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Chondrule formation via extended winds in the early solar system

Chondrite meteorites are believed to represent the building blocks of the solar nebula, out of which our solar system formed. They are a mixture of silicate and oxide objects (chondrules and refractory inclusions) that experienced extremely high temperatures, set in a matrix that remained relatively cold. The prevalence of chondrites suggests that they formed through a very general process, closely related to stellar and planet formation, however the nature and properties of the responsible mechanism have remained unclear for many decades. The evidence for a hot solar nebula provided by chondrules and refractory inclusions is, however, seemingly at odds with astrophysical observations of forming stars. These strongly indicate that protostellar disks - the inspiralling disks of gas and dust out of which stars and planets form - are relatively cool, and exhibit typical temperatures that are insufficient to melt and vapourise silicate minerals at the radial distances sampled by chondrule-bearing meteorites in the main asteroid belt. Here we present calculations of the dynamical and thermal structure of protostellar disks that accelerate a wind from the disk surfaces. These winds are commonly associated with young stellar objects and are the analogues of the early solar system. We also present models of the processing of dust particles in such winds, showing that these outflows are suitable sites for chondrule formation.