This bachelor thesis consists of two parts. The first part consists of a review of the theoretical background. It starts off with a shorter review on theories of the history of the early Solar System, from protostellar evolution to grain agglomeration. This is then followed by a brief summary of different kinds of meteorites, what their origins might be and the radiometric dating techniques used to determine their ages. The second part of the thesis consists of an investigation of the possible forming times of the early planetesimals by computer simulation. These planetesimals can later become the parent bodies for iron-rich meteorites. Factors studied are ambient temperature and the abundance of the short-lived radioactive isotope 26Al in the forming nebula. The study found that the parent bodies of iron meteorites had to accrete within the first few million years after the earliest solids in the Solar System, the CAI. It also found that changes in the studied boundary conditions did extend this period, but not further than around 2.8Myrs compared to the standard 2.1Myrs. This data compares well to other, similar, studies. / Denna kandidatuppsats består av två delar. Först sammanfattas teorier om hur solsystemet tros ha formats, från hur solens närområde kan ha sett ut till hur de första himlakroppsembryona kan ha börjat formas. Detta följs av en kortare sammanfattning av olika typer av meteoriter och var de kan ha kommit från. Dessutom sammanfattas några tekniker som används för att bestämma åldern på dessa meteoriter. Huvuddelen av uppsatsen består av en undersökning av hur och när de kroppar järnrika meteoriter kommer från kan ha bildats med hjälp av en datorsimulering, och hur olika parametrar såsom temperatur och mängd radioaktiva isotoper kan ha påverkat denna tid. Undersökningen kom fram till att himlakropparna måste ha bildats snart, inom ca 2 Mår, efter de tidigaste kända delarna av vårt solsystem, CAI. Förändringar i de undersökta parametrarna kunde ändra denna tid något, men inte till senare än ca 2.8 Mår efter CAI. Detta stämmer väl med andra, liknande, studier.

<p> The radioactive 26Al is an important probe for the interstellar medium of our galaxy since it is observed through the emission of 1.8 MeV gamma rays from the decay of 26gAl produced by the proton capture on 25Mg. But the production of the galactic 26Al is now still not well determined partially due to the lack of knowledge of the important states in 26Si which dominate the large uncertainty in the 25 Al(p,γ)26Si reaction rate at nova temperatures.</p> <p> In nova explosions, the proton capture of 25Al competes with its β decay and bypasses the production of 26gAl, since the capture product 26Si decays quickly to 26mAl instead of its ground state, without the emission of the 1.8 MeV gamma ray. But at even higher temperatures, such as in supernova explosions, 26mAl can be excited to the higher excited states by thermal excitation and then quickly de-excite to the ground state, thereby enhancing the production of 26gAl. The energy levels in 26Si in the Gamow window corresponding to these temperatures therefore need to be well understood in order to determine the 25Al(p,γ)26Si reaction rate, and thus the production rate of 26Al in these explosive environments.</p> <p> Two experiments were performed to study the important states in 26Si : one is the p(27Si,d)26Si* reaction at the NSCL, aiming to construct the level scheme of low lying states around the proton threshold; the other experiment is a measurement of the elastic scattering of 25Al+p with CRIB at RIKEN in order to obtain information on states in a broad range above the proton threshold. Details of these two experiments and their data analyses will be presented in this thesis.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Progress in the description of stellar evolution is driven by the collaborative effort of nuclear physics, astrophysics and astronomy. Using those developments, the theory of the origin of elements in the Universe is challenged. This thesis addresses the problem behind the abundance of 44Ti and the origin of 26Al. The mismatch between the predicted abundance of 44Ti as produced by the only sites known to be able to create 44Ti, core collapse supernovae (CCSNe), and the observations, highlight the current uncertainty that exists in the physics of these stars. Several satellite based γ-ray observations of the isotope 44Ti have been reported in recent times and confirm the disagreement. As the amount of this isotope in stellar ejecta is thought to critically depend on the explosion mechanism, the ability to accurately model the observed abundance would be a pivotal step towards validating that theory. The most influential reaction to the amount of 44Ti in supernovae is 44Ti(α, p)47V. Here we report on a direct study of this reaction conducted at the REX-ISOLDE facility, CERN. The experiment was performed at a centre of mass energy 4.15±0.23 MeV, which is, for the first time, well within the Gamow window for core collapse supernovae. The experiment employed a beam of 44Ti extracted from highly irradiated components of the SINQ spallation neutron source of the Paul Scherrer Institute. No yield above background was observed, enabling an upper limit for the rate of this reaction to be determined. This result is below expectation, suggesting that the 44Ti(α, p)47V reaction proceeds more slowly than previously thought. Implications for astrophysical events, and remnant age, are discussed. In Wolf-Rayet and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, the 26gAl(p,γ)27Si reaction is expected to govern the destruction of the cosmic γ-ray emitting nucleus 26Al. The rate of this reaction, however, is highly uncertain due to the unknown properties of several resonances in the temperature regime of hydrogen burning. We present a high-resolution inverse kinematic study of the 26gAl(d, p)27Al reaction as a method for constraining the strengths of key astrophysical resonances in the 26gAl(p,γ)27Si reaction. In particular, the results indicate that the resonance at Er = 127 keV in 27Si determines the entire 26gAl(p, γ)27Si reaction rate over almost the complete temperature range of Wolf-Rayet stars and AGB stars. The measurements of spectroscopic factors for many states in 27Al and a shell model calculation of nuclear properties of rp-resonant states in 27Si also allow for testing the structure model.

