On the origin of impact glass in the Apollo 16 regolith

This study addresses the issue of what fraction of the impact glass in the regolith of a lunar landing site derives from local impacts (those within a few kilometers of the site) as opposed to distant impacts (10 or more kilometers away). Among 10,323 fragments from the 64-210-μm grain-size fraction of three Apollo 16 regolith samples, 14% are impact glasses, that is, fragments consisting wholly or largely of glass produced in a crater-forming impact. Another 16% are agglutinates formed by impacts of micrometeorites into regolith. We analyzed the glass in 1559 fragments for major- and minor-element concentrations by electron probe microanalysis and a subset of 112 of the fragments that are homogeneous impact glasses for trace elements by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Of the impact glasses, 75% are substantially different in composition from either the Apollo 16 regolith or any mixture of rocks of which the regolith is mainly composed. About 40% of the impact glasses are richer in Fe, Mg, and Ti, as well as K, P, and Sm, than are common rocks of the feldspathic highlands. These glasses must originate from craters in maria or the Procellarum KREEP Terrane. Of the feldspathic impact glasses, some are substantially more magnesian (greater MgO/FeO) or have substantially lower concentrations of incompatible elements than the regolith of the Apollo 16 site. Many of these, however, are in the range of feldspathic lunar meteorites, most of which derive from points in the feldspathic highlands distant from the Procellarum KREEP Terrane. These observations indicate that a significant proportion of the impact glass in the Apollo 16 regolith is from craters occurring 100 km or more from the landing site. In contrast, the composition of glass in agglutinates, on average, is similar to the composition of the Apollo 16 regolith, consistent with local origin.     

The regolith at the Apollo 15 site and its stratigraphic implications

Regolith samples from the Apollo 15 landing site are described in terms of two major fractions, a homogeneous glass fraction and a non-homogeneous glass fraction. The proportions of different components in the homogeneous glass fraction were determined directly by chemical analyses of individual particles. They are mainly green glass, a mare-like glass, and different types of Fra Mauro and Highland type glasses. The proportions of various components in the remainder of each of the soils were determined indirectly by finding the mix of components that best fits their bulk compositions. The mixing model suggests that the Apennine Front consists mainly of rocks of low-K Fra Mauro basalt composition. These may overlie rocks with the composition of anorthositic gabbro. Green glass, which occurs widely throughout the site is believed to be derived from a green glass layer which darkens upland surfaces and lies beneath the local mare surface.     

The geochemistry and provenance of Apollo 16 mafic glasses

The regolith of the Apollo 16 lunar landing site is composed mainly of feldspathic lithologies but mafic lithologies are also present. A large proportion of the mafic material occurs as glass. We determined the major element composition of 280 mafic glasses (>10 wt% FeO) from six different Apollo 16 soil samples. A small proportion (5%) of the glasses are of volcanic origin with picritic compositions. Most, however, are of impact origin. Approximately half of the mafic impact glasses are of basaltic composition and half are of noritic composition with high concentrations of incompatible elements. A small fraction have compositions consistent with impact mixtures of mare material and material of the feldspathic highlands. On the basis of major-element chemistry, we identified six mafic glass groups: VLT picritic glass, low-Ti basaltic glass, high-Ti basaltic glass, high-Al basaltic glass, KREEPy glass, and basaltic-andesite glass. These glass groups encompass 60% of the total mafic glasses studied. Trace-element analyses by secondary ion mass spectroscopy for representative examples of each glass group (31 total analyses) support the major-element classifications and groupings. The lack of basaltic glass in Apollo 16 ancient regolith breccias, which provide snapshots of the Apollo 16 soil just after the infall of Imbrium ejecta, leads us to infer that most (if not all) of the basaltic glass was emplaced as ejecta from small- or moderate-sized impacts into the maria surrounding the Apollo 16 site after the Imbrium impact. The high-Ti basaltic glasses likely represent a new type of basalt from Mare Tranquillitatis, whereas the low-Ti and high-Al basaltic glasses possibly represent the composition of the basalts in Mare Nectaris. Both the low-Ti and high-Al basaltic glasses are enriched in light-REEs, which hints at the presence of a KREEP-bearing source region beneath Mare Nectaris. The basaltic andesite glasses have compositions that are siliceous, ferroan, alkali-rich, and moderately titaniferous; they are unlike any previously recognized lunar lithology or glass group. Their likely provenance is within the Procellarum KREEP Terrane, but they are not found within the Apollo 16 ancient regolith breccias and therefore were likely deposited at the Apollo 16 site post-Imbrium. The basaltic-andesite glasses are the most ferroan variety of KREEP yet discovered.     

