Experimental Study of Serpentinization Reactions

Current carbonaceous chondrite parent-body thermal models [1-3] produce scenarios that are inconsistent with constraints on aqueous alteration conditions based on meteorite mineralogical evidence, such as phase stability relationships within the meteorite matrix minerals [4] and isotope equilibration arguments [5, 6]. This discrepancy arises principally because of the thermal runaway effect produced by silicate hydration reactions (here loosely called serpentinization, as the principal products are serpentine minerals), which are so exothermic as to produce more than enough heat to melt more ice and provide a self-sustaining chain reaction. One possible way to dissipate the heat of reaction is to use a very small parent body [e.g., 2] or possibly a rubble pile model. Another possibility is to release this heat more slowly, which depends on the alteration reaction path and kinetics.