Lunar geochemistry as told by lunar meteorites

About 36 lunar meteorites have been found in cold and hot deserts since the first one was found in 1979 in Antarctica. All are random samples ejected from unknown locations on the Moon by meteoroid impacts. Lithologically and compositionally there are three extreme types: (1) brecciated anorthosites with high Al₂O₃ (26–31%), low FeO (3–6%), and low incompatible elements (e.g., <1 μg/g Th), (2) basalts and brecciated basalts with high FeO (18–22%), moderately low Al₂O₃ (8–10%) and incompatible elements (0.4–2.1 μg/g Th), and (3) an impact-melt breccia of noritic composition (16% Al₂O₃, 11% FeO) with very high concentrations of incompatible elements (33 μg/g Th), a lithology that is identified as KREEP on the basis of its similarity to Apollo samples of that designation. Several meteorites are polymict breccias of intermediate composition because they contain both anorthosite and basalt. Despite the large range in compositions, a variety of compositional parameters together distinguish lunar meteorites from terrestrial materials. Compositional and petrographic data for lunar meteorites, when combined with mineralogical and compositional data obtained from orbiting spacecraft in the 1990s, suggest that Apollo samples identified with the magnesian (Mg-rich) suite of nonmare rocks (norite, troctolite, dunite, alkali anorthosite, and KREEP) are all products of a small, geochemically anomalous (noritic, high Th) region of crust known as the Procellarum KREEP Terrane and are not, as generally assumed, indigenous to the vast expanse of typical feldspathic crust known as the Feldspathic Highlands Terrane. Magnesian-suite rocks such as those of the Apollo collection do not occur as clasts in the feldspathic lunar meteorites. The misconception is a consequence of four historical factors: (1) the Moon has long been viewed as simply bimodal in geology, mare or highlands, (2) one of the last, large basin-forming bolides impacted in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane, dispersing Th-rich material, (3) although it was not known at the time, the Apollo missions all landed in or near the anomalous Procellarum KREEP Terrane and collected many Th-rich samples formed therein, and (4) the Apollo samples were interpreted and models for lunar crust formation developed without recognition of the anomaly because global data provided by orbiting missions and lunar meteorites were obtained only years later.     

Enigmatic cathodoluminescent objects in the Dhofar 025 lunar meteorite: Origin and sources

Dhofar 025 is a lunar highland breccia consisting mainly of anorthositic, with less common noritic, gabbronoritic, and troctolitic material. Rare fragments of low-Ti basalts are present as well, but no KREEP (component enriched in incompatible elements) was found in the meteorite. The cathodoluminescence study of this meteorite showed that its impact–melt matrix contains unusual cathodoluminescent (CL) objects of feldspathic composition, which frequently contain microlites of Fe-Mg spinel (pleonaste). They were presumably formed by impact mixing and melting of olivine and plagioclase with subsequent rapid quenching of the impact melts. Such mixing could happen either during assimilation of anorthosites by picritic/troctolitic magmas or during impact melting of troctolites. The enrichment of CL objects of Dhofar 025 in incompatible trace elements suggests that the mafic component of the impact mixture may be related to the high-magnesium suite rocks, which are frequently enriched in KREEP component. The depletion of CL objects in alkalis indicates their possible relation with residual glasses formed by evaporation. However, the presence of FeO in most objects points to the insignificant extent of evaporation. Thus, evaporation cannot explain the enrichment of the CL objects in Al₂O₃ and other refractory components, although this process definitely took place in their formation. Their similarity to the lunar pink spinel anorthosites, whose existence was predicted from orbital data, serves as an argument in support of the possible formation of the latters by impact mixing.     

Fluorine and chlorine abundances in lunar apatite: Implications for heterogeneous distributions of magmatic volatiles in the lunar interior

