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The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system

King, Ashley J., Daly, Luke, Rowe, James, Joy, Katherine H., Greenwood, Richard C., Devillepoix, Hadrien A. R., Suttle, Martin D., Chan, Queenie H. S., Russell, Sara S., Bates, Helena C., and others. (2022) The Winchcombe meteorite, a unique and pristine witness from the outer solar system. Science Advances, 8 (46). Article Number eabq3925. ISSN 2375-2548. (doi:10.1126/sciadv.abq3925) (KAR id:98305)

Abstract

Direct links between carbonaceous chondrites and their parent bodies in the solar system are rare. The Winchcombe meteorite is the most accurately recorded carbonaceous chondrite fall. Its pre-atmospheric orbit and cosmic-ray exposure age confirm that it arrived on Earth shortly after ejection from a primitive asteroid. Recovered only hours after falling, the composition of the Winchcombe meteorite is largely unmodified by the terrestrial environment. It contains abundant hydrated silicates formed during fluid-rock reactions, and carbon- and nitrogen-bearing organic matter including soluble protein amino acids. The near-pristine hydrogen isotopic composition of the Winchcombe meteorite is comparable to the terrestrial hydrosphere, providing further evidence that volatile-rich carbonaceous asteroids played an important role in the origin of Earth’s water.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1126/sciadv.abq3925
Additional information: For the purpose of open access, the author(s) has applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising
Subjects: Q Science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Funders: European Commission (https://ror.org/00k4n6c32)
UK Research and Innovation (https://ror.org/001aqnf71)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (https://ror.org/057g20z61)
Royal Society (https://ror.org/03wnrjx87)
SWORD Depositor: JISC Publications Router
Depositing User: JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited: 28 Nov 2022 12:21 UTC
Last Modified: 27 Feb 2024 12:26 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/98305 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

van Ginneken, Matthias.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2508-7021
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Hallatt, Daniel.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4426-9891
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Wozniakiewicz, Penny J..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1441-4883
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Burchell, Mark J..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2680-8943
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Alesbrook, Luke Stephen.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9892-281X
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Dignam, Aishling.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5408-9061
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Cornwell, Luke.T..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1428-2160
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Spathis, Vassilia.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5745-4383
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
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