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McKay, G.

Publications and source records attributed to McKay, G..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

Comparison of Synthetic and Natural Nakhlite Pyroxenes: Complexity of Minor Elements

Zoning in pyroxenes in martian meteorites contains a rich record of the petrogenesis of these samples. In the clinopyroxene cumulate nakhlite group, major element zoning is generally limited to the outer rims of the pyroxenes. However, minor element zoning, especially of Al, Ti, and Cr, is extensive, complex, and difficult to interpret [e.g., 1-3]. To help mine the rich information about petrogenetic processes from these samples, we have been comparing minor element zoning in synthetic pyroxenes grown under known conditions with zoning observed in natural nakhlite pyroxenes. We have focused on two nakhlites, MIL03346 (MIL), which is one of the most rapidly cooled nakhlites, and Y000593 (Y593), which cooled at a more moderate rate [e.g., 4].

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Al, Ti, and Cr: Complex Zoning in Synthetic and Natural Nakhlite Pyroxenes

Nakhlites are olivine-bearing clinopyroxene cumulates. The cumulus pyroxenes have cores that are relatively homogeneous in Fe, Mg, and Ca, but show complex zoning of minor elements, especially Al, Ti, and Cr. Zoning patterns contain information about crystallization history parent magma compositions. But it has proven difficult to decipher this information and translate the zoning patterns into petrogenetic processes. This abstract reports results of high-precision Electron Probe MicroAnalysis (EPMA) analysis of synthetic nakhlite pyroxenes run at fO2 from IW to QFM. It compares these with concurrent analyses of natural nakhlite MIL03346 (MIL), and with standardprecision analyses of Y000593 (Y593) collected earlier. Results suggest that (1) different processes are responsible for the zoning of MIL and other more slowly-cooled nakhlites such as Y593, and (2) changes in oxidation conditions during MIL crystallization are not responsible for the unusual Cr zoning pattern

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Oxidation State of Nakhlites as inferred from Fe-Ti oxide Equilibria and Augite/Melt Europium Partitioning

Recent studies have shown that Martian magmas had wide range of oxygen fugacities (fO2) and that this variation is correlated with the variation of La/Yb ratio and isotopic characteristics of the Martian basalts, shergottite meteorites. The origin of this correlation must have important information about mantle sources and Martian evolution. In order to understand this correlation, it is necessary to know accurate value of oxidation state of other Martian meteorite groups. Nakhlites, cumulate clinopyroxenites, are another major group of Martian meteorites and have distinctly different trace element and isotopic characteristics from shergottites. Thus, estimates of oxidation state of nakhlites will give us important insight into the mantle source in general. Several workers have estimated oxidation state of nakhlites by using Fe-Ti oxide equilibrium. However, Fe-Ti oxides may not record the oxidation state of the parent melt of the nakhlite because it is a late-stage mineral. Furthermore, there is no comprehensive study which analyzed all nakhlite samples at the same time. Therefore, in this study (1) we reduced the uncertainty of the estimate using the same electron microprobe and the same standards under the same condition for Fe-Ti oxide in 6 nakhlites and (2) we also performed crystallization experiments to measure partition coefficients of Eu into pyroxene in the nakhlite system in order to estimate fO2 when the pyroxene core formed (i.e. Eu oxybarometer [e.g. 2,6]).

Makishima, J.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Valence State Partitioning of Cr and V Between Pyroxene - Melt: Estimates of Oxygen Fugacity for Martian Basalt QUE 94201

Several studies, using different oxybarometers, have suggested that the variation of fO2 in martian basalts spans about 3 log units from approx. IW-1 to IW+2. The relatively oxidized basalts (e.g., pyroxene-phyric Shergotty) are enriched in incompatible elements, while the relatively reduced basalts (e.g., olivine-phyric Y980459) are depleted in incompatible elements. A popular interpretation of the above observations is that the martian mantle contains two reservoirs; 1) oxidized and enriched, and 2) reduced and depleted. The basalts are thus thought to represent mixing between these two reservoirs. Recently, Shearer et al. determined the fO2 of primitive olivine-phyric basalt Y980459 to be IW+0.9 using the partitioning of V between olivine and melt. In applying this technique to other basalts, Shearer et al. concluded that the martian mantle shergottite source was depleted and varied only slightly in fO2 (IW to IW+1). Thus the more oxidized, enriched basalts had assimilated a crustal component on their path to the martian surface. In this study we attempt to address the above debate on martian mantle fO2 using the partitioning of Cr and V into pyroxene in pyroxene-phyric basalt QUE 94201.