The Antarctic Ice Sheets responded significantly to climatic conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the subsequent warming that followed. Therefore, an understanding of how Antarctica reacted to past climates is necessary to predict the response of its ice sheets to current and future climate change. This thesis presents new evidence about the timing and magnitude of East and West Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS & WAIS) changes during the Quaternary Period, from the Darwin Hatherton glacial system (DHGS, 79.5S, 158E). The DHGS drains the EAIS through the Transantarctic Mountains into the Ross Ice Shelf and glacial deposits have been used to constrain ice sheet thicknesses in this sector of the Ross Sea Embayment. At four sites along the length of the system, glacial deposits were mapped and 73 erratic and bedrock samples collected for ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al surface exposure dating (SED). The exposure ages range from 0.01 to 2.2 Ma and generally show a trend of oldest ages at the highest elevations, thus suggesting an overall decrease of ice volume within the DHGS over the Quaternary. The older ages suggest that during the Plio-Pleistocene, DHGS ice was at least 800-1000 metres thicker than present, while in the mid to late-Holocene thickening was less than 50-80 metres. Four glacial advance and retreat events were described and mapped previously from the DHGS by Bockheim et al (1989). The Isca and Danum drifts, are ~1-2 and 0.6 Ma respectively. The Britannia-II Drift, previously assumed to mark the maximum extent of the Last Glacial Maximum advance is more complex, with clusters of ages at ~6.5, ~36 and ~125 ka. The youngest drift, the Hatherton is mid to late-Holocene (<4.5 ka) and suggests that the DHGS has been near its equilibrium position during this period. Throughout the DHGS no unequivocal evidence of the LGM was observed and therefore poses questions about the past thickness of the Antarctic ice sheets during the LGM. Exposure ages from sites near the head of the Hatherton Glacier (Dubris Valley & Lake Wellman) suggest that at the LGM, the East Antarctic Ice Sheet may have been of similar size, or slightly smaller, than present. In stark contrast, at the confluence of the Darwin Glacier and the Ross Ice Shelf, a WAIS ~400-900 metres above the modern ice surface is tentatively suggested; A value in agreement with that proposed by modern glaciological models. Additionally, while the results from the Dubris and Bibra valleys show that the EAIS thins during glacial climates (i.e. the LGM), it also suggests thickening during interglacials. The Britannia-I and II drifts representing retreats at~6.5 and ~125 ka from glacial highstands. A number of key findings related to the application of SED in Antarctic settings are also presented. The use of dual-nuclides (¹⁰Be & ²⁶Al) show that within the DHGS, the proportion of samples displaying a prior burial history increases with distance from the catchment. The spread of exposure ages observed in the dataset also show the complexity of the depositional processes occurring at cold-based glacial margins and therefore judicious sample selection is required to obtain exposure ages that are representative of the true deglaciation age.

abstract: The presence of a number of extinct radionuclides in the early Solar System (SS) is known from geochemical and isotopic studies of meteorites and their components. The half-lives of these isotopes are short relative to the age of the SS, such that they have now decayed to undetectable levels. They can be inferred to exist in the early SS from the presence of their daughter nuclides in meteoritic materials that formed while they were still extant. The extinct radionuclides are particularly useful as fine-scale chronometers for events in the early SS. They can also be used to help constrain the astrophysical setting of the formation of the SS because their short half-lives and unique formation environments yield information about the sources and timing of delivery of material to the protoplanetary disk. Some extinct radionuclides are considered evidence that the Sun interacted with a massive star (supernova) early in its history. The abundance of 60Fe in the early SS is particularly useful for constraining the astrophysical environment of the Sun's formation because, if present in sufficient abundance, its only likely source is injection from a nearby supernova. The initial SS abundance of 60Fe is poorly constrained at the present time, with estimates varying by 1-2 orders of magnitude. I have determined the 60Fe-60Ni isotope systematics of ancient, well-preserved meteorites using high-precision mass spectrometry to better constrain the initial SS abundance of 60Fe. I find identical estimates of the initial 60Fe abundance from both differentiated basaltic meteorites and from components of primitive chondrites formed in the Solar nebula, which suggest a lower 60Fe abundance than other recent estimates. With recent improved meteorite collection efforts there are more rare ungrouped meteorites being found that hold interesting clues to the origin and evolution of early SS objects. I use the 26Al-26Mg extinct radionuclide chronometer to constrain the ages of several recently recovered meteorites that sample previously unknown asteroid lithologies, including the only know felsic meteorite from an asteroid and two other ungrouped basaltic achondrites. These results help broaden our understanding of the timescales involved in igneous differentiation processes in the early SS. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Geological Sciences 2012

