40Ar-39Ar Dating of the H3 Chondrite Sainte Rose

Abstract

— A whole rock sample from the H3 chondrite Sainte Rose, which was discovered in 1983, was dated with the 40Ar-39Ar technique. From the K/Ca spectrum and from an analysis of the 39Ar recoil effect we conclude that this meteorite has at least two distinguishable K-carriers: a low temperature, high-K/Ca, fine-grained carrier with a typical grain size of about 2 μm and a high temperature, low-K/Ca, more coarse-grained carrier. The K-Ar clocks of both were started 4.40 ± 0.01 Ga ago.