The suitability of apatite as an age indicator by the uranium-lead isotope method

Experimental data obtained for 14 samples from the granitic terrain surrounding the Barberton Mountain Land in the Republic of South Africa is used to demonstrate that the common accessory mineral, apatite, is suitable for age measurements by the U-Pb isotope method and may in many cases be a more reliable age indicator than the co-existing zircon. The ages calculated for apatite separated from the granitic rocks are in most cases concordant or nearly so (the biggest difference between two uranium-lead ages exhibited being less than 7%); while the ages calculated for co-existing zircon are mostly grossly disconcordant. It is proposed that the theoretical explanation for this observation is found in the crystal chemical stability of the apatite structure as compared to that of zircon. Zircon is probably much more susceptible to loss of members of the U-Pb decay system especially when metamict.     

Crystal chemistry of merrillite from Martian meteorites: Mineralogical recorders of magmatic processes and planetary differentiation

Merrillite is a ubiquitous accessory phase in a variety of Martian meteorite lithologies. The Martian merrillites exhibit a positive correlation between Mg# and Na and a negative correlation between Mg# and both Mn and vacancies in the octahedral Na‐site. Their REE patterns are varied and range from LREE‐depleted to LREE‐enriched. The dominant cation substitutions in the Martian merrillites are Fe²⁺_{VI Mg‐site}?Mg²⁺_{VI Mg‐site} and Ca²⁺_{VI Na‐site} +  □_{VI Na‐site}?2Na⁺_{VI Na‐site}. The REE substitution into the 8‐fold coordinated Ca‐site is accommodated by the coupled substitution Ca_{VIII Ca‐site} + (Na)_{VI Na‐site} ?(Y³⁺ + REE³⁺)_{VIII Ca‐site} + □_{VI Na‐site}. The REE substitution is significantly more prevalent in lunar merrillite and can be used as a “fingerprint” to distinguish lunar from Martian meteorites. The substitution of OH^? (whitlockite) and/or F^? (bobdownsite) for O^2? on one of the phosphate tetrahedrons appears to be rather insignificant. The correlations among Na, Mg#, Mn, and Na‐site vacancies are linked to the premerrillite crystallization history of the melt and the crystal chemical behavior of the Mg‐ and Na‐sites. The former reflects the sequence and extent of plagioclase and pyroxene crystallization. The differences in REE pattern shapes among the merrillites reflect source regions for the Martian basalts and the shapes are not greatly perturbed by the crystallization history. The occurrence of merrillite does not imply low‐volatile component in the Martian magmas. However, the low whitlockite and bobdownsite contents suggest that these samples were not altered by hydrothermal fluids and therefore not reset owing to aqueous fluid interactions. Consequently, the young ages of the shergottites are probably true igneous crystallization ages.     

Lander radioscience for obtaining the rotation and orientation of Mars

The paper presents the concept, the objectives, the approach used, and the expected performances and accuracies of a radioscience experiment based on a radio link between the Earth and the surface of Mars. This experiment involves radioscience equipment installed on a lander at the surface of Mars. The experiment with the generic name lander radioscience (LaRa) consists of an X-band transponder that has been designed to obtain, over at least one Martian year, two-way Doppler measurements from the radio link between the ExoMars lander and the Earth (ExoMars is an ESA mission to Mars due to launch in 2013). These Doppler measurements will be used to obtain Mars’ orientation in space and rotation (precession and nutations, and length-of-day variations). More specifically, the relative position of the lander on the surface of Mars with respect to the Earth ground stations allows reconstructing Mars’ time varying orientation and rotation in space.Precession will be determined with an accuracy better by a factor of 4 (better than the 0.1% level) with respect to the present-day accuracy after only a few months at the Martian surface. This precession determination will, in turn, improve the determination of the moment of inertia of the whole planet (mantle plus core) and the radius of the core: for a specific interior composition or even for a range of possible compositions, the core radius is expected to be determined with a precision decreasing to a few tens of kilometers.A fairly precise measurement of variations in the orientation of Mars’ spin axis will enable, in addition to the determination of the moment of inertia of the core, an even better determination of the size of the core via the core resonance in the nutation amplitudes. When the core is liquid, the free core nutation (FCN) resonance induces a change in the nutation amplitudes, with respect to their values for a solid planet, at the percent level in the large semi-annual prograde nutation amplitude and even more (a few percent, a few tens of percent or more, depending on the FCN period) for the retrograde ter-annual nutation amplitude. The resonance amplification depends on the size, moment of inertia, and flattening of the core. For a large core, the amplification can be very large, ensuring the detection of the FCN, and determination of the core moment of inertia.The measurement of variations in Mars’ rotation also determines variations of the angular momentum due to seasonal mass transfer between the atmosphere and ice caps. Observations even for a short period of 180 days at the surface of Mars will decrease the uncertainty by a factor of two with respect to the present knowledge of these quantities (at the 10% level).The ultimate objectives of the proposed experiment are to obtain information on Mars’ interior and on the sublimation/condensation of CO₂ in Mars’ atmosphere. Improved knowledge of the interior will help us to better understand the formation and evolution of Mars. Improved knowledge of the CO₂ sublimation/condensation cycle will enable better understanding of the circulation and dynamics of Mars’ atmosphere.     

