The record of primitive IIE meteorites: Implications for the formation of silicate-bearing iron meteorites

Iron meteorites are Fe-Ni alloys that are thought to represent samples of the cores of differentiated asteroids. A minority of the iron meteorites contain silicate inclusions, the so-called silicate-bearing or non-magmatic iron meteorites. The presence of chemically evolved silicate inclusions in a high-density Fe-Ni metal raises questions about their origin. The IIE group belongs to the non-magmatic iron meteorites and contains primitive as well as evolved silicate inclusions. The object of this thesis is to investigate the formation processes of the silicate-bearing iron meteorites by examination of the primitive IIE irons. The first chapter provides an overview of the state of the art of silicate-bearing iron meteorites and highlights the existing open questions. The second chapter discusses the most important analytical techniques that have been used during this thesis. The third chapter contains all the research conducted on the Mont Dieu meteorite, a new primitive member of the IIE group. This meteorite represents a unique member of the IIE group as it contains chondrules in its silicate inclusions. Together with the Netschaëvo meteorite, they are the only two IIE irons that show such a primitive texture. Based on the mineralogy, the major element composition and the oxygen isotope composition, we conclude that Mont Dieu originated as an H chondrite. The observation of a series of features, including silicate darkening, thick metal veins containing angular clasts, and the need for a heterogeneous heat source, led to an impact-based origin for Mont Dieu. The fourth chapter is dedicated to the investigation of two samples of the primitive Netschaëvo IIE meteorite, that show lithologies that are very different to those described in the literature. The investigated pieces of Netschaëvo can be classified as impact melt rocks (IMR) and we show that the precursor material of these IMR and the primitive clasts both originated from the same parent body. The occurrence of both lithologies in the same meteorite suggests that Netschaëvo itself is a breccia containing metamorphosed and IMR clasts and that the meteorite formed as the result of an impact event. The fifth chapter focuses on the fine-grained matrix material found in the silicate inclusions of Netschaëvo IIE. This study provides insights into core-mantle boundary environments and confirms the impact-origin of Netschaëvo by the presence of minerals and textures pointing to a very rapid cooling. The investigations show that the re-partitioning of phosphorus from the metal into the silicate material during cooling might be a general process during planetary differentiation. In the sixth chapter, the veins present in the silicate inclusions of Mont Dieu are described in detail, and compared to the veining structures found in Techado IIE silicate. The characteristics of the processes causing the formation of these veins are discussed. The seventh chapter summarizes the conclusions of this thesis. The detailed petrographic and geochemical examinations conducted on the investigated samples show that collisions played a major role in the formation of the IIE iron meteorites. The work performed in the framework of this thesis provides a significant contribution towards a more complete and in-depth understanding of the formation mechanisms of silicate-bearing iron meteorites.Doctorat en Sciences