the Mars asteroids could possibly be the parent bodies for the hypersthene-chondrites. Mars itself might however be considered also. A lunar origin of the hypersthene-chondrites seems to be completely out of question.
Noble gases in CM carbonaceous chondrites: Effect of parent body aqueous and thermal alteration and cosmic ray exposure ages
