| Abstract: | Abstract— To examine the thermal history of the parent body/bodies of equilibrated H chondrites, we treated data for 11 volatile trace elements (Co, Rb, Ag, Se, Cs, Te, Zn, Cd, Bi, Tl, and In in order of putative volatility) in 90 falls: 15 H4; 46 H5, and 29 H6. Using univariate statistical tests, contents of few of these elements differ significantly between any two of these suites. One element, Cs, differs systematically between all three pairs of suites; Co and Tl differ between two pairs of suites. For Co and Cs, contents varied as H4 > H5 > H6; while for Tl, contents varied as H4 < H5 < H6. Using multivariate statistical tests, all three suites can be distinguished compositionally, with trace element contents in the H5 suite being intermediate to those of H4 and H6. Surprisingly, the multivariate distinguishability reflects contents of less volatile Co, Rb, Ag, Se and Cs, and not of highly volatile Te, Zn, Cd, Bi, Tl and In. The compositional trends apparently reflect heterogeneous accretion >600 K, with the suites deriving from a stratified parent body/bodies. |