Apatite has been analyzed from mare basalts, the magnesian-suite, the alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks using an electron probe microanalysis routine developed specifically for apatite. We determined that all the lunar apatite grains analyzed are predominantly fluorine rich; however, they also contain varying concentrations of chlorine and a missing structural component that, after ruling out other possibilities, we attribute to OH. Apatite grains from mare basalts are compositionally distinct from the apatite grains in the magnesian-suite, the alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks, which all had similar apatite compositions. Apatite grains in mare basalts are depleted in chlorine, and many of the analyzed grains have stoichiometry that suggests a significant OH component (i.e., >0.08 structural formula units), whereas apatite grains in the magnesian suite, alkali suite, and KREEP-rich impact melts are enriched in chlorine and do not typically have a missing structural component that could be attributed to OH⁻ (within the detection limit of 0.08 sfu). From these data, we infer that residual liquids in the mare basalts were enriched in H₂O and fluorine relative to chlorine at the time of apatite crystallization, whereas residual liquids in magnesian-suite, alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact melts were enriched in chlorine relative to H₂O and fluorine at the time of apatite crystallization. The relative volatile abundance that we determined for the mare basalts is identical to the previously determined relative volatile abundance for the lunar picritic glasses. This result indicates that the observed relative volatile abundance signature of the picritic glass source is the same as that in the mare basalt source regions. The magnesian-suite, alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks likely reflect a volatile source with different volatile abundances than the sources of mare volcanics. Moreover, the magnesian-suite, alkali-suite, and KREEP-rich impact-melt rocks may reveal the relative volatile abundance of urKREEP, the residual melt of the magma ocean. This difference in relative magmatic volatile abundance among the lithologic groups investigated cannot be explained by degassing of a single source composition (relative to magmatic volatiles). The most reasonable explanation for the compositional disparity is a difference in the relative volatile abundances in the magmatic source regions of the Moon. Therefore, we conclude that the Moon has a heterogeneous distribution of magmatic volatiles within its interior, with a chemical divide (with respect to magmatic volatiles) existing between magmas that arise by partial melting of the lunar mantle and magmas that have seen significant contamination by a KREEP component.     

Feldspathic lunar meteorites Pecora Escarpment 02007 and Dhofar 489: Contamination of the surface of the lunar highlands by post-basin impacts

PCA (Pecora Escarpment) 02007 and Dhofar 489 are both meteorites from the feldspathic highlands of the Moon. PCA 02007 is a feldspathic breccia consisting of lithified regolith from the lunar surface. It has concentrations of both incompatible and siderophile elements that are at the high end of the ranges for feldspathic lunar meteorites. Dhofar 489 is a feldspathic breccia composed mainly of impact-melted material from an unknown depth beneath the regolith. Concentrations of incompatible and siderophile elements are the lowest among brecciated lunar meteorites. Among 19 known feldspathic lunar meteorites, all of which presumably originate from random locations in the highlands, concentrations of incompatible elements like Sm and Th tend to increase with those of siderophile elements like Ir. Feldspathic meteorites with high concentrations of both suites of elements are usually regolith breccias. Iridium derives mainly from micrometeorites that accumulate in the regolith with duration of surface exposure. Micrometeorites have low concentrations of incompatible elements, however, so the correlation must reflect a three-component system. We postulate that the correlation between Sm and Ir occurs because the surface of the Feldspathic Highlands Terrane has become increasingly contaminated with time in Sm-rich material from the Procellarum KREEP Terrane that has been redistributed across the lunar surface by impacts of moderate-sized, post-basin impacts. The most Sm-rich regolith breccias among feldspathic lunar meteorites are about 3× enriched compared to the most Sm-poor breccias, but this level of enrichment requires only a few percent Sm-rich material typical of the Procellarum KREEP Terrane. The meteorite data suggest that nowhere in the feldspathic highlands are the concentrations of K, rare earths, and Th measured by the Lunar Prospector mission at the surface representative of the underlying “bedrock;” all surfaces covered by old regolith (as opposed to fresh ejecta) are at least slightly contaminated. Dhofar 489 is one of 15 paired lunar-meteorite stones from Oman (total mass of meteorite: 1037 g). On the basis of its unusually high Mg/Fe ratio, the meteorite is likely to have originated from northern feldspathic highlands.     

Antarctic lunar meteorites Yamato-793169, Asuka-881757, MIL 05035, and MET 01210 (YAMM): Launch pairing and possible cryptomare origin