Composition and origin of lithic fragments and glasses in apollo 11 samples

Approximately 100 glasses and 52 lithic fragments from Apollo 11 lunar fines and microbreccias were analyzed with the electron microprobe. Ranges in bulk composition of lithic fragments are considerably outside the precision (<±1%) and accuracy (±2–5%) of the broad electron beam technique. Results of this study may be summarized as follows: i) A large variety of rock types different from the hand specimens (basalt) were found among the lithic fragments, namely anorthosites, troctolitic and noritic anorthosites, troctolites, and norites (different from Apollo 12 norites). ii) In analogy to the hand specimens, the basaltic lithic fragments may be subdivided into low-K and high-K groups, both of which extend considerably in composition beyond the hand specimens. iii) Glasses were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 are the compositional analogs of the anorthositic-troctolitic lithic fragments and were apparently formed in single-stage impact events directly from parent anorthosites and troctolites. iv) Group 2 glasses are identical in composition to Apollo 12 KREEP glass and noritic lithic fragments, but have no counterparts in our Apollo 11 lithic fragment suite. Occurrence of KREEP in Apollo 11,12, and 14 samples is indicative of its relatively high abundance and suggests that the lunar crust is less depleted in elements that are common in KREEP (e.g. K, rare earths, P) than was originally thought on the basis of Apollo 11 basalt studies. v) Group 3 glasses are the compositional analogs of the basaltic lithic fragments, but low-K and high-K glasses cannot be distinguished because of loss of K (and Na, P) by volatilization in the vitrification process. vi) Group 4 glasses have no compositional analogs among the lithic fragments and were probably derived from as yet unknown Fe-rich, moderately Ti-rich, Mg-poor basalts. vii) Group 5 (low Ti-high Mg peridotite equivalent) and 6 (ilmenite peridotite equivalent) glasses have no counterparts among the Apollo 11 lithic fragments, but rock equivalents to group 5 glasses were found in Apollo 12 samples. Group 6 glasses are abundant, have narrow compositional ranges, and are thought to be the products of impact melting of an as yet unrecognized ultramafic rock type. iix) The great variety of igneous rocks (e.g. anorthosites, troctolites, norites, basalts, peridotites) suggests that large scale melting or partial melting to considerable depth must have occurred on the moon.     

Northwest Africa 773: lunar mare breccia with a shallow-formed olivine-cumulate component, inferred very-low-Ti (VLT) heritage, and a KREEP connection