Karner, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Minor Elements in Nakhlite Pyroxenes: Does Cr Record Changes in REDOX Conditions during Crystallization?

Nakhlites are olivine-bearing clinopyroxene cumulates. Based on petrographic characteristics, they may be divided into groups that cooled at different rates and may have been formed at different depths in a single flow. The order of cooling rate from slowest to fastest is NWA998<Lafayette < Governador Valadares approx. Nakhla < Yamato000593 < NWA817 approx. MIL03346. Nakhlite cumulus pyroxene grains consist of large cores that are nearly homogeneous in major element composition surrounded by thin rims that are zoned to Fe-rich compositions. Detailed study of these pyroxenes is important because they retain a record of the crystallization history of the nakhlite magma. Moreover, because the composition of the nakhlite parent melt cannot be directly determined, inversion of the major and minor element composition of the cumulate pyroxene cores can be used to estimate the composition of that melt. Moreover, minor and trace element zoning of pyroxenes can provide information about the oxidation conditions under which these samples crystallized. Thus it is important to understand the major and minor element zoning in the cumulus pyroxenes. While major elements are nearly homogeneous, minor elements exhibit distinctive zoning patterns that vary from one nakhlite to another. This abstract reports unusual Cr zoning patterns in pyroxenes from MIL03346 (MIL) and contrast these with pyroxenes from Y593 and Nakhla.

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Additional Complexities in Nakhlite Pyroxenes: A Progress (?) Report

Nakhlites are olivine-bearing clinopyroxene cumulates [e.g., 1]. Based on petrographic characteristics, they may be divided into groups that cooled at different rates and may have been formed at different depths in a single flow [e.g., 2, 3]. The order of cooling rate is Lafayette < Governador Valadares ~ Nakhla < Yamato000593 < NWA817 ~ MIL03346. Nakhlite cumulus pyroxene grains consist of large cores that are nearly homogeneous in major element composition surrounded by thin rims that are zoned to Fe-rich compositions. Detailed study of these pyroxenes is important because they retain a record of the crystallization history of the nakhlite magma. Moreover, because the composition of the nakhlite parent melt cannot be directly determined, inversion of the major and minor element composition of the cumulate pyroxene cores can be used to estimate the composition of that melt. Thus it is important to understand the major and minor element zoning in the cumulus pyroxenes. We recently reported complications in the minor element zoning of nakhlite pyroxenes, especially for Al and Cr [4]. This abstract reports additional complications noted since that report.

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Relative Burial Depths of Nakhlites: An Update

Nakhlites are augite-rich cumulate rocks with variable amounts of olivine and groundmass plus minor Fe, Ti oxides [e.g., 1]. Our previous studies revealed that nakhlites showed correlated petrography and mineralogy that could be explained by different locations (burial depths) in a common cooling cumulate pile [e.g., 2]. We so far analyzed six of the seven currently known nakhlites, Nakhla (Nak), Governador Valadares (GV), Lafayette (Laf), NWA817, Y000593 (Y) and MIL03346 (MIL) [e.g., 2,3] and calculated cooling rates of four nakhlites (Nak, GV, Laf, and NWA817) by using chemical zoning of olivine [e.g., 4]. In this abstract, we complete our examination of petrographic and mineralogical variation of all currently known nakhlites by adding petrology and mineralogy of NWA998. We also report results of cooling calculations for Y, MIL and NWA998. Then, we update our model of the nakhlite igneous body in terms of relative burial depth of each sample.

