GOUNELLE , Matthieu

Chondrites are leftover solids from the early evolution of the solar protoplanetary disk that never experienced melting since their formation. They comprise unequilibrated assemblages of low-and high-temperature components, including volatile-rich, fine-grained matrices, Fe-Ni metal, sulfides, refractory inclusions, and chondrules....

Micrometeorites with diameter ≈100–200 μm dominate the flux of extraterrestrial matter on Earth. The vast majority of micrometeorites are chemically, mineralogically, and isotopically related to carbonaceous chondrites, which amount to only 2.5% of meteorite falls. Here, we report the discovery of the first basaltic micrometeorite (MM40). This...

International audience

The identification of meteorite parent bodies provides the context for understanding planetesimal formation and evolution as well as the key Solar System events they have witnessed. However, identifying such links has proven challenging and some appear ambiguous. Here, we identify that the family of asteroid fragments whose largest member is...