The Antarctic lunar meteorite Meteorite Hills (MET) 01210 is a polymict regolith breccia, dominantly composed of mare basalt components. One relatively large (2.7 × 4.7 mm) basalt clast in MET 01210 (MET basalt) shows remarkable mineralogical similarities to the lunar-meteorite crystalline mare basalts Yamato (Y)-793169, Asuka (A)-881757, and Miller Range (MIL) 05035. All four basalts have similar rock texture, mineral assemblage, mineral composition, pyroxene crystallization trend, and pyroxene exsolution lamellae. The estimated TiO₂ contents (∼2.0 wt%) of the MET basalt and MIL 05035 are close to the bulk-rock TiO₂ contents of Y-793169 and A-881757. These similarities suggest that Y-793169, A-881757, MIL 05035, and the MET basalt came from the same basalt flow, which we designate the YAMM basalt. The source-basalt pairing of the YAMM is also supported by their similar REE abundances, crystallization ages (approx. 3.8-3.9 Ga), and isotopic compositions (low U/Pb, low Rb/Sr, and high Sm/Nd). The pyroxene exsolution lamellae, which are unusually coarse (up to a few microns) by mare standards, imply a relatively slow cooling in an unusually thick lava and/or subsequent annealing within a cryptomare. Reported noble gas and CRE data with close launch ages (∼1 Ma) and ejection depths (deeper than several meters) among the four meteorites further indicate their simultaneous ejection from the moon. Despite the marginally close terrestrial ages, pairing in the conventional Earth-entry sense seems unlikely because of the remote recovery sites among the YAMM meteorites.The high abundance (68%) of mare components in MET 01210 estimated from a two-component mixing model calculation could have resulted from either lateral mixing at a mare-highland boundary or vertical mixing in a cryptomare. The proportion of mare materials in MET 01210 is greater than in Apollo core samples at the mare-highland boundary. The burial depth (>several meters deep) inferred from the lack of surface irradiation of MET 01210 exceeds the typical mare regolith thickness (a few meters). Thus, the source of the YAMM meteorites is likely a terrain of locally high mare-highland mixing within a cryptomare. We searched for a possible source crater of the YAMM meteorites within the well-defined cryptomare, based on the multiple constraints obtained from this study and published data. An unnamed 1.4 km-diameter crater (53°W, 44.5°S) on the floor of the Schickard crater is the most suitable source for the YAMM meteorites.The ²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb (μ) value of the YAMM basalts is extremely low, relative to those of the Apollo mare basalts, but comparable to those of the Luna 24 very low-Ti basalts. The low-μ source indicates a derivation from a less differentiated mantle with a lack of KREEP components. Although the chemical sources of materials and heat source of melting might be independent, the heat source that generated the source magma of the YAMM and Luna 24 basalts may not be related to KREEP, unlike the case of the Apollo basalts. The distinct chemical and isotopic compositions of mantle sources between the Apollo basalts and the YAMM/Lunar 24 basalts imply differences in mantle composition and thermal evolution between the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT) and non-PKT regions of the nearside.     

Feldspathic lunar meteorites and their implications for compositional remote sensing of the lunar surface and the composition of the lunar crust

We present new compositional data for six feldspathic lunar meteorites, two from cold deserts (Yamato 791197 and 82192) and four from hot deserts (Dhofar 025, Northwest Africa 482, and Dar al Gani 262 and 400). The concentrations of FeO (or Al₂O₃) and Th (or any other incompatible element) together provide first-order compositional information about lunar polymict samples (breccias and regoliths) and regions of the lunar surface observed from orbit. Concentrations of both elements on the lunar surface have been determined from data acquired by orbiting spacecraft, although the derived concentrations have large uncertainties and some systematic errors compared to sample data. Within the uncertainties and errors in the concentrations derived from orbital data, the distribution of FeO and Th concentrations among lunar meteorites, which represent ∼18 source regions on the lunar surface, is consistent with that of 18 random samples from the surface. Approximately 11 of the lunar meteorites are low-FeO and low-Th breccias, consistent with large regions of the lunar surface, particularly the northern farside highlands. Almost all regoliths from Apollo sites, on the other hand, have larger concentrations of both elements because they contain Fe-rich volcanic lithologies from the nearside maria and Th-rich lithologies from the high-Th anomaly in the northwestern nearside. The feldspathic lunar meteorites thus offer our best estimate of the composition of the surface of the feldspathic highlands, and we provide such an estimate based on the eight most well-characterized feldspathic lunar meteorites. The variable but high (on average) Mg/Fe ratio of the feldspathic lunar meteorites compared to ferroan anorthosites confirms a hypothesis that much of the plagioclase at the surface of the feldspathic highlands is associated with high-Mg/Fe feldspathic rocks such as magnesian granulitic breccia, not ferroan anorthosite. Geochemically, the high-Mg/Fe breccias appear to be unrelated to the mafic magnesian-suite rocks of the Apollo collection. Models for the formation of the upper lunar crust as a simple flotation cumulate composed mainly of ferroan anorthosite do not account for the complexity of the crust as inferred from the feldspathic lunar meteorites.     

