Related papers: Si Isotopic Ratios in Mainstream Presolar SiC Grai…
Mainstream presolar SiC grains from primitive meteorites show a clear s-process signature in the isotopic composition of heavy trace elements. These grains most likely condensed in the winds of a variety of AGB stars. However, the non-solar…
Stardust grains that originated in ancient stars and supernovae are recovered from meteorites and carry the detailed composition of their astronomical sites of origin. We present evidence that the majority of large ($\mu$m-sized) meteoritic…
The vast majority (>=90%) of presolar SiC grains identified in primitive meteorites are relics of ancient asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, whose ejecta were incorporated into the Solar System during its formation. Detailed…
Among presolar materials recovered in meteorites, abundant SiC and Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$ grains of AGB origins were found. They showed records of C, N, O, $^{26}$Al and s-element isotopic ratios that proved invaluable in constraining the…
Isotopic ratios of C, N, Si, and trace heavy elements in presolar SiC grains from meteorites provide crucial constraints to nucleosynthesis. A long-debated issue is the origin of the so-called A+B grains, as for them no stellar progenitor…
We calculate and discuss the chemical evolution of the isotopic silicon abundances in the interstellar medium at distances and times appropriate to the birth of the solar system. This has several objectives, some of which are related to…
Presolar grains are stardust particles that condensed in the ejecta or in the outflows of dying stars and can today be extracted from meteorites. They recorded the nucleosynthetic fingerprint of their parent stars and thus serve as valuable…
We compare literature data for the isotopic ratios of Zr, Sr, and Ba from analysis of single meteoritic stardust silicon carbide (SiC) grains to new predictions for the slow neutron-capture process (the s process) in metal-rich asymptotic…
Primitive meteorites contain small amounts of presolar minerals that formed in the winds of evolved stars or in the ejecta of stellar explosions. Silicon carbide is the best studied presolar mineral. Based on its isotopic compositions it…
Presolar grains are microscopic dust grains that formed in the stellar winds or explosions of ancient stars that died before the formation of the solar system. The majority (~90% in number) of presolar silicon carbide (SiC) grains,…
We report the Sr and Ba isotopic compositions of 18 presolar SiC grains of types Y (11) and Z (7), rare types commonly argued to have formed in lower-than-solar metallicity asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. We find that the Y and Z…
Graphite is one of the many presolar circumstellar condensate species found in primitive meteorites. While the isotopic compositions of low-density graphite grains indicate an origin in core-collapse supernovae, some high-density grains…
We report isotopic data for a total of 96 presolar oxide grains found in residues of several unequilibrated ordinary chondrite meteorites. Identified grain types include Al2O3, MgAl2O4, hibonite (CaAl12O19) and Ti oxide. This work greatly…
Isotope ratios can be measured in presolar SiC grains from ancient Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars at permil-level (0.1\%) precision. Such precise grain data permit derivation of more stringent constraints and calibrations on mixing…
Presolar grains in meteorites formed in a sample of AGB stars that ended their lives within ~1 Gyr of the origin of the Solar System 4.6 Gyr ago. The O-isotopic compositions of presolar O-rich stardust reflect the masses and metallicities…
Microscopic presolar grains extracted from primitive meteorites have extremely anomalous isotopic compositions revealing the stellar origin of these grains. The composition of presolar spinel grain OC2 is different from that of all other…
The carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of pre-solar SiC grains of type A+B suggest a proton-limited nucleosynthetic process as encountered, for instance, during the very late thermal pulse of post-AGB stars. We study the nuclear processes…
Micron-sized stardust grains that originated in ancient stars are recovered from meteorites and analysed using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The most widely studied type of stardust is silicon carbide (SiC). Thousands of these grains…
We report Mo isotopic compositions of 37 presolar SiC grains of types Y (19) and Z (18), rare types commonly argued to have formed in lower-than-solar metallicity asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Direct comparison of the Y and Z grain…
Presolar SiC grains formed around Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars during their carbon-rich phase and contain heavy elements in trace amounts showing the signature of the slow neutron capture process (s process). Thanks to recent…