Ion and neutral sources and sinks within Saturn's inner magnetosphere: Cassini results

Using ion-electron fluid parameters derived from Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) observations within Saturn's inner magnetosphere as presented in Sittler et al. [2006a. Cassini observations of Saturn's inner plasmasphere: Saturn orbit insertion results. Planet. Space Sci., 54, 1197-1210], one can estimate the ion total flux tube content, N_IONL², for protons, H⁺, and water group ions, W⁺, as a function of radial distance or dipole L shell. In Sittler et al. [2005. Preliminary results on Saturn's inner plasmasphere as observed by Cassini: comparison with Voyager. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32(14), L14S04), it was shown that protons and water group ions dominated the plasmasphere composition. Using the ion-electron fluid parameters as boundary condition for each L shell traversed by the Cassini spacecraft, we self-consistently solve for the ambipolar electric field and the ion distribution along each of those field lines. Temperature anisotropies from Voyager plasma observations are used with (T_⊥/T_∥)_W⁺∼5 and (T_⊥/T_∥)_H⁺∼2. The radio and plasma wave science (RPWS) electron density observations from previous publications are used to indirectly confirm usage of the above temperature anisotropies for water group ions and protons. In the case of electrons we assume they are isotropic due to their short scattering time scales. When the above is done, our calculation show N_IONL² for H⁺ and W⁺ peaking near Dione's L shell with values similar to that found from Voyager plasma observations. We are able to show that water molecules are the dominant source of ions within Saturn's inner magnetosphere. We estimate the ion production rate S_ION∼10²⁷ ions/s as function of dipole L using N_H⁺, N_W⁺ and the time scale for ion loss due to radial transport τ_D and ion-electron recombination τ_REC. The ion production shows localized peaks near the L shells of Tethys, Dione and Rhea, but not Enceladus. We then estimate the neutral production rate, S_W, from our ion production rate, S_ION, and the time scale for loss of neutrals by ionization, τ_ION, and charge exchange, τ_CH. The estimated source rate for water molecules shows a pronounced peak near Enceladus’ L shell L∼4, with a value S_W∼2×10²⁸ mol/s.     

Interannual variability in glacier contribution to runoff from a high‐elevation Andean catchment: understanding the role of debris cover in glacier hydrology

We present a field‐data rich modelling analysis to reconstruct the climatic forcing, glacier response, and runoff generation from a high‐elevation catchment in central Chile over the period 2000–2015 to provide insights into the differing contributions of debris‐covered and debris‐free glaciers under current and future changing climatic conditions. Model simulations with the physically based glacio‐hydrological model TOPKAPI‐ETH reveal a period of neutral or slightly positive mass balance between 2000 and 2010, followed by a transition to increasingly large annual mass losses, associated with a recent mega drought. Mass losses commence earlier, and are more severe, for a heavily debris‐covered glacier, most likely due to its strong dependence on snow avalanche accumulation, which has declined in recent years. Catchment runoff shows a marked decreasing trend over the study period, but with high interannual variability directly linked to winter snow accumulation, and high contribution from ice melt in dry periods and drought conditions. The study demonstrates the importance of incorporating local‐scale processes such as snow avalanche accumulation and spatially variable debris thickness, in understanding the responses of different glacier types to climate change. We highlight the increased dependency of runoff from high Andean catchments on the diminishing resource of glacier ice during dry years.     

Occurrence and distribution of bacteria indicators,chemical tracers and pathogenic vibrios in Singapore coastal waters

Water quality in Singapore's coastal area was evaluated with microbial indicators, pathogenic vibrios, chemical tracers and physico-chemical parameters. Sampling sites were grouped into two clusters (coastal sites at (i) northern and (ii) southern part of Singapore). The coastal sites located at northern part of Singapore along the Johor Straits exhibited greater pollution. Principal component analysis revealed that sampling sites at Johor Straits have greater loading on carbamazepine, while turbidity poses greater influence on sampling sites at Singapore Straits. Detection of pathogenic vibrios was also more prominent at Johor Straits than the Singapore Straits. This study examined the spatial variations in Singapore's coastal water quality and provided the baseline information for health risk assessment and future pollution management.     

