Volatile element chemistry in the solar nebula - Na, K, F, Cl, Br, and P

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1980 · Icarus; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(80)90228-6· OSTI ID:6769554

Fegley, B Jr; Lewis, J S

The results of the most extensive set to date of thermodynamic calculations on the equilibrium chemistry of several hundred compounds of the elements Na, K, F, Cl, Br, and P in a solar composition system are reported. Two extreme models of accretion are investigated. In one extreme complete chemical equilibrium between condensates and gases is maintained because the time scale for accretion is long compared to the time scale for cooling or dissipation of the nebula. Condensates formed in this homogeneous accretion model include several phases such as whitlockite, alkali feldspars, and apatite minerals which are found in chondrites. In the other extreme complete isolation of newly formed condensates from prior condensates and gases occurs due to a time scale for accretion that is short relative to the time required for nebular cooling or dissipation. The condensates produced in this heterogeneous accretion model include alkali sulfides, ammonium halides, and ammonium phosphates. None of these phases are found in chondrites. Available observations of the Na, K, F, Cl, Br, and P elemental abundances in the terrestrial planets are found to be compatible with the predictions of the homogeneous accretion model.

• Research Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
• OSTI ID: 6769554
• Journal Information: Icarus; (United States), Vol. 41
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BROMINE
ABUNDANCE
CHLORINE
FLUORINE
PHOSPHORUS
POTASSIUM
SODIUM
SOLAR SYSTEM
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
AMMONIUM HALIDES
AMMONIUM PHOSPHATES
APATITES
CHONDRITES
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
DEPOSITION
FELDSPARS
SULFIDES
VOLATILITY
ALKALI METALS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
METEORITES
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHATE MINERALS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
STONE METEORITES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena