Targeting the impactors: siderophile element signatures of lunar impact melts from Serenitatis

Highly siderophile element compositions of lunar impact melt breccias provide a unique record of the asteroid population responsible for large cratering events in the inner Solar System. Melt breccias associated with the 3.89 Ga Serenitatis impact basin resolve at least two separate impact events. KREEP-rich melt breccias representing the Apollo 17 poikilitic suite are enriched in highly siderophile elements (3.6-15.8 ppb Ir) with CI-normalized patterns that are elevated in Re, Ru and Pd relative to Ir and Pt. The restricted range of lithophile element compositions combined with the coherent siderophile element signatures indicate formation of these breccias in a single impact event involving an EH chondrite asteroid, probably as melt sheet deposits from the Serenitatis Basin. One exceptional sample, a split from melt breccia 77035, has a distinctive lithophile element composition and a siderophile element signature more like that of ordinary chondrites, indicating a discrete impact event. The recognition of multiple impact events, and the clear signatures of specific types of meteoritic impactors in the Apollo 17 melt breccias, shows that the lunar crust was not comprehensively reworked by prior impacts from 3.9 to 4.5 Ga, an observation more consistent with a late cataclysm than a smoothly declining accretionary flux. Late accretion of enstatite chondrites during a 3.8-4.0 Ga cataclysm may have contributed to siderophile element heterogeneity on the Earth, but would not have made a significant contribution to the volatile budget of the Earth or oxidation of the terrestrial mantle. Siderophile element patterns of Apollo 17 poikilitic breccias become more fractionated with decreasing concentrations, trending away from known meteorite compositions to higher Re/Ir and Pd/Pt ratios. The compositions of these breccias may be explained by a two-stage impact melting process involving: (1) deep penetration of the Serenitatis impactor into meteorite-free lower crust, followed by (2) incorporation of upper crustal lithologies moderately contaminated by prior meteoritic infall into the melt sheet. Trends to higher Re/Ir with decreasing siderophile element concentrations may indicate an endogenous lunar crustal component, or a non-chondritic late accretionary veneer in the pre-Serenitatis upper crust.     

Lead isotope systematics and the evolution of the core,mantle, crust and atmosphere

A new analysis of the isotope systematics of sulphide common leads can be made on the basis of examining the deriations of the data from a simple single-stage evolution. Δt, the age discrepancy between the single-stage lead model age and the geologic age, increases systematically from 3.8 Ga to the present. This trend appears to reflect an increase in the μ of the primitive mantle due to incorporation of a large portion of the earth's lead into the core, early in the earth's evolution. Leads associated with shale-hosted lead-zinc deposits show a rapid increase in Δt beginning at 2.5 to 2.0 Ga. This deviation of shale-hosted leads from the general trend is interpreted as a response to concentration of uranium in organic-rich shales subsequent to the evolution of an oxidizing atmosphere. Comparison of common leads in alkali feldspars with the volcanogenic sulphide data suggests that they have a similar evolution of Δt with time. Numerical simulations reveal that even substantial increases in real μ over the last 2.0 Ga are not reflected in significant increases in the single-stage model μs.     

Osmium isotope geochemistry in the Mackenzie River basin

The Cenozoic marine osmium isotope record is largely driven by changes in the continental input. We aid its interpretation by supplying direct measurements of present day riverine Os in known geological and environmental settings. We analyzed Os concentrations and isotopic ratios in the dissolved, suspended, and bed materials of the Mackenzie River in Canada and smaller rivers draining the Western Cordillera into the Pacific Ocean. Rhenium content was measured for suspended and bed materials to provide further constraint. Dissolved ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios range from 0.74 to 4.5 and are controlled to first order by age and lithology of the bedrock. The rivers draining Jurassic volcanic rocks are unradiogenic, as low as 0.74, and those draining the Precambrian Canadian Shield are radiogenic, as high as 3.5. The headwaters of the Mackenzie left bank tributaries draining metamorphic carbonates in the Eastern Cordillera and Paleozoic black and gray shales in the Transition zone and the Interior Platform are especially radiogenic (3.0-4.5) with relatively high concentrations of Os. These latter rivers are responsible for the Mackenzie being above world average in Os concentration and yield (mol Os/km²/year) as well as in ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os. The dissolved load is more radiogenic than the suspended or bed loads and constitutes a significant fraction of total fluvial Os.     

Osmium isotope of the Co-rich crust from seamount Allison,central Pacific and its use for determination of growth hiatus and growth age

Based on its microstructure, Co-rich crust A1-1 from seamount Allison, central Pacific, was scraped at averaged interval of 1.3 mm to measure osmium isotopic composition, and subsequently to establish the 187Os/188Os profile of scraping section of the crust. By observing the variation of 187Os/188Os under 10Be chronology and matching it to the well-known seawater Os isotope evolution of the past 40 Ma, two growth hiatuses (H1 and H2) occurring in the periods respectively between 13.6 and 29.6 Ma and between 8 and 9.8 Ma in the crust were recognized. According to the two hiatuses, the dating scheme for each scraped layer of the crust was suggested. For the upper layers younger than 6.8Ma, their growth ages were calibrated under 10Be chronology; for the lower layers older than 6.8Ma, their growth ages were obtained from 187Os/188Os evaluation curve by linear interpolation. Hereby, the age for the most inner layer of the crust was determined to be 39.5 Ma. H1 and H2 exactly correspond to the boundary between phosphatization and non-phosphatization and volcanic ash layer in the crust, respectively.     

Continental crust formation seen through the Sr and Nd isotope systematics of S-type granites in the Hercynian belt of western France

The isotopic compositions of Sr, Nd and Pb in leucogranites which are intercorrelated (Bernard-Griffiths et al., 1985 [1]) may be explained by the mixing of ancient basement (1800 Ma) with juvenile crust (late Precambrian or early Palaeozoic). This hypothesis does not involve the existence of Mid-Proterozoic crust, as apparently indicated by theT_DM model ages of the leucogranites (ranging between 1600 and 1100 Ma). The Nd isotopes reveal the crustal reworking while Sr isotopes mainly record juvenile crust formation. This paradox is explained by the geochemical heterogeneity of the sources involved.     

Time and duration of lunar highlands crust formation

All radiometric systems indicate that crust-mantle differentiation on the moon is dominated by events which occurred very early in lunar history. However, due to remaining uncertainties in model parameters and assumptions in the calculation of model ages, it is not yet possible to resolve the precise times of occurrence of these events nor the duration of the formation of the highlands crust. The strongest time constraints are offered by direct radiometric ages of samples formed during this earliest period. Two possible candidates for this material, norites 78236 and 73255,27,45, were examined utilizing the Sm-Nd radiometric system. Sm-Nd systematics of 78236 show post-crystallization disturbance but indicate that this norite crystallized in the lunar crust about 4.34 AE ago. Data for 73255,27,45 define an isochron and yield a crystallization age of 4.23 ± 0.05 AE. The initial Nd isotopic composition of both norites is within uncertainty of a “chondritic” reference reservoir at the time of their respective crystallizations. The implications for lunar crustal formation persisting over a time span of close to 350 m.y. are discussed.     

Elastic properties of anorthite and the nature of the lunar crust

A polycrystalline specimen of anorthite has been hot-pressed atP = 15kbar andT = 1000°C in a piston-cylinder apparatus. Compressional(ν_p)and shear(ν_s) velocities are determined as a function of pressure to 7.5 kbar at room temperature by an ultrasonic pulse transmission technique. The specimen is less than 0.5% porous and is elastically isotropic within 1%. The velocities at 7.5 kbar areν_p = 7.29km/secandν_s = 3.85km/sec. These data are consistent with those for most terrestrial and lunar plagioclase rocks but not for certain anisotropic rocks and single crystals. The measured velocities demonstrate, moreover, that it is impossible to distinguish between rocks of gabbro, anorthositic gabbro, or anorthosite compositions for the 20–55 km layer of the lunar crust on the basis of seismic data alone. The mean composition of the crust could well be that of a gabbro (17% Al₂O₃) rather than of an anorthositic gabbro(～25%Al₂O₃) as assumed in some current models.     

利用重力地形导纳估计月壳厚度

在频域使用多窗口(Multitaper)方法来计算月球正面四个形成于不同历史时期月海区(Smythii, Crisium, Imbrium, Orientale)的重力地形导纳,然后将其与月球弹性岩石圈的理论导纳模型相比较,由最小二乘法得出四个月海区的月球岩石圈的平均弹性厚度约为8 km,月壳的厚度分别为：Smythii 盆地,72 km; Crisium 盆地 70 km;Orientale 盆地 60 km;Imbrium 盆地57 km.随着月球的演化,月壳厚度呈现变厚的趋势.     

60025: relict of primitive lunar crust?

New isotopic analyses are presented for 3 plagioclase-rich fractions and one mafic fraction from ferroan anorthosite 60025. The observed²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios vary between 52.5 and 60.5, all much higher than the ratio for terrestrial contamination. In a²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb²⁰⁴Pb/²⁰⁶Pb correlation diagram, the plagioclase data define a model PbPb age of 4.520 ± 0.007 AE using meteoritic primordial lead for the non-radiogenic component. In the concordia diagram the plagioclase data yield intersections at 4.503 ± 0.007 and 0.28 AE. The meaning of the lower intercept is obscure. The earlier 60025 analysis of Tera and Wasserburg [1], with an observed²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb of 23.0, agrees closely with the new plagioclase data in the isotope correlation and concordia diagrams. Since the apparent age does not correlate with the²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios and U contents of the samples, it does not appear to be controlled by terrestrial lead contamination. The time-averaged μ values for the plagioclase leads are exceptionally low, 16–55, and agree within factors of 2 with the observed μ values in the samples. These are much lower than the values observed for mafic rocks or their sources, showing that the anorthosite lead has never been associated for a substantial length of time with any high μ source. In this way the 60025 data differ substantially from UPb data for two other lunar anorthosites, 15415 and 60015. The results suggest that the averaged model Pb ages of 4.51 ± 0.01 AE closely approximate the crystallization age for the plagioclase fraction of the anorthosite, and that it dates back to an early phase in lunar history. One sample from the mafic fraction of 60025 yields a younger model Pb age of 4.42 AE. The age may have been lowered by post-crystallization disturbances or perhaps this fraction is not coeval with the plagioclase fraction.     

The age and emplacement of obducted oceanic crust in the Urals from SmNd and RbSr systematics

The Urals contain a 2000 km belt of mafic-ultramafic bodies. The SmNd and RbSr systematics of two of these bodies, the Kempersai Massif in the South Ural Mountains and the Voykar-Syninsky Ophiolite Complex in the Polar Ural Mountains have been examined. These data confirm the hypothesis that these bodies represent fragments of pre-collision oceanic crust and establish constraints on the nature and timing of events in the Uralian Orogeny. Two Kempersai gabbros define SmNd internal isochrons of397 ± 20My and396 ± 33My withε_Nd(T) = +8.7 ∓ 0.6 and+8.4 ∓ 1.3, respectively. Whole rock samples of pillow basalt, diabase, gabbros, troctolite, and a metasediment give SmNd values which lie on this isochron indicating that these rocks are genetically related and have an igneous crystallization age of 397 My. Whole rock samples of Voykar-Syninsky diabase, gabbros, and clinopyroxenite give SmNd values which lie on or within∼ 1 ε-unit of this isochron indicating an age andε_Nd(T) virtually identical to those of Kempersai.ε_Nd(T) for the Kempersai and Voykar-Syninsky mafic samples range from +7.3 to +9.0 with an average value of +8.4. This indicates that the Urals ophiolites are derived from an ancient depleted mantle source and are most plausibly pieces of the oceanic crust and lithosphere. The fact that a metasediment has the sameε_Nd(397 My) as the other samples indicates derivation from an oceanic source with negligible continental input.ε_Nd(T) for the massifs is∼ 1.5 ε-units lower than the average for modern MORBs. This may be due to the differential evolution of the MORB source over the past 397 My and in conjunction with data for other ophiolites and Mesozoic MORB suggests that over the past 750 My the source for MORB has evolved at a rate less than or equal to its rate of evolution averaged over the age of the earth. Initial⁸⁷Sr⁸⁶Sr ratios are highly variable ranging fromε_Sr(T) = −25.2 for a gabbro to +70.3 for a highly serpentinized harzburgite. This reflects the effects of seawater alteration which is particularly strong on ultrabasic rocks. We conclude that the long belt of mafic-ultramafic rocks in the Urals, which includes the Kempersai and Voykar-Syninsky Massifs, represents segments of Siluro-Devonian oceanic crust. Our igneous age for Kempersai in conjunction with other age constraints suggest that these segments of oceanic crust formed at least 80 My before the collision that produced the Urals.     