Lunar meteorite Northwest Africa 773 (herein referred to as NWA773) is a breccia composed predominantly of mafic volcanic components, including a prominent igneous clast lithology. The clast lithology is an olivine-gabbro cumulate, which, on the basis of mineral and bulk compositions, is a hypabyssal igneous rock related compositionally to volcanic components in the meteorite. The olivine-gabbro lithology exhibits cumulus textures and, in our largest section of it, includes some 48% olivine (Fo₆₄ to Fo₇₀, average Fo₆₇), 27% pigeonite (En₆₀Fs₂₄Wo₁₆ to En₆₇Fs₂₇Wo₆), 11% augite (En₅₀Fs₁₇Wo₃₃ to En₄₇Fs₁₃Wo₄₀), 2% orthopyroxene (En₇₀Fs₂₆Wo₄), 11% plagioclase (An₈₀ to An₉₄), and trace barian K-feldspar, ilmenite, Cr-spinel, RE-merrillite, troilite, and Fe-Ni metal. The Mg/Fe ratios of the mafic silicates indicate equilibration of Fe and Mg; however, the silicates retain compositional variations in minor and trace elements that are consistent with intercumulus crystallization. Accessory mineralogy reflects crystallization of late-stage residual melt. Both lithologies (breccia and olivine cumulate) of the meteorite have very-low-Ti (VLT) major-element compositions, but with an unusual trace-element signature compared to most lunar VLT volcanic compositions, i.e., relative enrichment in light REE and large-ion-lithophile elements, and greater depletion in Eu than almost all other known lunar volcanic rocks. The calculated composition of the melt that was in equilibrium with pyroxene and plagioclase of the cumulate lithology exhibits a KREEP-like REE pattern, but at lower concentrations. Melt of a composition calculated to have been in equilibrium with the cumulate assemblage, plus excess olivine, yields a major-element composition that is similar to known green volcanic glasses. One volcanic glass type from Apollo 14 in particular, green glass B, type 1, has a very low Ti concentration and REE characteristics, including extremely low Eu concentration, that make it a candidate parent melt for the olivine-gabbro cumulate. We infer an origin for the parent melt of NWA773 volcanic components by assimilation of a trace-element-rich partial or residual melt by a magnesian, VLT magma deep in the lunar crust or in the mantle prior to transportation to the near-surface, accumulation of olivine and pyroxene in a shallow chamber, eruption onto a volcanic surface, and incorporation of components into local, predominantly volcanic regolith, prior to impact mixing of the volcanic terrain and related hypabyssal setting, and ejection from the surface of the Moon. Volcanic components such as these probably occur in the Oceanus Procellarum region near the site of origin of the green volcanic glasses found in the Apollo 14 regolith.     

Lunar volcanic glasses and their constraints on mare petrogenesis

Volcanic glasses from the Apollo 11, 14, 15, and 16 landing sites have been analyzed for major elements and Ni by electron microprobe. The 19 varieties of volcanic glass define two distinct chemical arrays that provide new insights into (a) the petrogenesis of mare basalts and (b) the structure of the deep lunar interior. A simple model is proposed whereby mare basaltic liquids may have been derived from two isolated, cumulate systems occurring at depths of ~300 km and ? 400 km. Each system was itself composed of two lithologic components (low-Ti vs high-Ti) that underwent hybridization, assimilation, or mixing to generate the large compositional range of magmas observed within each array. While the distribution of the two components within each system was locally heterogeneous, data indicate that the components themselves were chemically uniform on at least a regional scale. The surface-correlated volatiles associated with the lunar volcanic glasses seem to have come from some other reservoir within the Moon.The simplicity of the chemical relationships observed among the lunar volcanic glasses allow specific-predictions to be made. We believe that they should readily reveal any strengths or weaknesses of this new model.     

Structural variations in anorthites

Variations of structure and optical properties in anorthites (An 93–97%) of different origin are analyzed with the petrographic microscope, U-stage methods, X-ray single crystal analysis and high voltage electron microscopy. No significant variation has been found in the orientation of the indicatrix and of the lattice constants. But c-type reflections (h + k even, odd) are strong and sharp in anorthites from slowly cooled rocks and diffuse in anorthites of identical chemical composition from quenched igneous rocks. Large type c-antiphase domains (5000–10000 Å) are found in the slowly cooled rocks, c-domains in volcanic rocks are small (100 Å) or could not be imaged. The presence of only b-domains in lunar basalt 14310 indicates quenching of this rock. Large c-domains in the Apollo 15 genesis rock (15415, Lally et al., 1972) indicate slow cooling similar to terrestrial metamorphic rocks.     

