Cosmogenic neon from precompaction irradiation of Kapoeta and Murchison

Neon from hand-picked Murchison and Kapoeta grains, selected on the basis of the presence or absence of solar flare particle tracks, was analyzed in order to delineate the precompaction history of this material. The irradiated grains showed large enrichments of cosmogenic neon relative to the unirradiated grains. Galactic cosmic ray (GCR) exposure ages for the unirradiated grains yield the nominal values reported for the recent exposure history of these meteorites. Apparent minimum precompaction galactic exposure ages of 28 m.y. and 56 m.y. would have been obtained for Murchison and Kapoeta, respectively, if the cosmogenic effects in the irradiated grains were due to GCR irradiation. Since this seems unreasonably long, the cosmogenic neon in the irradiated grains may be due to spallation by solar cosmic rays. This, however, would require a more active early sun. The isotopic composition of the cosmogenic neon in these grains suggests a harder energy spectrum than is characteristic of present solar flares. Lack of apparent solar wind effects may require some kind of shielding, such as nebular gas.