The estuarine chemistry and isotope systematics of U in the Amazon and Fly Rivers

Natural concentrations of ²³⁸U and δ²³⁴U values were determined in estuarine surface waters and pore waters of the Amazon and Fly (Papua New Guinea) Rivers to investigate U transport phenomena across river-dominated land–sea margins. Discharge from large, tropical rivers is a major source of dissolved and solid materials transported to the oceans, and are important in defining not only oceanic mass budgets, but also terrestrial weathering rates.On the Amazon shelf, salinity-property plots of dissolved organic carbon, pH and total suspended matter revealed two vastly contrasting water masses that were energetically mixed. In this mixing zone, the distribution of uranium was highly non-conservative and exhibited extensive removal from the water column. Uranium removal was most pronounced within a salinity range of 0–16.6, and likely the result of scavenging and flocculation reactions with inorganic (i.e., Fe/Mn oxides) and organic colloids/particles. Removal of uranium may also be closely coupled to exchange and resuspension processes at the sediment/water interface. An inner-shelf pore water profile indicated the following diagenetic processes: extensive (1 m) zones of Fe(III)—and, to a lesser degree, Mn(IV)—reduction in the absence of significant S(II) concentrations appeared to facilitate the formation of various authigenic minerals (e.g., siderite, rhodocrosite and uraninite). The pore water dissolved ²³⁸U profile co-varied closely with Mn(II). Isotopic variations as evidenced in δ²³⁴U pore waters values from this site revealed information on the origin and history of particulate uranium. Only after a depth of about 1 m did the δ²³⁴U value approach unity (secular equilibrium), denoting a residual lattice bound uranium complex that is likely an upper-drainage basin weathering product. This suggests that the enriched δ²³⁴U values represent a riverine surface complexation product that is actively involved in Mn–Fe diagenetic cycles and surface complexation reactions.In the Fly River estuary, ²³⁸U appears to exhibit a reasonably conservative distribution as a function of salinity. The absence of observed U removal does not necessarily imply non-reactivity, but instead may record an integration of concurrent U removal and release processes. There is not a linear correlation between δ²³⁴U vs. 1/²³⁸U that would imply simple two component mixing. It is likely that resuspension of bottom sediments, prolonged residence times in the lower reaches of the Fly River, and energetic particle–colloid interactions contribute to the observed estuarine U distribution. The supply of uranium discharged from humid, tropical river systems to the sea appears to be foremost influenced by particle/water interactions that are ultimately governed by the particular physiographic and hydrologic characteristics of an estuary.     

