Chlorine and hydrogen degassing in Vesta's magma ocean

The hydrophilic nature of halogens makes these elements ideal for probing potential hydrous geologic processes. Generally, in magmatic settings the stable isotopes of Cl may fractionate when H is in low concentrations and little fractionation occurs when the H concentration is high. We determined the Cl isotope composition and halogen content (F, Cl, Br, and I) of apatite and merrillite in seven basaltic eucrites, which are meteorites linked to the asteroid 4-Vesta, by using secondary ion mass spectrometry. We compare our halogen results with H isotope data, existing bulk rock concentrations, and petrologic models. The inferred Cl isotope composition of eucrites from this study, expressed in standard δ37Cl notation, which ranges from −3.8 to 7.7‰, correlates with the bulk major- and trace-element content, e.g., the Cl isotope composition positively correlates with Mg and Sc, while Cl isotope composition negatively correlates with K, V, and Cr. Here we suggest that eucrites preserve evidence of a degassing magma ocean as evidenced by the decreasing bulk rock K content with increasing δ37Cl. If the eucrite parent body, 4-Vesta, accreted with a negative δ37Cl of −3.8±1.1‰, at least some parts of the solar nebula would have been isotopically light compared to most estimates of the Earth, which on average is close to 0‰. •Eucrites display a range in apatite Cl isotope compositions.•Apatite Cl isotope composition roughly correlates with apatite H isotope composition.•Vesta's magma ocean probably degassed metal chlorides and hydrous species.