Mineralogy, chemistry, and noble gas contents of Adzhi‐Bogdo– an LL3–6 chondritic breccia with L‐chondritic and granitoidal clasts

Abstract

Abstract— Adzhi‐Bogdo is an ordinary chondrite regolith breccia (LL3–6) which fell on 1949 October 30 in Gobi Altay, Mongolia. The rock consists of submm‐ to cm‐sized fragments embedded in a fine‐grained clastic matrix. The polymict breccia contains various types of clasts, some of which must be of foreign origin. Components of the breccia include chondrules, melt rock clasts (some of which are K‐rich), highly recrystallized rock fragments (“granulites”), breccia clasts, pyroxene‐rich fragments with achondritic textures, and alkali‐granitoids. The composition of olivine in most fragments is in the range of LL‐chondrites. However, olivine in some components has significantly lower fayalite contents, characteristic of L‐chondrites. The bulk meteorite is very weakly shocked (S2). Based on the bulk chemical composition, Adzhi‐Bogdo is an ordinary chondrite. The concentrations of Fe and Ni are somewhat intermediate between L‐ and LL‐chondrites. The contents of solar gases indicate that Adzhi‐Bogdo is a regolith breccia. Most of the solar He and probably a part of the solar Ne of Adzhi‐Bogdo has been lost. It is suggested that Adzhi‐Bogdo experienced an (impact‐induced) thermal event early in its history, because most of the radiogenic 40 Ar is retained.