Lunar Pyroxene-Phyric Basalts: Crystallization Under Supercooled Conditions

Pyroxene-phyric basalts constitute a distinct petrologic groupin samples from lunar maria at both Apollo 12 and Apollo 15sites. Textures of pyroxene-phyric basalts from both sites aresimilar, but bulk compositions and mineralogy are somewhat different.Pyroxene-phyric basalts are characterized by large pyroxenephenocrysts with cores of magnesian pigeonite and mantles ofaugite grading to ferroaugite, usually set in a distinctly finergroundmass of iron-rich pyroxene, plagioclase, ilmenite, andother minor minerals. Olivine is scarce or absent modally andnormatively. Controversy has arisen over whether the porphyritictexture is a result of (1) a two-stage cooling history, e.g.phenocrysts formed at depth, and groundmass formed on extrusion;or (2) single stage, rapid cooling under supercooled conditions(cooling history here refers to cooling conditions imposed byexternal factors, and is not to be equated with ‘crystallizationhistory’). A study of six rocks belonging to this groupfrom Apollo 15 rake samples is reported here. A considerablerange of textures is present in these rocks, and they may beranked in order of decreasing late-stage cooling rate (15125,15666, 15682, 15118, 15684, 15116) on the basis of groundmasscrystal size. The same ranking is obtained from delta-beta (measuredin X-ray precession photos) of pigeonite and augite exsolvedfrom once homogeneous crystals, or of epitaxially overgrownaugite and pigeonite. The size of the phenocrysts in these rocks tends to be positivelycorrelated with the coarseness of the groundmass. Furthermorethe same correlation is evidently present in almost all otherApollo 12 and Apollo 15 pyroxene-phyric rocks. This constitutesa strong argument in favor of a single-stage cooling historyfor all pyroxene-phyric rocks, because the correlation wouldbe fortuitous for a two-stage cooling history. On the basisof this and many other arguments advanced previously and inthis paper, it is concluded that all the pyroxene-phyric rocksoriginated in a single-stage cooling process. A crystallization model for pyroxene-phyric rocks accounts forthe bimodal distribution of crystal size by two episodes ofsupercooling and nucleation during the continuous cooling process,the first of pyroxene, which nucleates homogeneously, the secondof plagioclase, which nucleates heterogeneously on the pyroxenephenocrysts. The more rapidly cooled rocks attained greaterdegrees of supercooling in both stages, hence greater nucleationrates and smaller crystals.     

Landscape Change and Environmental Histories

Historical geography was once a popular element of university curricula in New Zealand. It was also a conspicuous focus of research. Today however there is only one identifiable course in historical geography in New Zealand's university calendars – at Massey – and few writers have maintained an active research interest rooted in the sub‐discipline. This Comment suggests some reasons why now is a good time for New Zealand's geographers to reassess this state of affairs, and outlines five themes that might be pursued in the construction of more explicit historical geographies at the start of the third millennium.     

Branding Strategies and Languages of Consumption

This article seeks to contribute to the limited literature on languages of consumption by focusing on the ways in which brands help to articulate the relationships between producers and consumers. A particular theme is the invention and exploitation of identities of place employed in branding strategies. This is illustrated by case studies of ‘clean, green’ New Zealand, and of corporate branding activites in the brewing and wine making industries.