Mikouchi, T.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Calibration of the EU Oxybarometer for Nakhlites

Martian meteorites have various characteristics, which are direct clues to understanding the petrogenesis of Mars rocks. The variation in oxidation state among the Martian meteorites must have important implications for redox conditions of the Martian crust/mantle and overall differentiation on Mars. Wadhwa [1] and Herd et al. [2] reported that Martian basalts were formed under a range of oxidation states, suggesting complex petrogenesis processes. The nakhlites, which have rather different characteristics from basaltic shergottites, may give us additional clues to Martian petrogenesis. The oxidation states of meteorites are usually described by the oxygen fugacity (fO2) under which the meteorites crystallized. One of the methods to estimate the oxygen fugacity is the depth of Eu anomaly. Eu(2+)/Eu(3+) is determined by the oxygen fugacity and partitioning is different for Eu(2+) and Eu(3+). Therefore, the depth of Eu anomaly in a mineral is a function of the oxygen fugacity and the Eu2+/Eu3+ in the melt from which the mineral crystallized. This method has some advantages over another major method, the two-oxide oxybarometer [3], which can more easily be affected by subsolidus processes. The Eu oxybarometer can analyze the cores of the earliest formed crystals in Martian meteorites, which means it can give us a better indication of the oxygen fugacity of the parent melt. The calibration of the Eu oxybarometer has been done with the basaltic shergottites before [4]. However, it has never been applied to nakhlites (Oe et al. [5] measured the depth of Eu anomaly in the synthetic pyroxene only at QFM). Partition coefficients are strongly affected by phase compositions, especially pyroxene Ca content and melt Al content [e.g., 5,6]. The composition of nakhlite pyroxene is rather different from basaltic shergottite pyroxene. Thus, there may be problems in applying the Eu oxybarometer calibration for the basaltic shergottites [7] to nakhlites. Thus, we report in this abstract preliminary results of our experimental calibration of the depth of Eu anomaly in pyroxene vs. oxygen fugacity for nakhlites.

Makishima, J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Aluminum Effect on the Calibration of the Eu Oxybarometer for Nakhlites

Recent studies of Martian meteorites have shown that Martian magma had wide range of oxygen fugacity. In order to estimate the redox state of the Martian crust and mantle, the partitioning coefficient of Eu in the shergottite pyroxene has been extensively studied. Nakhlite, a cumulate clinopyroxenite, is another important group of Martian meteorites. We have studied synthetic compositions (NT, NL, NJ, NJ2 and NJ4) in order to estimate the Nakhla parent melt composition. In our previous work, we calibrated the Eu oxybarometer for nakhlite using the NJ4 composition which we believe is the closest to the Nakhla parent melt. Consequently, we concluded that Nakhla may have crystallized under fairly reducing condition. However, we also found that the partition coefficient is strongly affected by Al contents in melt and in pyroxene. In this abstract we report the correlation between the D values and Al contents in melt and in pyroxene from our Nakhla experimental studies. Also we check the reliability of our previous calibration of Eu oxybarometer, because Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are easily affected by Al content in melt and in pyroxene and Nakhla pyroxene shows unusual patchy Al zoning.

Makishima, J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Shock Metamorphism of the Dhofar 378 Basaltic Shergottite

Shock metamorphism is one of the most fundamental processes in the history of Martian meteorites, especially shergottites, which affect their mineralogy and chronology. The formation of "maskelynite" from plagioclase and shock melts is such major mineralogical effects. Dhofar 378 is one of the recently found desert shergottites that is mainly composed of plagioclase and pyroxene. This shergottite is important because of its highly shocked nature and unique plagioclase texture, and thus has a great potential for assessing a "shock" age of shergottites. We have been working on a combined study of mineralogy and chronology of the same rock chip of Dhofar 378. This abstract reports its mineralogical part.