Constraints on Mercury’s Na exosphere: Combined MESSENGER and ground-based data

We have used observations of sodium emission obtained with the McMath-Pierce solar telescope and MESSENGER’s Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) to constrain models of Mercury’s sodium exosphere. The distribution of sodium in Mercury’s exosphere during the period January 12-15, 2008, was mapped using the McMath-Pierce solar telescope with the 5″ × 5″ image slicer to observe the D-line emission. On January 14, 2008, the Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVVS) channel on MASCS sampled the sodium in Mercury’s anti-sunward tail region. We find that the bound exosphere has an equivalent temperature of 900-1200 K, and that this temperature can be achieved if the sodium is ejected either by photon-stimulated desorption (PSD) with a 1200 K Maxwellian velocity distribution, or by thermal accommodation of a hotter source. We were not able to discriminate between the two assumed velocity distributions of the ejected particles for the PSD, but the velocity distributions require different values of the thermal accommodation coefficient and result in different upper limits on impact vaporization. We were able to place a strong constraint on the impact vaporization rate that results in the release of neutral Na atoms with an upper limit of 2.1 × 10⁶ cm⁻² s⁻¹. The variability of the week-long ground-based observations can be explained by variations in the sources, including both PSD and ion-enhanced PSD, as well as possible temporal enhancements in meteoroid vaporization. Knowledge of both dayside and anti-sunward tail morphologies and radiances are necessary to correctly deduce the exospheric source rates, processes, velocity distribution, and surface interaction.     

Exploring the Moon's surface for remnants of the lunar mantle 1. Dunite xenoliths in mare basalts. A crustal or mantle origin?

Remotely sensed observations from recent missions (e.g., GRAIL, Kaguya, Chandrayaan‐1) have been interpreted as indicating that the deep crust and upper mantle are close to or at the lunar surface in many large impact basins (e.g., Crisium, Apollo, Moscoviense). If this is correct, the capability of either impact or volcanic processes to transport mantle lithologies to the lunar surface should be enhanced in these regions. Somewhat problematic to these observations and interpretations is that examples of mantle lithologies in the lunar sample collection (Apollo Program, Luna Program, lunar meteorites) are at best ambiguous. Dunite xenoliths in high‐Ti mare basalt 74275 are one of these ambiguous examples. In this high‐Ti mare basalt, olivine occurs in three generations: olivine associated with dunite xenoliths, olivine megacrysts, and olivine microphenocrysts. The dunite xenoliths are anhedral in shape and are generally greater than 800 μm in diameter. The interior of the xenoliths are fairly homogeneous with regard to many divalent cations. For example, the Mg# (Mg/Mg + Fe × 100) ranges from 82 to 83 in their interiors and decreases from 82 to 68 over the 10–30 μm wide outer rim. Titanium and phosphorus X‐ray maps of the xenolith illustrate that these slow diffusing elements preserve primary cumulate zoning textures. These textures indicate that the xenoliths consist of many individual olivine grains approximately 150–200 μm in diameter with low Ti, Al, and P cores. These highly incompatible elements are enriched in the outer Fe‐rich rims of the xenoliths and slightly enriched in the rims of the individual olivine grains. Highly compatible elements in olivine such as Ni exhibit a decrease in the rim surrounding the xenolith, an increase in the incompatible element depleted cores of the individual olivine grains, and a slight decrease in the “interior rims” of the individual olivine grains. Inferred melt composition, liquid lines of descent, and zoning profiles enable the reconstruction of the petrogenesis of the dunite xenoliths. Preservation of primary magmatic zoning (Ti, P, Al) and lack of textures similar to high‐pressure mineral assemblages exhibited by the Mg‐suite (Shearer et al. 2015) indicate that these xenoliths do not represent deep crustal or shallow mantle lithologies. Further, they are chemically and mineralogically distinct from Mg‐suite dunites identified from the Apollo 17 site. More likely, they represent olivine cumulates that crystallized from a low‐Ti mare basalt at intermediate to shallow crustal levels. The parent basalt to the dunite xenolith lithology was more primitive than low‐Ti basalts thus far returned from the Moon. Furthermore, this parental magma and its more evolved daughter magmas are not represented in the basalt sample suite returned from the Taurus‐Littrow Valley by the Apollo 17 mission. The dunite xenolith records several episodes of crystallization and re‐equilibration. During the last episode of re‐equilibration, the dunite cumulate was sampled by the 74275 high‐Ti basalt and transported over a period of 30–70 days to the lunar surface.     

Monte Carlo modeling of sodium in Mercury’s exosphere during the first two MESSENGER flybys

We present a Monte Carlo model of the distribution of neutral sodium in Mercury’s exosphere and tail using data from the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft during the first two flybys of the planet in January and September 2008. We show that the dominant source mechanism for ejecting sodium from the surface is photon-stimulated desorption (PSD) and that the desorption rate is limited by the diffusion rate of sodium from the interior of grains in the regolith to the topmost few monolayers where PSD is effective. In the absence of ion precipitation, we find that the sodium source rate is limited to ∼10⁶-10⁷ cm⁻² s⁻¹, depending on the sticking efficiency of exospheric sodium that returns to the surface. The diffusion rate must be at least a factor of 5 higher in regions of ion precipitation to explain the MASCS observations during the second MESSENGER flyby. We estimate that impact vaporization of micrometeoroids may provide up to 15% of the total sodium source rate in the regions observed. Although sputtering by precipitating ions was found not to be a significant source of sodium during the MESSENGER flybys, ion precipitation is responsible for increasing the source rate at high latitudes through ion-enhanced diffusion.