Une période intéressante de l'histoire précoce du système solaire est celle du disque, i.e. la période pendant laquelle se déroule la plupart des processus qui vont conduire du mélange de gaz et de poussières nébulaires à des grains et des planétésimaux, qui seront à un stade ultérieur le matériel de départ pour la formation des embryons planétaires et des planètes. Les témoins de cette époque sont les constituants des météorites primitives (chondrites), principalement les inclusions réfractaires (CAIs) et les chondres. Une des questions centrales dans la compréhension des processus à l'origine des CAIs et des chondres est celle du temps. Les travaux récents de Johan Villeneuve ont permis de démontrer que l'26Al et les isotopes du Mg étaient distribués dans le disque d'accrétion à un niveau d'homogénéité permettant d'utiliser le système 26Al-26Mg comme le chronomètre le plus précis qui soit des évènements qui se sont déroulés lors des 2 ou 3 premiers millions d'années du disque. Le but de cette thèse a été de reprendre toute l'étude de l'26Al avec des mesures de plus haute précision que les mesures existantes, en associant les mesures in-situ (sonde ionique) et en roche totale (HR-MC-ICPMS). Les développements analytiques mis en place pour mesurer les compositions isotopiques en Mg ont été appliqués à l'étude d'olivines réfractaires et de chondres de la météorite Allende, et d'olivines de la pallasite Eagle Station. L'ensemble des données a permis d'apporter des éléments de réponse sur les âges de formation des chondres et de leurs précurseurs, et sur l'origine des olivines réfractaires riches en Mg et la possibilité que celles-ci figurent parmi les précurseurs des chondres / The disk history is a very interesting period of the early Solar System history, i.e. the period during which occurred most of the processes leading from the mixing of nebular gas and dust to grains, and then planetesimals, which will then constitute the starting material for formation of planetary embryos and terrestrial planets. The witnesses of this period that we have in the laboratory are the chondrite constituents, mostly refractory inclusions (CAIs) and chondrules. One of the central questions regarding the processes leading to the formation of CAIs and chondrules is the timing. Villeneuve et al. (2009, 2011) have shown that 26Al and Mg isotopes were homogeneously distributed in the accretion disk, at a level allowing the use of the 26Al-26Mg system as the most precise short-lived chronometer to constrain the 2 or 3 first million years of the disk history. My PhD project aimed at reconsidering the 26Al study with more precise measurements, and by combining in-situ (by MC-SIMS) and bulk (by HR-MC-ICPMS) analyses. The analytical developments we set for Mg-isotope measurements (because of the high precision needed) were then applied to a set of extraterrestrial materials, including Mg-rich isolated olivines and Mg-rich olivines in porphyritic type I chondrules from the Allende CV3 meteorite, as well as chondrules from the same meteorite, and olivines from the Eagle Station pallasite. The whole data set allowed to answer questions such as (i) the origin of chondrule precursor materials and the time of chondrule formation, as well as (ii) the origin of Mg-rich refractory olivines, and the possibility that the latters were part of chondrule precursors

