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Chondrules and Nebular Shocks

Beneath the fusion-encrusted surfaces of the most primitive stony meteorites lies not homogeneous rock, but a profusion of millimeter-sized igneous spheres. These chondrules, and their centimeter-sized counterparts, the calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, comprise more than half of the volume fraction of chondritic meteorites. They are the oldest creations of the solar system. Their chemical composition matches that of the solar photosphere in all but the most volatile of elements, reflecting their condensation from the same pristine gas that formed the sun. In this invited editorial, we review the nebular shock wave model of Desch and Connolly (Meteoritics and Planetary Science 2002, 37, 183) that seeks to explain their origin. While the model succeeds in reproducing the unique petrological signatures of chondrules, the origin of the required shock waves in protoplanetary disks remains a mystery. Outstanding questions are summarized, with attention paid briefly to competing models.