On the Study of the Spatial Variability of the Composition of the Lunar Material in Experiments on Gamma Spectroscopy Onboard a Mobile Spacecraft Using the Tagged-Cosmic-Rays Method

Solar System Research - The article proposes a “tagged cosmic particle” method that uses the natural flux of high-energy particles of Galactic Cosmic Rays to study the composition of...     

Middle Paleozoic impact event in the southwest of the East European Platform

A zone with high remanent magnetization and magnetic susceptibility has been identified at the boundary between Lower Devonian gray- and red-colored deposits in the basin of the Dniester River in the southwest of Ukraine (in the southwest of the East European Platform). The microparticles of native iron and nickel and iron-nickel intermetallic compounds found here might be markers of an impact event in the Lochkovian (~ 415 Ma). Electron microscope examination and probe microanalysis of the chemical composition, morphology, structures, and textures of specific microobjects showed that they are the product of melting of meteoritic substance and target rocks caused by an impact explosion. Explosive dispersion and deposition of microparticles on the Earth’s surface result in a rapid differentiation of their substance. The obtained data can be used as evidence of a reference impact event during the fall of an iron-stone meteorite, and a characteristic set of minerals and geochemical parameters can help to identify catastrophic events in the geologic history.     

On the Study of Spatial Variability of the Composition of the Substance of Mars in Experiments on Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy on Board the Mobile Vehicle using the Method of “Tagged Charged Particles”

Solar System Research - Methods are discussed for studying the variability in space of the substance composition of the surface of Mars in experiments on gamma-ray spectroscopy on board a mobile...     

Optical properties and crystal chemistry of synthetic rutile implanted with cobalt ions

Implantation of high-energy cobalt ions into plates of synthetic rutile has been studied, and absorption, luminescence, and luminescence excitation spectra have been recorded and interpreted. Long-wave luminescence (820 nm) of Ti _IV ³⁺ ions in rutile has been revealed; its intensity increased after the cobalt implantation. Analysis of luminescence and luminescence excitation spectra has allowed us to specify the scheme of electron energy levels of rutile and to establish the energy levels of impurity Ti³⁺ ions occupying vacant octahedrons with the C _2h symmetry in structure of the mineral.     

Cosmic microspheres in the Carboniferous deposits of the Usolka section (Urals foredeep)

Magnetite microspheres from the Carboniferous deposits of the Usolka reference section were studied by probe microanalysis, with comparison of the distributions of chemical elements and microspheres. The presence of microspheres in sedimentary strata is considered to be an additional factor for stratigraphic correlation between sedimentary sections. The microspheres are shown to be of cosmic nature. The Late Paleozoic paleoclimatic changes (extreme cooling) and biotic crises were caused by the periodical Solar System motion in the Galaxy, cosmic-dust fallout, and meteorite bombardments of the Earth.