SIMS U-Pb study of zircon from Apollo 14 and 17 breccias: Implications for the evolution of lunar KREEP

We report the results of a SIMS U-Pb study of 112 zircons from breccia samples from the Apollo 14 and 17 landing sites. Zircon occurs in the breccia matrices as rounded, irregular shaped, broken and rarely euhedral grains and as constituent minerals in a variety of lithic clasts ranging in composition from ultra-mafic and mafic rocks to highly evolved granophyres. Crystallisation of zircon in magmatic rocks is governed by the zirconium saturation in the melt. As a consequence, the presence of zircon in mafic rocks on the Moon implies enrichment of their parent melts in the KREEP component. Our SIMS results show that the ages of zircons from mafic to ultramafic clasts range from ca. 4.35 Ga to ca. 4.00 Ga demonstrating multiple generations of KREEPy mafic and ultramafic magmas over this time period. Individual zircon clasts in breccia matrices have a similar age range to zircons in igneous clasts and all represent zircons that have been incorporated into the breccia from older parents. The age distributions of zircons from breccias from both the Apollo 14 and Apollo 17 landing sites are essentially identical in the range 4.35-4.20 Ga. However, whereas Apollo 14 zircons additionally show ages from 4.20 to 3.90 Ga, no zircons from Apollo 17 samples have primary ages less than ca. 4.20 Ga. Also, in contrast to previous suggestions that the magmatism in the lunar crust is continuous our results show that the zircon age distribution is uneven, with distinct peaks of magmatic activity at ca. 4.35 Ga, ca. 4.20 Ga in Apollo 14 and 17 and a possible third peak in zircons from Apollo 14 at ca. 4.00 Ga. To explain the differences in the zircon age distributions between the Apollo 14 and 17 landing sites we propose that episodes of KREEP magmatism were generated from a primary reservoir, and that this reservoir contracted over time towards the centre of Procellarum KREEP terrane. We attribute the peaks in KREEP magmatism to impact induced emplacement of KREEP magma from a primary mantle source or to a progressive thermal build-up in the mantle source until the temperature exceeds the threshold for generation of KREEP magma, which is transported into the crust by an unspecified possibly plume-like process.     

Osmium isotope and highly siderophile element systematics of lunar impact melt breccias: Implications for the late accretion history of the Moon and Earth

To characterize the compositions of materials accreted to the Earth-Moon system between about 4.5 and 3.8 Ga, we have determined Os isotopic compositions and some highly siderophile element (HSE: Re, Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, and Pd) abundances in 48 subsamples of six lunar breccias. These are: Apollo 17 poikilitic melt breccias 72395 and 76215; Apollo 17 aphanitic melt breccias 73215 and 73255; Apollo 14 polymict breccia 14321; and lunar meteorite NWA482, a crystallized impact melt. Plots of Ir versus other HSE define excellent linear correlations, indicating that all data sets likely represent dominantly two-component mixtures of a low-HSE target, presumably endogenous component, and a high-HSE, presumably exogenous component. Linear regressions of these trends yield intercepts that are statistically indistinguishable from zero for all HSE, except for Ru and Pd in two samples. The slopes of the linear regressions are insensitive to target rock contributions of Ru and Pd of the magnitude observed; thus, the trendline slopes approximate the elemental ratios present in the impactor components contributed to these rocks. The ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os and regression-derived elemental ratios for the Apollo 17 aphanitic melt breccias and the lunar meteorite indicate that the impactor components in these samples have close affinities to chondritic meteorites. The HSE in the Apollo 17 aphanitic melt breccias, however, might partially or entirely reflect the HSE characteristics of HSE-rich granulitic breccia clasts that were incorporated in the impact melt at the time of its creation. In this case, the HSE characteristics of these rocks may reflect those of an impactor that predated the impact event that led to the creation of the melt breccias. The impactor components in the Apollo 17 poikilitic melt breccias and in the Apollo 14 breccia have higher ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os, Pt/Ir, and Ru/Ir and lower Os/Ir than most chondrites. These compositions suggest that the impactors they represent were chemically distinct from known chondrite types, and possibly represent a type of primitive material not currently delivered to Earth as meteorites.     

