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Lugmair, G. W.

Publications and source records attributed to Lugmair, G. W..

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Early solar system aqueous activity - Sr isotope evidence from the Orgueil CI meteorite

The Sr isotopic composition and Rb-87/Sr-86 ratio have been measured in carbonates and sulfate separated from the Orgueil meteorite in order to determine the time when liquid water may have acted on the parent body. Both of the studied phases probably precipitated from aqueous solution. The results show that carbonate deposition occurred contemporaneously with parent body formation or shortly after it, probably within 100 Myr. On the other hand, at least some of the calcium sulfate seems to have been formed recently.

Macdougall, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Barium isotopes in Allende meteorite - Evidence against an extinct superheavy element

Carbon and chromite fractions from the Allende meteorite that contain isotopically anomalous xenon-131 to xenon-136 (carbonaceous chondrite fission or CCF xenon) at up to 5 x 10 to the 11th atoms per gram show no detectable isotopic anomalies in barium-130 to barium-138. This rules out the possibility that the CCF xenon was formed by in situ fission of an extinct superheavy element. Apparently the CCF xenon and its carbonaceous carrier are relics from stellar nucleosynthesis.

Lewis, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Samarium-146 in the early solar system - Evidence from neodymiun in the Allende meteorite

A carbon-chromite fraction from the Allende C3V chondrite shows strikingly large isotopic enrichments of neodymium-142 (0.47 percent) and neodymium-143 (36 percent). Both apparently formed by alpha decay of samarium-146 and samarium-147 (half-lives 1.03 x 10 to the 8th and 1.06 x 10 to the 11th years), but the isotopic enrichment was greatly magnified by recoil of residual nuclei into a carbon film surounding the samarium-bearing grains. These data provide an improved estimate of the original abundance of extinct samarium-146 in the early solar system, Sm-146/Sm-144 = (4.5 + or - 0.5) x 10 to the -3rd, higher than predicted by some models of p-process nucleosynthesis. It may be possible to use this isotopic pair as a chronometer of the early solar system.

Lugmair, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Ni isotopic compositions in Allende and other meteorites

A new technique for high-precision isotopic analyses of Ni is applied to terrestrial samples, Allende inclusions, and materials from other meteorites. It is noted that most of the Allende inclusions analyzed here were previously reported to contain isotopically anomalous Ti. In contrast, the Ni isotopic abundances are found to be indistinguishable from normal within presently obtainable precision, with only one possible exception. The latter inclusion has been shown by others to contain a significantly fractionated magnesium isotopic pattern of 9 parts per thousand/amu. A normal Ni isotopic pattern has also been observed for the chromite/carbon fraction of an Allende acid residue, which is known to have heavy noble gases of highly anomalous isotopic composition. All other meteoritic samples analyzed reveal normal isotopic compositions of Ni; no evidence for effects from now extinct Fe-60 could be detected. Despite ubiquitous isotopic anomalies in Ti from normal Allende inclusions there is no signature of isotopic variations in Ni from the same samples.

Shimamura, T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

An ancient depleted mantle source for Archean crust in Rajasthan, India

Data from an initial set of Banded Gneiss Complex (BGC) east of the city of Udaipur are given. In this region the BGC comprises typical grey gneiss with variably abundant granitic and mafic components. Efforts to date were concentrated on the mafic components which, based on chemical data, appear to be metavolcanic. All samples examined were recrystallized under amphibolite or upper amphibolite facies conditions. Pertinent chemical data for a small number of amphibolites analyzed so far are: SiO2: 49-53%; MgO: 5.7-7.3%; K2O: 0.24-0.50%; Ni: 106-140 ppm; Zr: 37-159 ppm. From Sm/Nd data, all amphibolites show small to moderate LREE enrichments.

Macdougall, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Columbia River volcanism - The question of mantle heterogeneity or crustal contamination

It is found that, although crystal fractionation played an important role in producing the chemical characteristics of Columbia River Province basalts displaying a wide range of chemical and isotopic compositions, the isotopic variability calls for the involvement of at least two isotopically distinct components. The major and trace element characteristics of the main volume of the basalts are not consistent with a metasomatized mantle source region, and the presence of a primordial mantel component is not supported by the chemical data. Models of simple binary mixing between a primary magma and Precambrian sialic crustal materials, while satisfying the observed Nd and Sr isotopic variations, fail to account for major trace element abundances. The combination of crustal assimilation and fractional crystalization is found to give a superior fit to the compositional data.

Carlson, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Ubiquitous isotopic anomalies in Ti from normal Allende inclusions

A novel technique for the high-precision isotopic analysis of titanium was applied to three terrestrial rocks and coarse- and fine-grained Allende inclusions. Repeated analyses of the three terrestrial rocks gave excellent agreement with a Ti metal standard. All seven Allende inclusions were previously determined to contain isotopically normal Nd and/or Sm, indicating that none belongs to a small group of peculiar intrusions. The discovery of widespread Ti isotopic anomalies in normal Allende inclusions establishes Ti as the first non-noble gas element studied since oxygen to show such isotopic heterogeneity. A survey of nucleosynthetic origins of Ti isotopes suggests that the dominant Ti-50 excesses in these inclusions are due to the relative enrichment of isotopes synthesized during hydrostatic burning in, or near, the core of a massive star.

