TY  - JOUR
A1  - Spahr, Dominik
A1  - Koch, Tamara
A1  - Merges, David
A1  - Bayarjargal, Lkhamsuren
A1  - Genzel, Philomena-Theresa
A1  - Christ, Oliver
A1  - Wilde, Fabian
A1  - Brenker, Frank E.
A1  - Winkler, Björn
T1  - A chondrule formation experiment aboard the ISS: microtomography, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy on Mg2SiO4 dust aggregates
T2  - Physics and chemistry of minerals
N2  - We performed an experiment under long-term microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to obtain information on the energetics and experimental constraints required for the formation of chondrules in the solar nebula by ’nebular lightning’. As a simplified model system, we exposed porous forsterite (Mg2 SiO4) dust particles to high-energetic arc discharges. The characterization of the samples after their return by synchrotron microtomography and scanning electron microscopy revealed that aggregates had formed, consisting of several fused Mg2SiO4 particles. The partial melting and fusing of Mg2SiO4 dust particles under microgravity conditions leads to a strong reduction of their porosity. The experimental outcomes vary strongly in their appearance from small spherical melt-droplets (∅≈90 µm) to bigger and irregularly shaped aggregates (∅≈350 µm). Our results provided new constraints with respect to energetic aspects of chondrule formation and a roadmap for future and more complex experiments on Earth and in microgravity conditions.
KW  - Microgravity
KW  - Arc discharges
KW  - International Space Station ISS
KW  - Chondrule formation
KW  - Microtomography
Y1  - 2022
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/69589
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-695899
SN  - 1432-2021
N1  - The authors are grateful for financial support by the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Stiftung, DFG (Wi1232, BA4020), the BMWi (50JR1704), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), ZEISS, BIOVIA, DreamUp, NanoRacks and Nordlicht. We acknowledge DESY (Hamburg, Germany), a member of the Helmholtz Association HGF, for the provision of experimental facilities
N1  - Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL
VL  - 49
IS  - art. 10
SP  - 1
EP  - 9
PB  - Springer
CY  - Berlin ; Heidelberg
ER  -