黑龙江涌泉地区变质基性火山岩中钠质角闪石的成因及演化

根据野外地质特征确定出黑龙江涌泉地区具有洋壳性质的变质基性火山岩由火山熔岩和火山角砾岩两部分组成。这些基性火山岩至少发生了两期高压变质,两期高压变质形成的钠质角闪石具有不同成因。早期的钠质角闪石与岩石片理明显不协调、无方向性、在岩石中不均匀分布,可能是在佳木斯地块与松嫩地块拼合过程中形成;晚期的钠质角闪石构成了现存片理,可能与后期构造变形有关。由于后期变质、变形作用不均匀及火山角砾岩中物质成份的差异,使得部分火山熔岩和火山角砾岩中的角砾及部分胶结物早期高压变质特征得以保留。根据研究区内及相邻地区绿色片岩特征,确定绿色片岩是由经历高压变质的基性火山岩转变而形成。     

Large-Scale Separation of K-frac and REEP-frac in the Source Regions of Apollo Impact-Melt Breccias,and a Revised Estimate of the KREEP Composition

Mafic impact-melt breccias (IMB) from the Apollo landing sites—particularly Apollo 14, Apollo 15, Apollo 16, and Apollo 17—are abundant and form compositionally distinct groups. These groups exhibit a range of major-element compositions and incompatible-element enrichments. Although concentrations of incompatible elements span a significant range, inter-element ratios vary little and have been used in the past to infer a common KREEP component (KREEP = rich in potassium, rare-earth elements, phosphorus, and other alkali and high-field-strength elements). On the basis of an extensive, high-precision data set for melt-breccia groups from different Apollo landing sites, variations in trace-element signatures of the mafic impact-melt breccias reflect significant differences in KREEP components of source regions. These differences are consistent with variable enrichment or depletion of source regions in those trace elements that fractionated during the latest stages of residual-melt evolution and are more or less related to “lunar granite.” Compared to other sites, the source region of Apollo 14 impact melts had an excess of the elements that are concentrated in lunar granite, suggesting either than this source region was enriched in such a component (K-frac) or that it lost a corresponding mafic component (REEP-frac). Because these are impact-melt breccias formed in large (probably basin) impacts, the indicated geochemical separations must have occurred on a broad scale.

Variations in the incompatible-element concentrations of the IMB groups reported in this paper are used to calculate a revised KREEP incompatible-element composition. On the basis of several extremely enriched lunar samples that retain the incompatible elements in KREEP-like ratios, the KREEP composition is extended to a level of 300 ppm La, or about three times the concentration of high-potassium KREEP as estimated by Warren (1989).     

Rb,Sr and strontium isotopic composition,K/Ar age and large ion lithophile trace element abundances in rocks and glasses from the Wanapitei Lake impact structure

Shock metamorphosed rocks and shock-produced melt glasses from the Wanapitei Lake impact structure have been examined petrographically and by electron microprobe. Eleven clasts exhibiting varying degrees of shock metamorphism and eight impact-produced glasses have been analyzed for Rb, Sr and Sr isotopic composition. Five clasts and one glass have also been analyzed for large ion lithophile (LIL) trace element abundances including Li, Rb, Sr, and Ba and the REE's.The impact event forming the Wanapitei Lake structure occurred 37 m.y. ago based on K/Ar dating of glass and glassy whole-rock samples. Rb/Sr isotopic dating failed to provide a meaningful whole-rock or internal isochron. The isotopic composition of the glasses can be explained by impact-produced mixing and melting of metasediments. Large ion lithophile trace element abundance patterns confirm the origin of the glasses by total shock melting of metasediments.     

The structural and textural features of felsic volcanics of the Sarbai Formation (Southern Urals)

The results of a microscope study of samples of felsic volcanic rocks from the upper horizons of the Sarbai Formation (O₂–S₁ sb) in the Southern Urals that compose the formation are presented. A detailed study of the samples and an evaluation of the results of a silicate analysis of these rocks showed their volcanogenic genesis. The rocks have been classified as volcanic glass that underwent several stages of transformation. Three newly-formed structural and textural types of mineralization were defined: spherulitic (felsophyric), axiolitic, and felsitic.     