26Al(p,p)26Al and 26Al(p,p’)26Al* scattering reactions were performed at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The purpose of the elastic scattering study was to determine properties of previously uncharacterized 27Si levels above the proton threshold in the energy range E(c.m.) ~ 0.5 - 1.5 MeV and to calculate reaction rates for the 26Al(p,γ[gamma])27Si reaction that destroys 26Al. The inelastic scattering reaction was also evaluated to investigate the reaction that produces the metastable state of 26Al at E(c.m.) = 228 keV, which would in turn destroy 26Al in the stellar environment. Pure 26Al beams (E(beam) = 13 - 41 MeV) with intensities of ~2*106 26Al/s bombarded a thin polypropylene target of 46 μ[micro]g/cm2 thickness for 7 days. Scattered protons were detected in the Silicon Detector Array (SIDAR), covering laboratory angles 18 to 41 degrees. Background events were rejected by detecting these protons in coincidence with recoiled 26Al particles in an ionization chamber, and proton yields were measured at 45 energies from E(c.m.) = 0.49 - 1.53 MeV. A thick 2.4 mg/cm2 polypropylene target was also bombarded with a 32 MeV 26Al beam for 1.5 days for comparison with thin-target excitation functions. Little evidence for the inelastic scattering reaction was observed, indicating that this is not a significant destruction pathway. For the first time, however, an upper limit for the cross section of this reaction was estimated, and it has been set at 5*10-2 barns. The first upper limits were also established for possible resonances of the elastic scattering reaction with angular momentum transfers up to L = 3 that were not directly observed by this study. Thin-target elastic scattering data suggested a potential resonance at E(r) = 544 keV, which had not been previously observed, with (9/2, 11/2)+ spin and proton width Γp[Gamma_p] ≤ 1 keV. Thick-target analysis appeared to confirm this result. An upper limit for the strength of this resonance was estimated to be 1.4*10-5 keV or 1.6*10-5 keV for a 9/2+ or 11/2+ state, respectively, moderately increasing the total 26Al(p,γ[gamma])27Si resonant reaction rate at supernova temperatures.

L'objectif de cette thèse est de fournir puis d'exploiter des contraintes observationnelles relatives aux étoiles massives et à leurs explosions de supernova. Pour cela, nous nous intéressons à la signature de leur activité de nucléosynthèse et plus particulièrement au rayonnement de décroissance de plusieurs isotopes radioactifs produits et libérés à divers stades de leur existence : le 44Ti, l'26Al et le 60Fe. Grâce au spectromètre haute-résolution SPI embarqué sur l'observatoire spatial INTEGRAL, nous avons pu caractériser l'émission de raies gamma associée à la décroissance de ces trois radio-isotopes.<br />Dans un premier temps, nous nous concentrons sur l'émission de décroissance du 44Ti présent dans le vestige de supernova Cassiopée A. Le but de cette étude est d'obtenir, par une analyse spectrale du signal, une information sur la cinématique de l'ejecta de Cassiopée A. Une telle donnée pourrait alors nous renseigner sur le mécanisme incertain par lequel l'effondrement gravitationnel d'une étoile massive en fin de vie aboutit à une explosion de supernova.<br />Nous nous intéressons ensuite aux raies gamma de la décroissance de l'26Al et du 60Fe. Ces deux isotopes à longue durée de vie s'accumulent dans le milieu interstellaire autour des étoiles massives et donnent lieu à une émission galactique diffuse à 1809 et 1173/1332 keV respectivement. Les observations SPI de cette émission sont confrontées à un modèle de la nucléosynthèse galactique construit à partir des plus récents modèles stellaires. Un travail plus détaillé est alors consacré à la région du Cygne, qui abrite une forte concentration d'étoiles massives proches. Les données SPI obtenues sont comparées aux prédictions théoriques d'un code de synthèse de population et d'une simulation numérique de diffusion de l'26Al à l'intérieur de la superbulle soufflée par l'amas Cyg OB2.

Les chondres, sphérules infra-millimétriques composées de minéraux silicatés de haute température, sont les constituants majeurs des météorites primitives. Ils présentent d'importantes variabilités texturales et chimiques révélatrices d'une histoire complexe. Cette thèse s'est intéressée à la chronologie de formation des chondres et de leurs précurseurs à deux échelles de temps distinctes aux moyens de deux approches complémentaires : la géochimie isotopique via le chronomètre isotopique à courte période 26Al-26Mg et la pétrologie expérimentale. Le développement au cours de cette thèse d'un protocole analytique innovant de mesure in situ de haute précision par sonde ionique des compositions isotopiques du Mg et Al, a permis de démontrer l'homogénéité de la distribution de l'26Al dans le disque d'accrétion, ce qui présente d'importantes implications sur la chronologie relative et les processus de formation des chondres, mais aussi sur l'origine de l'26Al dans le Système Solaire. L'application de ce protocole analytique aux olivines reliques des chondres permet de préciser leur origine, ainsi que leur chronologie et leur processus de formation. Les expérimentations permettent de montrer qu'il est aisé de former des analogues de chondres de type II PO à partir de chondres de type I PO. Un tel processus de formation des chondres implique l'application de régimes thermiques isothermes suivis d'une trempe rapide, incompatibles avec les mécanismes classiques d'ondes de choc. D'autre part, nous montrons que les compositions chimiques en éléments majeurs et traces des différents types de chondres porphyriques peuvent être reproduites par le mélange de trois phases réfractaires solides héritées des précurseurs des chondres (olivine réfractaire, liquide réfractaire et métal) et d'une phase gazeuse riche en éléments volatils et modérément volatils. Ces résultats nous ont conduit à proposer un modèle de filiation entre les chondres.