Creep response of the lunar crust in mare regions from an analysis of crater deformation

The settling trends of 318 lunar mare craters are compared with predictions of numerical finite-element models in order to determine the creep response of the upper lunar mare crust. No settling is evident in craters smaller than 5 km in diameter. Settling rates of larger craters increase as function of crater size in a manner suggesting a non-linear lunar creep response corresponding to the power law $\text{ε}\text{?}\text{= 8.3 · 10}{}^{\mathrm{?34}}\text{σ}{}^2$ where έ is the strain rate and σ is the differential stress. However, the observed nonlinearity is probably an apparent nonlinearity resulting from the temperature induced viscosity decrease with depth due to a lunar crustal temperature gradient of 3° C/km and a creep activation energy of 20 kcal/mole. It is concluded that creep in the lunar medium is essentially Newtonian, and that the effective viscosity of the upper lunar mare crust is (1.6 ± 0.3) · 10²⁵ poise.     

Uranium-lead isotope systematics in a regionally metamorphosed tonalite from the eastern Alps

U-Pb isotopic analyses were made on sphene, three epidote fractions, apatite, K-feldspar and plagioclase from a 314-m.y.-old tonalite member of the Zentralgneis plutonic suite in the southeast Tauern Window. The tonalite reached temperatures in excess of 550°C during the Tertiary Alpine metamorphism.Apatite, fine-grained clinozoisite and feldspars equilibrated during the metamorphism, and the apatite yields an age of 22 m.y. which is 6 m.y. older than the Rb-Sr age of coexisting biotite.Sphene and coarse-grained iron-rich epidote did not reach equilibrium during Alpine metamorphism and the sphene data indicate crystallisation before 215 m.y. These minerals contain a large proportion of the uranium and thorium in the rock and the data thus imply that the present distribution of heat-producing elements in the tonalite was established long before the Alpine metamorphism.The very high closure temperatures for sphene and epidote implied by the data suggest they may be of value in dating metamorphism.     

上月壳中的散射引起月震尾波的数值模拟研究

在阿波罗月震记录中普遍存在着强烈持久的尾波信号,这样的波形特征无法用均匀分层月球模型解释.一个普遍被接受的解释是月震尾波由月球浅层结构对月震波的散射引起.我们采用基于交错网格的伪谱和有限差分混合方法模拟研究非均匀上月壳对月震波的散射效应,在此基础上解释月震尾波的形成机制,并估计出上月壳速度扰动的强度.我们发现,在均匀分层模型基础上,进一步考虑上月壳中的非均匀结构对月震波的散射效应,能有效地解释月震信号中强烈持久的尾波.我们认为月震尾波可能是由上月壳中的低波速、低衰减和散射这三个因素的共同作用所引起.采用不同的扰动标准差模拟上月壳的非均匀性,并比较模拟波形与真实月震图的相似程度,我们发现上月壳中速度扰动的标准差应该在3%到5%之间,很可能接近于3%.     

Xenon isotope systematics, giant impacts, and mantle degassing on the early Earth

