Experimental partial melting of the Allende (CV) and Murchison (CM) chondrites and the origin of asteroidal basalt

Following the investigation of Jurewicz et al. (1991) on the composition of partial melts of eucrites and angrites, this study investigates partial melts of the Allende and Murchison chondrites and details the anhydrous phase relations of both chondrites at 1 atm, under temperatures and oxygen fugacities plausigle for the formation of basaltic meteorites. It was found that, in general, ambient oxygen fugacity exerts a strong influence on the compositions of partial melts of chondrites by controlling the amount of FeO available to the silicate system. At high f(O2), angritic magmas are produced, whereas eucritic melts are produced at low levels of f(O2).