The lunar crust: a product of heterogeneous accretion or differentiation of a homogeneous Moon?

The outer portion of the Moon including the Al-rich crust and the source regions of mare basalts was either accreted heterogeneously or was the product of widespread differentiation of an originally homogeneous source. A number of constraints make the heterogeneous accretion model unlikely; the differentiation model appears more plausible.If the differentiation model is correct, a series of cumulate rocks complimentary to the Al-rich crustal rocks must exist. The mare basalts may have been derived from such a complimentary cumulate for several reasons. For example, Philpottset al. (1973) on the basis of REE studies, suggest that Apollo 11 and 17 mare basalts were formed by partial melting of a cumulate rich in a phase(s) containing high Ti and heavy REE. The high Ti of Apollo 11 and 17 basalts is not readily explained in terms of partial melting of an undifferentiated mantle, but is consistent with partial melting of a pyroxene cumulate enriched in Fe, Ti oxides. The characteristic Fe-rich nature of mare basalts would be partly a consequence of melting of oxide cumulate minerals. It is postulated that the plagioclase-poor source region of mare basalts was enriched in an intercumulus residual liquid. During the partial melting that produced mare basalts, this material was largely incorporated into the melt, thus explaining the ancient model ages observed in most mare basalts. If the cumulate model is correct, then samples derived from the true (undifferentiated) lunar mantle have not been identified.     

The oxygen isotope composition, petrology and geochemistry of mare basalts: Evidence for large-scale compositional variation in the lunar mantle

To investigate the formation and early evolution of the lunar mantle and crust we have analysed the oxygen isotopic composition, titanium content and modal mineralogy of a suite of lunar basalts. Our sample set included eight low-Ti basalts from the Apollo 12 and 15 collections, and 12 high-Ti basalts from Apollo 11 and 17 collections. In addition, we have determined the oxygen isotopic composition of an Apollo 15 KREEP (K - potassium, REE - Rare Earth Element, and P - phosphorus) basalt (sample 15386) and an Apollo 14 feldspathic mare basalt (sample 14053). Our data display a continuum in bulk-rock δ¹⁸O values, from relatively low values in the most Ti-rich samples to higher values in the Ti-poor samples, with the Apollo 11 sample suite partially bridging the gap. Calculation of bulk-rock δ¹⁸O values, using a combination of previously published oxygen isotope data on mineral separates from lunar basalts, and modal mineralogy (determined in this study), match with the measured bulk-rock δ¹⁸O values. This demonstrates that differences in mineral modal assemblage produce differences in mare basalt δ¹⁸O bulk-rock values. Differences between the low- and high-Ti mare basalts appear to be largely a reflection of mantle-source heterogeneities, and in particular, the highly variable distribution of ilmenite within the lunar mantle. Bulk δ¹⁸O variation in mare basalts is also controlled by fractional crystallisation of a few key mineral phases. Thus, ilmenite fractionation is important in the case of high-Ti Apollo 17 samples, whereas olivine plays a more dominant role for the low-Ti Apollo 12 samples.Consistent with the results of previous studies, our data reveal no detectable difference between the Δ¹⁷O of the Earth and Moon. The fact that oxygen three-isotope studies have been unable to detect a measurable difference at such high precisions reinforces doubts about the giant impact hypothesis as presently formulated.     

U-Pb zircon dating of the lunar meteorite Dhofar 1442

Dhofar 1442 is one of the few lunar KREEP-rich meteorites, which contains KREEP norites and KREEP gabbronorite as well as low-Ti basalts and highly evolved granophyres. Zircon is a typical accessory mineral of KREEP rocks. U-Th-Pb dates of 12 zircon grains (four of them were in two lithic clasts, and the others were fragments in the meteorite matrix) indicate that the zircons belong to at least two groups of different age: “ancient” (～4.31 Ga) and “young” (～3.95 Ga), which correspond to two major pulses of KREEP magmatism in the source region of the Dhofar 1442 meteorite. The zircon of the “young” group was most probably related to the crater ejecta of the Mare Imbrium Basin. The rock fragments dated at approximately 3.95 Ga have the composition of KREEP gabbronorite. The parental rocks of the zircon of the “ancient” group in the Dhofar 1442 meteorite are uncertain and could be highly evolved granophyres. This hypothesis is supported by the high Th (100–300 ppm) and U (150–400 ppm) contents. These zircon fragments of the “ancient” group, higher than in the “young” group (<50 ppm Th and <70 ppm U) and are typical of zircon from lunar granitic rocks. The composition of the products of KREEP magmatism in the source region of the Dhofar 1442 meteorite could vary from predominantly granitic to KREEP gabbronoritic at 4.3–3.9 Ga.     