西天山查岗诺尔和智博铁矿区火山岩地球化学特征、锆石U-Pb年龄及地质意义

西天山东段的查岗诺尔铁矿和智博铁矿赋存于以玄武岩、玄武安山岩、粗面岩以及安山质凝灰岩为主的晚石炭世火山岩中, 对火山岩的形成时代以及构造地质背景的研究是重建成矿过程的关键。本文通过对两个矿区的火山岩进行岩石地球化学和LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年分析来探讨火山岩形成的构造环境与时代。地球化学分析表明大多数火山岩化学成分从钙碱性、高钾钙碱性变化到钾玄岩系列,富集轻稀土元素(LREE)和大离子亲石元素(LILE; 如Rb、Th、K),重稀土元素(HREE)配分平坦,同时具有Nb、Ta、Ti的强烈亏损,类似于岛弧火山岩的地球化学特征。大多数玄武质火山岩在构造环境判别图中位于火山弧环境。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年显示流纹岩和英安岩的²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U加权平均年龄分别为301.8±0.9Ma和300.3±1.1Ma。此外,对两件闪长岩样品测年获得²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U加权平均年龄介于303.8～305Ma之间。火山岩与闪长岩样品具有类似的地球化学特征以及形成时代,表明它们可能来源于同一母岩浆,形成于相同的构造背景下。结合区域地质资料,本文认为矿区内出露的高钾钙碱性到钾玄岩系列火山岩可能属于俯冲过程末期阶段大陆岛弧岩浆作用的产物。     

阿拉善北部地区石炭纪火山岩岩石成因及构造意义

阿拉善北部地区石炭纪火山岩分布广泛, 目前对其成因和构造环境研究还很薄弱.通过对该区石炭纪火山岩岩石学和地球化学特征的分析, 探讨其岩石成因和形成时的构造背景, 为判定石炭纪盆地性质与古构造环境提供岩石地球化学约束.研究区内石炭纪火山岩主要为中-酸性火山岩, 少量基性火山岩.玄武岩、玄武安山岩的大多数样品显示亚碱性系列特征, Mg#介于0.29~0.69之间, 高场强元素Nb、Ta、Ti明显亏损, 岩石轻度富集轻稀土元素(LREE), (La/Yb)_N=2.19~10.10, Eu异常不明显(δEu=0.81~1.08), 稀土配分曲线右倾较缓, ε_Nd(t)值较高(+1.10~+6.35).总体上既显示板内构造环境特征, 又携带俯冲带地球化学印记.综合区域地质特征及前人研究结果, 认为阿拉善北部及其邻区石炭纪火山岩形成于板内裂谷环境, 且可能与地幔柱事件有关, 岩浆在上升过程中受到地壳物质不同程度的混染.      

