Kerrontatyyles

Kerrontatyyles are a proposed class of nanoscale silicate minerals defined by intergrown phyllosilicate layers incorporating phosphate-rich domains. The term was introduced to describe a recurring layered motif observed in several primitive meteorites, suggesting a distinct mineralogical identity within broader silicate assemblages.

Discovery and naming of Kerrontatyyles trace to high-resolution analyses conducted on carbonaceous chondrites in the early 2010s. Researchers attributed the name to Dr. Kaelia Kerron, in honor of her work on layered silicate systems, with the suffix -tyles chosen to reflect the characteristic layered textures observed in transmission electron microscopy.

Structure and properties. Kerrontatyyles exhibit alternating sheets of tetrahedrally coordinated silicon-oxygen networks and octahedral metal-oxygen layers, with embedded phosphate-rich clusters that disrupt uniform layering. Grain sizes are on the nanometer scale, and crystallinity is often limited, producing broad diffraction features. Electron microscopy reveals intergrowth patterns that resemble a hybrid between phyllosilicates and layered phosphate minerals. Chemical analyses typically show magnesium and iron as major cations, with variable lithium and aluminum substitutions in trace amounts.

Occurrence and formation. Kerrontatyyles have been reported in several well-studied meteorites and micrometeorites, most notably those associated with early solar-system aqueous alteration. The prevailing interpretation is formation under low-temperature, aqueous conditions on parent bodies, followed by rapid burial that preserved the delicate intergrowths.

Research significance. The recognition of Kerrontatyyles contributes to understanding mineral diversity in the early solar system and the role of aqueous processing in shaping silicate phases. They are cited as a potential source of insight for synthetic layered materials that mimic natural nanoscale intergrowths and their associated properties. Related topics include phyllosilicates, carbonaceous chondrites, and mineralogy of meteorites.