Niemeyer, S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Time and duration of lunar highlands crust formation

Due to remaining uncertainties in model parameters and assumptions in the calculation of model ages, it is not yet possible to resolve the precise dating and duration of lunar crust-mantle differentiation phenomena. Norites 78236 and 73255,27,45 were examined utilizing the Sm-Nd radiometric system. The systematics of 78236 show post-crystallization disturbance but indicate a crystallization date 4.34 AE ago. An isochron is defined by the 73255,27,45 data, with a crystallization date of 4.23 AE. The initial Nd isotopic composition of both norites is within uncertainty limits for a 'chondritic' reference reservoir at the time of their respective crystallizations. The implications for lunar crustal formation persisting over a time span of nearly 350 million years are discussed.

Carlson, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Crustal influence in the generation of continental flood basalts

The suggestion that primordial undifferentiated material may exist in the earth's mantle has recently been revived on the strength of Nd isotope data for two types of young continental rocks - flood basalts and kimberlites. The limited published data show a clustering of Nd isotopic compositions close to those for meteorites with chondritic relative rare-earth (REE) abundance. In contrast, data are presented for samples from the Columbia flood basalt province of the northwestern United States which show large isotopic variability suggestive of mixing processes acting after the separation of the primary magmas from their mantle source.

Carlson, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Episodic mantle differentiation - Nd and Sr isotopic evidence

A study of Nd and Sr isotopic composition of clinopyroxenes separated from two hydrous and four anhydrous ultramafic nodules is presented. Correlation of Nd-143/Nd-144 with Sm/Nd suggests that a second partial melting occurred about 560 m.y. ago resulting in LREE enrichment of a part of the anhydrous mantle. The isotopic data for anhydrous nodules show that oceanic type mantle underlies at some continental areas. It is concluded that the separation of subcontinental mantle regions from an initially chondritic reservoir may occur in discrete episodes, and that different histories of depletion and/or enrichment will produce isotopically distinct mantle reservoirs.

Stosch, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Sm-Nd constraints on early lunar differentiation and the evolution of KREEP

The internal Sm-Nd systematics of lunar KREEP basalt 15386 and its implications for the evolutionary history of KREEP on the moon are reported. The age of the 15386 rocklet indicated by the measured Sm-Nd mineral isochron is consistent with the reported Rb-Sr and (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) ages of other KREEP-rich samples, which is interpreted as the time 15386 crystallized from a liquid on or near the lunar surface. This suggests that the eruption of these incompatible element-rich liquids was related to deep impact events during the final bombardment phase of the surface of the moon. It is concluded that the extremely narrow spread of Sm-Nd model ages for these samples around 4.36 AE, and the compatibility of this age with that indicated by the U-Pb and Rb-Sr systems, indicate that the source of later KREEP volcanism was produced in the closing stages of an early global scale lunar differentiation episode.

Carlson, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Lunar initial Nd-143/Nd-144 - Differential evolution of the lunar crust and mantle

The Sm-Nd evolution of Apollo 15 green glass is discussed. The ICE age (intercept with chondritic evolution) of 3.8 + or - 0.4 eons overlaps the range of reported (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) ages and implies a distinct source region for green glass, characterized by very low and unfractionated REE abundances. Evidence is presented that LINd (lunar initial Nd) is compatible with a 'chondritic'-type Nd isotopic evolution as observed in the Juvinas meteorite. This normalization is used to study the Sm-Nd system of various lunar rock types. The results obtained from a limited number of rocks clearly indicate differential Sm-Nd evolution for the lunar crust and mantle. High-Ti basalts returned by the Apollo 11 and 17 missions were derived from distinct source regions. The Nd-143 evolution in KREEP requires a source region which is clearly distinct from any mantle reservoir.

Lugmair, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The Sm-Nd history of KREEP

Sm-Nd whole rock measurements on a variety of KREEP-rich samples from different landing sites are reported. Despite a variation of Nd and Sm concentrations of almost a factor of 3, the Sm-Nd ratios, as well as the Nd-143/Nd-144 values, show an extremely close grouping. No systematic differences between samples from different landing sites are resolved. These results are taken to be indicative of a moon-wide process having been responsible for the generation of the KREEP source reservoir, 4.36 plus or minus 0.06 AE ago, as estimated from model age calculation.

Lugmair, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Sm-Nd-Pu timepieces in the Angra dos Reis meteorite

Isotope ratios and age estimations are presented for the ultramafic pyroxenite Angra dos Reis meteorite. A pyroxene-phosphate internal isochron age of 4.55 plus or minus 0.04 eons was obtained, in agreement with reported Pb-Pb ages. It is suggested that Sm-146 decay led to an increase in the ratio of Nd-142 to Nd-144 in pyroxene, which is greater than the ratio of the Nd isotopes in phosphates. The effect of Pu-244 on the fission xenon components in pyroxene and phosphate is examined. The ratios of Pu-244 to Nd, U-238, and Th-232 are compared for pyroxene and phosphate separates. The exposure age of the meteorite, as obtained by the Kr-81 to Kr-83 method, was found to be 55.5 plus or minus 1.2 million years.

Lugmair, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

History and genesis of lunar troctolite 76535 or: How old is old

The history of lunar troctolite 76535 was investigated on the basis of information from the Sm-147-Nd-143 mineral isochron age, the Nd-143 evolution, extinct Pu-224, the Kr-81-Kr exposure age and the cosmic ray exposure record. It was found that the troctolite minerals last equilibrated 4.26 plus or minus 0.06 AE ago and that the Sm-Nd system became closed at this time. The rock remained at temperatures where the loss of radiogenic Ar-40 was small.

Lugmair, G. W.↗