Tektites: A post-Apollo view

Prior to the receipt of the lunar samples, it was the scientific consensus that tektites were melted and splashed material formed during large cometary or meteorite impact events. Whether the impact took place on the Earth or the Moon was the topic of a long-standing scientific debate, which raged with particular intensity during the decade previous to the lunar landings.Four definite and separate tektite-strewn fields are known: bediasites (North America, 34 m.y.); moldavites (Czechoslovakia, 14 m.y.); Ivory Coast (1.3 m.y.); and Southeast Asian and Australian fields (0.7 m.y.). A fifth possible occurrence, of high-Na australites, possibly 3–4 m.y. old, remains to be substantiated. The age of infall of the australites is not agreed upon. Radiometric and fission track dates agree with the magnetic stratigraphy for deep-sea core microtektite occurrences at about 0.7 m.y. Terrestrial stratigraphic evidence favours a recent (30,000 years) date.The chemistry of tektites appears to reflect that of the parent material, and losses during fusion appear to be restricted to elements and compounds more volatile than cesium. Terrestrial impact glasses provide small-scale analogues of tektite-forming events, and indicate that only the most volatile components are lost during fusion.The Apollo lunar missions provide critical evidence which refutes the hypothesis of lunar origin of tektites. Tektite chemistry is totally distinct from that observed in lunar maria basalts. These possess Cr contents which are two orders of magnitude higher than tektites, distinctive REE patterns with large Eu depletions, high Fe and low SiO₂ contents, low K/U ratios and many other diagnostic features, none of which are observed in the chemistry of tektites. The lunar uplands compositions, as shown by Apollo 14, 15 and 16 samples and the μ-ray and XRF orbiter data, are high-Al, low-SiO₂ compositions totally dissimilar to those of tektites. The composition of lunar rock 12013 shows typical lunar features and is distinct from that of tektites. The small amounts of lunar K-rich granitic material found in the soils have K/Mg and K/Na ratios 10–50 times those of tektites.The ages of the lunar maria (3.2–3.8 aeons) and uplands (> 4.0 aeons) are an order of magnitude older than the parent material of the Southeast Asian and Australian tektites, which yield Rb-Sr isochrons indicating ages of the order of 100–300 m.y. The lunar lead isotopic compositions are highly radiogenic whereas tektites have terrestrial Pb isotopic ratios. Lunar δ¹⁸ O values are low (< 7 per mil) compared with values of +9.6 to +11.5 per mil for tektites. In summary, a lunar impact origin for tektites is not compatible with the chemistry, age or isotopic composition of the lunar samples. A lunar volcanic origin, recently revived by O'Keefe (1970) encounters most of the same problems. Recent lunar volcanism (< 50 m.y.), if the source of tektites, should contribute tektite glass to the upper layers of the regolith. None has been found. The presence of meteoritic components in tektites, and the high pressure phase coesite, are more readily interpreted as evidence of impact.The element abundances and inter-element variations in tektites do not resemble those in terrestrial igneous rocks, but show a close similarity to terrestrial sandstones. The composition of the Southeast Asian tektites, australites and moldavites resembles that of micaceous sandstones or subgreywackes, the Ivory Coast tektite composition is similar to that of greywacke, and the bediasite chemistry is analogous to that of arkose.No suitable terrestrial impact site has been identified for the bediasites, Southeast Asian tektites and australites. It is suggested that a search for the source of these latter strewnfields be made using satellite photographs to look for wide shallow craters produced by super-Tunguska type events on areas of Mesozoic sandstones. The moldavites were possibly formed during the Ries Crater event but, if so, the precise source of the material remains to be identified. The Ivory Coast tektites are linked by chemistry, isotope and age evidence to the Bosumtwi Crater, Ghana. The overall evidence now supports the origin of tektites by cometary (or meteorite) impact on terrestrial sedimentary rocks.     

Graphite oxidation in the Apollo 17 orange glass magma: Implications for the generation of a lunar volcanic gas phase

An Apollo 17 picritic orange glass composition has been used to experimentally investigate the conditions at which graphite would oxidize to form a CO-rich gas, and ultimately produce lunar fire-fountain eruptions. Isothermal decompression experiments run above the A17 orange glass liquidus temperature (>1350 °C) suggest that the initial CO-rich gas phase produced by graphite oxidation would be generated during magma ascent at a pressure of 40 MPa, 8.5 km beneath the lunar surface. Additional experiments with 2000 ppm S and 1000 ppm Cl showed that the presence of these dissolved gas species would not affect the depth of graphite oxidation, verifying that the first volcanic gas phase would be generated by the oxidation of graphite.A simple ideal chemical mixing model for calculating melt FeO activity in a Fe-metal/silicate melt system was tested with a series of 0.1 MPa controlled oxygen fugacity experiments. Agreement between the model and experiments allows the model to be used to calculate oxygen fugacity in picritic lunar glass compositions such as the A17 orange glass. Using this model in a reanalysis of chemical equilibria between the natural A17 orange glass melt and the metal spherules (Fe₈₅Ni₁₄Co₁) trapped within the glass beads indicates a log oxygen fugacity of −11.2, 0.7 log units, more oxidized than previous estimates. At the A17 orange glass liquidus temperature (1350 ± 5 °C), this f_O2 corresponds to a minimum pressure of 41 MPa on the graphite–C–O surface. The fact that the same critical graphite oxidation pressure was determined in decompression experiments and from the Fe–FeO activity model for the natural A17 orange glass–metal assemblage strongly supports this pressure (8.5 km depth) for volcanic gas formation in lunar basalts. Generation of a gas by oxidation of C in ascending magma is likely to have been important in getting dense lunar magmas to the surface as well as in generating fire-fountain eruptions. The vesicles common in many lunar basalts and the ubiquitous Fe-metal in these rocks are also likely generated by the oxidation of carbon. The presence of carbon in the lunar basalts and the recent discovery of ppm levels of water in lunar basalts indicate that at least parts of the lunar interior still contained volatiles at 3.9 bybp.     