REE characteristics and Nd isotopic compositions of Lunar pristine rocks：Implications for petrogenesis of pristine rocks and source regions

This paper compile the rare-earth elements and Nd isotope data for lunar pristine rocks from investiga-tions in recent years. Using these data, we compared the REE characteristics of lunar pristine rocks and Nd isotopic compositions of their source regions. Based on the Lunar Magma Ocean model, we then studied their formation and petrogenetic correlations of Mg suite, alkali suite, and KREEP, with especial emphasis on the importance of assimi-lation during early magmatism. And Nd isotopic compositions of mare basalt samples suggest that mantle sources of mare basalts should be heterogeneous, which has not yet been explained by several current models.     

Geochemistry, petrology and ages of the lunar meteorites Kalahari 008 and 009: New constraints on early lunar evolution

Kalahari 008 and 009 are two lunar meteorites that were found close to each other in Botswana. Kalahari 008 is a typical lunar anorthositic breccia; Kalahari 009 a monomict breccia with basaltic composition and mineralogy. Based on minor and trace elements Kalahari 009 is classified as VLT (very-low-Ti) mare basalt with extremely low contents of incompatible elements, including the REE. The Lu-Hf data define an age of 4286 ± 95 Ma indicating that Kalahari 009 is one of the oldest known basalt samples from the Moon. It provides evidence for lunar basalt volcanism prior to 4.1 Ga (pre-Nectarian) and may represent the first sample from a cryptomare. The very radiogenic initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf (εHf = +12.9 ± 4.6), the low REE, Th and Ti concentrations indicate that Kalahari 009 formed from re-melting of mantle material that had undergone strong incompatible trace element depletion early in lunar history. This unusually depleted composition points toward a hitherto unsampled basalt source region for the lunar interior that may represent a new depleted endmember source for low-Ti mare basalt volcanism. Apparently, the Moon became chemically very heterogeneous at an early stage in its history and different cumulate sources are responsible for the diverse mare basalt types.Evidence that Kalahari 008 and 009 may be paired includes the similar fayalite content of their olivine, the identical initial Hf isotope composition, the exceptionally low exposure ages of both rocks and the fact that they were found close to each other. Since cryptomaria are covered by highland ejecta, it is possible that these rocks are from the boundary area, where basalt deposits are covered by highland ejecta. The concentrations of cosmogenic radionuclides and trapped noble gases are unusually low in both rocks, although Kalahari 008 contains slightly higher concentrations. A likely reason for this difference is that Kalahari 008 is a polymict breccia containing a briefly exposed regolith, while Kalahari 009 is a monomict brecciated rock that may never have been at the surface of the Moon.Altogether, the compositions of Kalahari 008 and 009 permit new insight into early lunar evolution, as both meteorites sample lunar reservoirs hitherto unsampled by spacecraft missions. The very low Th and REE content of Kalahari 009 as well as the depletion in Sm and the lack of a KREEP-like signature in Kalahari 008 point to a possible source far from the influence of the Procellarum-KREEP Terrane, possibly the lunar farside.     

Petrogenesis and chronology of lunar meteorite Northwest Africa 4472: A KREEPy regolith breccia from the Moon

Northwest Africa (NWA) 4472 is a polymict lunar regolith meteorite. The sample is KREEP-rich (high concentrations of potassium, rare earth elements and phosphorus) and comprises a heterogeneous array of lithic and mineral fragments. These clasts and mineral fragments were sourced from a range of lunar rock types including the lunar High Magnesian Suite, the High Alkali Suite, KREEP basalts, mare basalts and a variety of impact crater environments. The KREEP-rich nature of NWA 4472 indicates that the sample was ejected from regolith on the nearside of the Moon in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane and we have used Lunar Prospector gamma-ray remote sensing data to show that the meteorite is most similar to (and most likely sourced from) regoliths adjacent to the Imbrium impact basin.U-Pb and Pb-Pb age dates of NWA 4472 phosphate phases reveal that the breccia has sampled Pre-Nectarian (4.35 Ga) rocks related to early episodes of KREEP driven magmatism. Some younger phosphate U-Pb and Pb-Pb age dates are likely indicative of impact resetting events at 3.9-4 Ga, consistent with the suggested timing of basin formation on the Moon. Our study also shows that NWA 4472 has sampled impact melts and glass with an alkali-depleted, incompatible trace element-rich (high Sc, low Rb/Th ratios, low K) compositional signature not related to typical Apollo high-K KREEP, or that sampled by KREEPy lunar meteorite Sayh al Uhaymir (SaU) 169. This provides evidence that there are numerous sources of KREEP-rich protoliths on the Moon.     

