R. Strebel

Silicon Nitride from Supernovae

Seven presolar silicon nitride (Si3N4) dust grains have been identified (five unambiguously and two probably) in separates of the Tieschitz (H3.6) and Murchison (CM2) meteorites, confirming previous tentative identifications of this mineral as a presolar component. These rare (2 ppb in Murchison) grains have isotopic compositions similar to those of the uncommon class of meteoritic SiC known as grains X (~60 ppb in Murchison), namely 28Si and 15N excesses relative to solar, both 13C excesses and deficits, and extremely high inferred 26Al/27Al ratios. These isotopic compositions coupled with Ca and Ti isotopic anomalies seen in some SiC grains X point to an origin in Type II supernova ejecta for SiC grains X, and by analogy for the Si3N4 grains as well. However, substantial discrepancies exist between the isotopic characteristics of the grains and the compositions predicted by supernova models.

Small SiC grains and a nitride grain of circumstellar origin from the Murchison meteorite: implications for stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis.

We report the results of SIMS isotopic analyses of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and silicon made on 849 small (approximately 1 micrometer) individual silicon carbide grains from the Murchison meteorite. The isotopic compositions of the major elements carbon and silicon of most grains (mainstream) are similar to those observed in larger grain studies suggesting an AGB star origin of these grains. In contrast, the trace element nitrogen shows a clear dependency on grain size. 14N/15N ratios increase with decreasing grain size, suggesting different stellar sources for grains of different size. Typically observed 14N/15N ratios in the small grains of this study are approximately 2700, clearly larger than the values expected from model calculations of AGB stars. In addition to the three dredge-up episodes characteristic for the evolution of AGB stars, extra-mixing of CNO-processed matter in low mass AGB stars appears to be a promising possibility in order to explain the high 14N/15N ratios of the small circumstellar SiC grains. A small fraction of grains shows a silicon isotopic signature not observed in larger circumstellar SiC grains from Murchison. Their stellar origin is still uncertain. The minor type A, B, Y, and X grains were found to be present at a level of a percent, which is similar to their abundance in the larger-grain SiC separates from Murchison. Oxygen isotopic compositions are normal within the experimental uncertainties of several 10%, indicating that oxygen of stellar origin is rare or even absent in the SiC grains. We conclude that most of the oxygen is a contaminant which was introduced into the SiC grains after their formation, e.g., during sample processing in the laboratory. We identified a nitride grain, most likely Si3N4 with little carbon, with highly anomalous isotopic compositions (12C/13C = 157 +/- 33, 14N/15N = 18 +/- 1, delta 29 Si = -43 +/- 56%, delta 30 Si = -271 +/- 50%). The isotopic patterns of carbon, nitrogen, and silicon resemble those of the rare SiC X grains suggesting that these two rare constituents of circumstellar matter formed in the same type of stellar source, namely, Type II supernovae.

Type II Supernova Matter in a Silicon Carbide Grain from the Murchison Meteorite

The circumstellar silicon carbide (SiC) grain X57 from the Murchison meteorite contains large amounts of radiogenic calcium-44 (20 times its solar system abundance) and has an anomalous silicon isotopic composition, different from other circumstellar SiC grains. Its inferred initial 44Ti/Si and 44Ti/48Ti ratios are 1.6 × 10−4 and 0.37. In addition, it contains radiogenic magnesium-26; the inferred initial 26Al/27Al ratio is 0.11. The isotopic and elemental data of X57 can be explained by selective mixing of matter from different zones of a typical type II supernova of 25 solar masses during its explosion. The high 44Ti/Si ratio requires contributions from the innermost nickel zone of the supernova to the SiC condensation site, as similarly suggested by astronomical observations.

Meteoritic Silicon Carbide Grains with Unusual Si-Isotopic Compositions: Evidence for an Origin in Low-Mass, Low-Metallicity Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars

Nine silicon carbide grains of the rare type Z separated from the Murchison CM2 meteorite have been analyzed for the isotopic compositions of C, Si, N (seven grains), and Mg-Al (two grains) by ion microprobe mass spectrometry. These grains have 12C/13C ratios from 11 to 120,14N/15N ratios between 1100 and 19000, initial 26Al/27Al ratios of less than 0.003, and, relative to solar system Si, deficits in 29Si of up to 150 ? and enrichments in 30Si of up to 510 ?. These isotopic signatures rule out the previously postulated nova or Type II supernova origin of the Z grains. Based on the predictions from a new asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star model it appears likely that the Z grains formed in the outflows of low-mass (<2.3 M?), low-metallicity AGB stars that experienced strong cool bottom processing during the red giant phase.

Boron in Presolar Silicon Carbide Grains from Supernovae

Eleven presolar silicon carbide grains of type X separated from the Murchison meteorite have been analyzed for boron abundances and isotopic compositions by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Boron concentrations are low with typical B/Si ratios of ≈ 1 × 10-5. The average 11B/10B ratio of 3.46 ± 1.39 is compatible with the solar system value but might be affected by contaminating boron of laboratory origin. These data are compared with theoretical predictions for Type II supernovae, the most likely parent stars of X grains. The B/Si ratios of X grains are much lower (more than an order of magnitude on average) than expected from Type II supernova shell-mixing of matter from the C- and Si-rich zones, contrary to other elemental ratios such as Al/Si and Ti/Si. Condensation calculations show that with C/O > 1 in the ejecta, boron and aluminum will readily condense as BN and AlN, respectively, into silicon carbide, and the B/Al ratio is expected to remain constant. The nitrogen, aluminum, and titanium abundances in SiC X grains are well reproduced by the condensation calculations. Given the similarity of the boron and aluminum condensation chemistry and the generally expected high B/Al ratios (relative to solar) in Type II supernova mixtures with C/O > 1, the observed difference between measured and predicted B/Al ratios must be considered a serious problem. Possible solutions include (1) lower than predicted boron production from Type II supernovae, (2) complex mixing scenarios in supernova ejecta involving only sublayers of the C-rich zones, and (3) formation of silicon carbide under conditions with C/O < 0.1.