核爆炸玻璃、撞击玻璃和玻璃陨石源岩

本文根据核爆炸岩石熔融玻璃的地球化学研究结果,与超速陨石撞击坑的熔岩进行比较,获得在远离热力学平衡条件下,各种玻璃和熔岩在化学成分上分布十分均匀的重要结论。岩石玻璃和熔岩是由基岩各组成岩石按一定比例混合熔融形成的。它们的主量元素和痕量元素丰度受基岩元素背景值制约。文中根据熔体和靶岩的化学成分,计算了熔岩各组成岩石的百分比。玻璃陨石是地壳岩石受撞击熔融形成的。同一撒布区的玻璃陨石化学成分相近,说明起源于同一源坑;而玻璃陨石化学成分的不同,则说明母岩组成分量的差异。因此,文中通过模拟计算,得出各玻璃陨石的组成源岩。澳大利亚撒布区的玻璃陨石,Al₂O₃,K₂O 和Na₂O 与 SiO₂及 K₂O/Na₂O 比值不完全相同,说明澳大利亚撒布区存在着几个不同的源岩和源坑,至少有印支、爪哇、菲律宾和澳大利亚四个相应撞击坑。     

藏东及邻区钾玄岩系岩石云母特征及其岩石学意义

青藏高原东部及邻区新生代钾玄岩系列岩石包括钾质碱性深成岩、火山岩、煌斑岩和偏酸性的斑岩。云母是钾玄岩系列岩石中的主要暗色矿物，分布亦较广泛。我们用单矿物化学分析方法测定本区钾玄武岩系四种岩石中云母和化学成分，其结果MF＝1．30－1．99，应为金云母－富镁黑云母，属于富碱富镁高铝贫铁类型的云母；云母的红外光谱，在450cm^-1和1000cm^-1附近都有很强的吸收谱带，显示了四种岩石中的云母具有类似的红外光谱特征；X光衍射测定，本区云母的d(060)为15．32nm-15.41nm，它们的晶胞参数变化不大，均为三八面体1M型云母。以上特征表明，本区钾玄岩系四种岩石中云母均形成于高碱度环境，它们与钙碱性系列岩石中云母形成的环境迥然不同。从四种岩石的云母具有相似的化学成分、红外光谱和晶胞参数，说明它们的寄生岩石具有钾岩的特征，其物源来自交代地幔。     

Petrology and structure of the Rathjen granitic gneiss of the Palmer region,South Australia

The Rathjen Gneiss is a homogeneous granitic gneiss occurring within the high grade regional metamorphic belt of the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges.

New mineralogical, chemical and microfabric data are presented and the genesis of the gneiss discussed in the light of these new data. From a comparison of the biotites (two analyses) and potassium feldspars (5 analyses) it is deduced that the gneiss crystallized or recrystallized under the same physical conditions as the envelope rocks. Mesoscopic and microscopic structures are also identical in style and orientation with the envelope rocks.

Five selected specimens of the gneiss have been analysed for major and minor elements. On the basis of a comparison of certain critical element ratios (such as Rb/Ba) in the gneiss with those of probable source rocks, it is suggested that metasomatism has not been a significant factor in its genesis.

To explain its granitic composition and apparent sheet‐like form, it is suggested that the gneiss is a metamorphosed sheet of acid volcanic rocks.