On the elusive isotopic composition of lunar Pb

Highly radiogenic Pb isotope compositions determined for volcanic glass beads from the Apollo 14 soil sample 14163 are similar to those commonly determined for mare basalts and are correlated with chemical variations observed in the beads. This indicates that Pb unsupported by in-situ U decay has a similar origin in both glass beads and mare basalt samples and is likely to reflect variations of ²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb (μ) in the lunar mantle. An alternative explanation that this Pb is a result of late equilibration with the radiogenic Pb present in soil is less likely as it would imply that all other characteristics of glass beads such as their chemistry must also be a consequence of equilibration near the lunar surface. Regardless of the origin of unsupported Pb, observed variations of Pb isotope compositions in the glass beads and mare basalts appear to be a result of two component mixing between a primitive reservoir with a μ-value similar to the Earth’s mantle and KREEP with a μ-value in excess of several thousand. This range cannot be explained by the fractionation of major rock forming minerals from the crystallising Lunar Magma Ocean and instead requires substantial extraction of sulphide late in the crystallisation sequence. The proportion of sulphide required to produce the inferred range places limits on the starting μ of the Moon prior to differentiation, demanding a relatively high value of about 100-200. Low μ indicated by several basalt samples and previously analysed volcanic glass beads can be explained by the preservation of an early (but post Ferroan Anorthosite) sulphide rich reservoir in the lunar mantle, while a complete range of Pb isotope compositions observed in the glass beads and mare basalts can be interpreted as mixing between this sulphide rich reservoir and KREEP.     

Comparative petrology, geochemistry, and petrogenesis of evolved, low-Ti lunar mare basalt meteorites from the LaPaz Icefield, Antarctica

New data is presented for five evolved, low-Ti lunar mare basalt meteorites from the LaPaz Icefield, Antarctica, LAP 02205, LAP 02224, LAP 02226, LAP 02436, and LAP 03632. These basalts have nearly identical mineralogies, textures, and geochemical compositions, and are therefore considered to be paired. The LaPaz basalts contain olivine (Fo_64-2) and pyroxene (Fs₃₂Wo₈En₆₀ to Fs_84-86Wo₁₅En_2-0) crystals that record extreme chemical fractionation to Fe-enrichment at the rims, and evidence for silicate liquid immiscibility and incompatible element enrichment in the mesostasis. The basalts also contain FeNi metals with unusually high Co and Ni contents, similar to some Apollo 12 basalts, and a single-phase network of melt veins and fusion crusts. The fusion crust has similar chemical characteristics to the whole rock for the LaPaz basalts, whereas the melt veins represent localized melting of the basalt and have an endogenous origin. The crystallization conditions and evolved nature of the LaPaz basalts are consistent with fractionation of olivine and chromite from a parental liquid similar in composition to some olivine-phyric Apollo 12 and Apollo 15 basalts or lunar low-Ti pyroclastic glasses. However, the young reported ages for the LaPaz mare basalts (∼2.9 Ga) and their relative incompatible element enrichment compared to Apollo mare basalts and pyroclastic glasses indicate they cannot be directly related. Instead, the LaPaz mare basalts may represent fractionated melts from a magmatic system fed by similar degrees of partial melting of a mantle source similar to that of the low-Ti Apollo mare basalts or pyroclastic glasses, but which possessed greater incompatible element enrichment. Despite textural differences, the LaPaz basalts and mare basalt meteorite NWA 032 have similar ages and compositions and may originate from the same magmatic system on the Moon.     