Mikouchi, T.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Mineralogy and Petrology of New Antarctic Nakhlite MIL 03346

Among the approx.1300 meteorites returned from Antarctica by the 2003-2004 ANSMET expedition was a 715g nakhlite, MIL 03346, recovered from the Miller Range. Samples of this meteorite were distributed to investigators on December 16, 2004. We were allocated PTS MIL 03346,63,100. This abstract is our preliminary report on the mineralogy and petrology of this important new sample.

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Yamato 980459: Crystallization of Martian Magnesian Magma

Recently, several basaltic shergottites have been found that include magnesian olivines as a major minerals. These have been called olivinephyric shergottites. Yamato 980459, which is a new martian meteorite recovered from the Antarctica by the Japanese Antarctic expedition, is one of them. This meteorite is different from other olivine-phyric shergottites in several key features and will give us important clues to understand crystallization of martian meteorites and the evolution of Martian magma.

Koizumi, E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Yamato 980459: The Most Primitive Shergottite?

The Antarctic Research Center of the Japanese National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) recently announced the discovery of a new Martian shergottite, Y98(0459). This sample is a member of the subgroup of basaltic shergottites that contain abundant olivine phenocrysts, and are thus olivine- phyric. Y98 may have special significance among the basaltic shergottites because (1) it appears to have been the most magnesian Martian magma yet found, and thus can provide valuable clues to magma petrogenesis on Mars; (2) it contains no late-crystallizing phases, but instead contains approx. 30% interstitial glass, which can provide unambiguous incompatible element patterns of the parent melt; and (3) it carries an LREE-depleted signature similar to QUE 94201, whose isotopic characteristics are the most primitive of all basaltic shergottites.

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Europium Oxybarometer: Power and Pitfalls

One of the most important characteristics of a planet is the oxidation state of its mantle, as reflected in primitive basalts. Petrologists have devised several methods to estimate the oxygen fugacity under which basalts crystallized. One method that has been the subject of recent interest involves the depth of the Eu anomaly in first-crystallizing minerals. A discussion detailing the experimental calibration of the Europium oxybarometer and the application of this device to Angrites and Martian basaltic meteorites are presented. The strengths and weaknesses of the instrument are also included.

McKay, G.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Shock Heating and Subsequent Cooling of Basaltic Shergottites: The Cases for QUE94201 and Dhofar 378

Shock metamorphism is one of the most fundamental processes in the history of Martian meteorites. Especially, shergottites experienced strong shock effects (>30 GPa) most likely when they were ejected from Mars. "Maskelynitization" of plagioclase and formation of shock melts are major effects due to this severe shock. QUE94201 (QUE) and Dhofar 378 (DHO) are basaltic shergottites that are mainly composed of pyroxene and plagioclase glass. These two shergottites suffered severe shock, which generated abundant impact melt and vesiculated flow textures. In spite of similar degrees of shock between two meteorites, they are distinct in several mineralogical aspects. In this abstract, we discuss their differences to understand differences in their shock heating and subsequent cooling histories.

Mikouchi, T.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Effect of Cooling Rate and Oxygen Fugacity on the Crystallization of the Queen Alexandra Range 94201 Martian Melt Composition

Although many basaltic shergottites have been recently found in north African deserts, QUE94201 basaltic shergottite (QUE) is still important because of its particular mineralogical and petrological features. This meteorite is thought to represent its parent melt composition [1 -3] and to crystallize under most reduced condition in this group [1,4]. We performed experimental study by using the synthetic glass that has the same composition as the bulk of QUE. After homogenization for 48 hours at 1300 C, isothermal and cooling experiments were done under various conditions (e.g. temperature, cooling rates, and redox states). Our goals are (1) to verify that QUE really represents its parent melt composition, (2) to estimate a cooling rate of this meteorite, (3) to clarify the crystallization sequences of present minerals, and (4) to verity that this meteorite really crystallized under reduced condition.

Koizumi, E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

REE and Strontium Partition Coefficients for Nakhla Pyroxenes

We present new partition coefficients for REE and Sr determined using a synthetic melt that crystallizes pyroxenes very similar in composition to Nakhla pyroxene cores. We believe these are the most appropriate partition coefficients to use in studying Nakhla Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract..

Oe, K.↗