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Nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies in meteorites—clues for solar system origin
Author(s) -
Poole Graeme
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geology today
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.188
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1365-2451
pISSN - 0266-6979
DOI - 10.1111/gto.12022
Subject(s) - formation and evolution of the solar system , meteorite , solar system , astrobiology , geology , presolar grains , asteroid , isotope , planet , planetary science , astronomy , chondrite , physics , quantum mechanics
The solar system was previously thought to have evolved from a hot and well‐mixed solar nebula, until the discovery of nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies in meteorites flew in the face of this popular model. These anomalies have been found to exist at the grain‐size level but not at the planetary‐scale, thus indicating the mixing and homogenization of presolar dust within the solar nebula over time as the planets formed. The use of nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies as tracers of the manner, efficiency and timing of this mixing provides an invaluable tool for planetary science. Today the field is more exciting than ever and the discoveries continue to mount up. As such, models of solar system formation are being refined and improved.