A lunar differentiation model in light of new chemical data on Luna 20 and Apollo 16 soils

Fines from a Luna 20 soil sample and from three Apollo 16 deep drill core samples have been analyzed for major-minor element abundances by a combined, semi-micro atomic absorption spectrophotometric and colorimetric method. Both the major element and large ion lithophile trace element abundances in these soils, the first from interior highland sites, are greatly influenced by the very high normative plagioclase content, being distinctly richer in Al and Ca, and poorer in K, P, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ti, than most bulk soil samples from previous lunar missions. The relatively large compositional variations in the Apollo 16 core can be ascribed almost entirely to decreasing plagioclase with increasing depth. The chemical composition of the Luna 20 soil indicates less plagioclase and less KREEP than in the Apollo 16 soils. A lunar differentiation model is presented in which is made the suggestion that KREEP is the result of a second fusion event in a lunar crust consisting of early feldspathic cumulates and primary aluminous ‘liquid’.     

Native silicon and iron silicides in the Dhofar 280 lunar meteorite

The Dhofar 280 lunar highland meteorite is the first one in which native silicon was identified in association with iron silicides. This association is surrounded by silicate material enriched in Si, Na, K, and S and occurs within an impact-melt matrix. Compared to the meteorite matrix, the objects with native Si and the silicate material around them show high Al-normalized concentrations of volatile elements and/or elements with low sensitivity to oxygen but are not any significantly enriched in refractory lithophile elements. Some lithophile elements (V, U, Sm, Eu, and Yb) seem to be contained in reduced forms, and this predetermines REE proportions atypical of lunar rocks and a very low Th/U ratio. The admixture of siderophile elements (Ni, Co, Ge, and Sb) suggests that the Si-bearing objects were contaminated with meteorite material and were produced by the impact reworking of lunar rocks. The high concentrations of volatile elements suggest that the genesis of these objects could be related to the condensation of silicate vapor generated during meteorite impacts. The reduction of silicon and other elements could take place in an impact vapor cloud, with the subsequent condensation of these elements together with volatile components. On the other hand, condensates of silicate vapor could be reduced by impact reworking of impact breccias. Impact-induced vaporization and condensation seem not to play any significant role in forming the composition of the lunar crust, but the contents of the products of such processes can be locally relatively high. The greatest amounts of silicate vapor were generated during significant impact events. For example, more than 70% of the total mass of lunar material evaporated in the course of impact events should have resulted from the collision of the Moon with a cosmic body that produced the Moon??s largest South Pole-Aitken basin.     

Petrology and geochemistry of LaPaz Icefield 02205: A new unique low-Ti mare-basalt meteorite

LaPaz Icefield 02205 (LAP 02205) is a new low-Ti mare-basalt meteorite that was discovered in the LaPaz Ice Field in Antarctica. This is the first crystalline lunar basalt in the US Antarctic collection and the only 5th unbrecciated mare-basalt meteorite to be discovered to date. The rock has a typical basaltic texture with tabular and elongated pyroxene and plagioclase crystals, and minor olivine grains commonly rimmed by pyroxenes. Core- to rim-zoning in terms of Fe and Mg is present in almost all pyroxene grains. Accessory minerals include ilmenite, chromite, ulvöspinel, troilite, and FeNi metal. This rock is highly enriched in late-stage mesostasis. Free silica is also abundant. In terms of texture and mineralogy, LAP 02205 displays features of low-Ti mare basalts, with similarities to some low-Ti Apollo 12 and Apollo 15 basalts. Whole-rock major- and trace-element compositions confirm the highly fractionated nature of this basalt. The whole-rock REE contents of the meteorite are the highest among all known low-Ti mare basalts. The platinum group element (PGE) contents in LAP are also enriched suggesting the possibility of endogenously enriched source regions or the PGEs generally behaved as incompatible elements during crystal fractionation under low fO₂ conditions. Trace-element contents of mineral grains in LAP 02205 display wide variations, suggesting extensive non-equilibrium crystallization. The REE concentrations in the earliest-formed minerals provide constraints on the composition of the parental liquid, which is similar to the measured whole-rock composition. Crystallization modeling of the LAP 02205 bulk composition yields a reasonable fit between predicted and observed mineral phases and compositions, except for the high-Mg olivine cores, which are observed in the rock but not predicted by the modeling. An isochron age of 2929 ± 150 Ma for phosphate minerals makes this rock one of the youngest lunar basalts known to date. The young age and specific geochemical characteristics of LAP distinguish it from those of most other low-Ti mare basalts. However, the low-Ti mare basalt meteorite, NWA 032, has a similar young age, and the two meteorites also appear to be closely related from some geochemical perspectives and might have originated from similar source regions on the Moon.     

Heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle: Insights from ion microprobe analyses of lunar pyroclastic glasses

We provide new estimates for the abundance of heat-producing elements in the lunar mantle by using SIMS techniques to measure the concentrations of thorium and samarium in lunar pyroclastic glasses. Lunar pyroclastic glasses are utilized in this study because they represent quenched products of near-primary melts from the lunar mantle and as such, they provide compositional information about the mantle itself. Thorium and samarium were measured because: (1) Th is not significantly fractionated from Sm during partial melting of the pyroclastic glass source regions, which are dominated by olivine and pyroxene. Therefore, the Th/Sm ratios that we measure in the pyroclastic glasses reflect the Th/Sm ratio of the pyroclastic glass source regions. (2) Strong correlations between Th, U, and K on the Moon allow us to use measured Th concentrations to estimate the concentrations of U and K in the pyroclastic glasses. (3) Th, Sm, U, and K are radioactive elements and as such, their concentrations can be used to investigate heat production in the lunar mantle.The results from this study show that the lunar mantle is heterogeneous with respect to heat-producing elements and that there is evidence for mixing of a KREEP component into the source regions of some of the pyroclastic glasses. Because the source regions for many of the glasses are deep (?400 km), we propose that a KREEP component was transported to the deep lunar mantle. KREEP enriched sources produce 138% more heat than sources that do not contain KREEP and therefore, could have provided a source of heat for extended periods of nearside basaltic magmatism. Data from this study, in conjunction with models for the fractional crystallization of a lunar magma ocean, are used to show that the average lunar mantle contains 0.15 ppm Th, 0.54 ppm Sm, 0.039 ppm U, and 212 ppm K. This is a greater enrichment in radiogenic elements than some earlier estimates, suggesting a more prolonged impact of radiogenic heat on nearside basaltic volcanism.     

月球同位素地质年代学与月球演化

同位素地质年代学是月球形成与演化研究的重要工具。目前对月岩和月球陨石的研究积累了大量的同位素年代学资料,其测试的主要方法包括K—Ar、Ar_Ar、Rh-sr、Sm—Nd、Lu—Hf、Re-0s、Pb—Pb和U—Pb等。根据目前获得的资料,本文对月球上不同类型岩石的形成年龄进行了总结,发现月球高地岩石主要形成于45～38亿年,而月海玄武岩相对年轻,大致形成于38～31亿年。根据这-年代资料,结合对月岩样品进行的短半衰期Hf-W与Sin-Nd同位素体系的研究结果,认为月球大致形成于45亿年,其后开始由岩浆海导致的内部核-幔-壳的分异,岩浆结晶的低密度斜长岩构成最初的月壳,而密度大的岩石构成月幔,而此月幔则成为后来月海玄武岩的主要岩浆源区。同时指出了当前月岩同位素地质年代学存在的问题,并根据技术进展的情况,对未来月岩同位素年代学的发展趋势作了全面的分析．     

嫦娥一号干涉成像光谱仪数据再校正与全月铁钛元素反演

月球表面的元素和物质成分分布是理解月球成岩与地质演化历史的重要线索。嫦娥一号干涉成像光谱仪(IIM)是我国首台月球探测成像光谱仪器,其获得的大量月球高光谱数据已成为我国未来探测月球成分与地质演化研究的宝贵基础数据。本文利用探月工程地面应用系统发布的IIM B版本2C级数据,开发出一套数据再定标流程,获得了较为可靠的月表相对反射率数据。我们在新校正数据的基础上开展月球表面FeO、TiO_2的反演建模,获得了全月FeO和TiO_2分布图,这些图件是进行月球地质填图的基础。校正数据反演的FeO和TiO_2分布与前人对Clementine UVVIS数据的反演结果相近,表明干涉成像光谱仪数据具有较大的应用潜力。高地的低铁岩石成分(一般小于8%)佐证了月球月壳形成的过程中的岩浆洋分异假说,而月海玄武岩的TiO_2成分变化范围较大(0~13%)则表明月海玄武岩来源于不同的月幔源区。根据嫦娥一号干涉成像光谱仪全月FeO分布图,可将月球表面物质类型总体划分为高地斜长岩和月海玄武岩,而根据TiO_2分布可以进一步将月海玄武岩划分为5种不同钛含量的玄武岩岩石类型。FeO和TiO_2在全月范围内的分布表明Apollo和Luna返回的月球样品不能够代表全月范围内的矿物成分多样性,月球岩浆演化历史比前人认为的要复杂。未来月球样品返回任务(如嫦娥五号)如能赴这些特殊地区进行取样,将很有可能返回重要的月球科学研究发现和成果。