The relationships between the major terrestrial volatile reservoirs are explored by resolving the different components in the Xe isotope signatures displayed by Harding County and Caroline CO₂ well gases and mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). For the nonradiogenic isotopes, there is evidence for the presence of components enhanced in the light ^124–128Xe/¹³⁰Xe isotope ratios with respect to the terrestrial atmosphere. The observation of small but significant elevations of these ratios in the MORB and well gas reservoirs means that the nonradiogenic Xe in the atmosphere cannot be the primordial base composition in the mantle. The presence of solar-like components, for example U–Xe, solar wind Xe, or both, is required.For radiogenic Xe generated by decay of short-lived ¹²⁹I and ²⁴⁴Pu, the ¹²⁹Xe_rad/¹³⁶Xe₂₄₄ ratios are indistinguishable in MORB and the present atmosphere, but differ by approximately an order of magnitude between the MORB and well gas sources. Correspondence of these ratios in MORB and the atmosphere within the relatively small uncertainties found here significantly constrains possible mantle degassing scenarios. The widely held view that substantial early degassing of ¹²⁹Xe_rad and ¹³⁶Xe₂₄₄ from the MORB reservoir to the atmosphere occurred and then ended while ¹²⁹I was still alive is incompatible with equal ratios, and so is not a possible explanation for observed elevations of ¹²⁹Xe/¹³⁰Xe in MORB compared to the atmosphere. Detailed degassing chronologies constructed from the isotopic composition of MORB Xe are therefore questionable.If the present estimate for the uranium/iodine ratio in the bulk silicate Earth (BSE) is taken to apply to all interior volatile reservoirs, the differing ¹²⁹Xe_rad/¹³⁶Xe₂₄₄ ratios in MORB and the well gases point to two episodes of major mantle degassing, presumably driven by giant impacts, respectively  20–50 Ma and  95–100 Ma after solar system origin assuming current values for initial ¹²⁹I/¹²⁷I and ²⁴⁴Pu/²³⁸U. The earlier time range, for degassing of the well gas source, spans Hf–W calculations for the timing of a moon-forming impact. The second, later impact further outgassed the upper mantle and MORB source. A single event that degassed both the MORB and gas well reservoirs at the time of the moon-forming collision would be compatible with their distinct ¹²⁹Xe_rad/¹³⁶Xe₂₄₄ ratios only if the post-impact iodine abundance in the MORB reservoir was about an order of magnitude lower than current estimates. In either case, such late dates require large early losses of noble gases, so that initial inventories acquired throughout the Earth must have been substantially higher.The much larger ¹²⁹Xe_rad/¹³⁶Xe₂₄₄ ratio in the well gases compared to MORB requires that these two Xe components evolve from separate interior reservoirs that have been effectively isolated from each other for most of the age of the planet, but are now seen within the upper mantle. These reservoirs have maintained distinct Xe isotope signatures despite having similar Ne isotope compositions that reflect similar degassing histories. This suggests that the light noble gas and radiogenic Xe isotopes are decoupled, with separate long-term storage of the latter. However, without data on the extent of heterogeneities within the upper mantle, this conclusion cannot be easily reconciled with geophysical observations without significant re-evaluation of present noble gas models. Nevertheless the analytic evidence that two different values of ¹²⁹Xe_rad/¹³⁶Xe₂₄₄ exist in the Earth appears firm. If the uranium/iodine ratio is approximately uniform throughout the BSE, it follows that degassing events from separate reservoirs at different times are recorded in the currently available terrestrial Xe data.     

Os isotope dating and growth hiatuses of Co-rich crust from central Pacific

Up to now, accurate determination of the growth age and hiatuses of the Co-rich crust is still a difficult work, which constrains the researches on the genesis, growth process, controlling factors, regional tectonics, paleo-oceanographic background, etc. of the Co-rich crust. This paper describes our work in determining the initial growth age of the Co-rich crust to be of the late Cretaceous Campanian Stage (about 75-80 Ma), by selecting the Co-rich crust with clear multi-layer structures in a central Pacific seamount for layer-by-layer sample analysis and using a number of chronological methods, such as Co flux dating, dating by correlation with 187Os/188Os evolution curves of seawater, and stratigraphic divi- sion by calcareous nannofossils. We have also discovered growth hiatuses with different time intervals in the early Paleocene, middle Eocene, late Eocene and early-middle Miocene, respectively. These re- sults have provided an important age background for further researches on the Co-rich crust growth process and the paleo-oceanographic environment evolution thereby revealed in the said region.     

Sulfur isotope systematics at the 21°N site,East Pacific Rise

Hydrogen sulfide in hydrothermal vent fluid at the 21°N site is enriched in ³⁴S relative to Mid-Ocean Ridge basalts, probably by addition of H₂S reduced from seawater sulfate by FeO-bearing basalt. Metalliferous sulfides are depleted in ³⁴S relative to the fluid from which they apparently precipitated, the degree of depletion reflecting the microenvironment in which each mineral crystallised and/or kinetic effects. Isotopic compositions of coexisting sulfides in a basal mound are consistent with equilibration at around 445°C, though heating to such a high temperature seems unlikely. Similar sulfides in a black smoker and in a dead chimney are out of isotopic equilibrium at any temperature, apparently reflecting a complex series of replacement mineralisations and post-depositional oxidation, respectively.