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Morrison, D. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Morrison, D. A..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Engineering design constraints of the lunar surface environment

Living and working on the lunar surface will be difficult. Design of habitats, machines, tools, and operational scenarios in order to allow maximum flexibility in human activity will require paying attention to certain constraints imposed by conditions at the surface and the characteristics of lunar material. Primary design drivers for habitat, crew health and safety, and crew equipment are: ionizing radiation, the meteoroid flux, and the thermal environment. Secondary constraints for engineering derive from: the physical and chemical properties of lunar surface materials, rock distributions and regolith thicknesses, topography, electromagnetic properties, and seismicity. Protection from ionizing radiation is essential for crew health and safety. The total dose acquired by a crew member will be the sum of the dose acquired during EVA time (when shielding will be least) plus the dose acquired during time spent in the habitat (when shielding will be maximum). Minimizing the dose acquired in the habitat extends the time allowable for EVA's before a dose limit is reached. Habitat shielding is enabling, and higher precision in predicting secondary fluxes produced in shielding material would be desirable. Means for minimizing dose during a solar flare event while on extended EVA will be essential. Early warning of the onset of flare activity (at least a half-hour is feasible) will dictate the time available to take mitigating steps. Warning capability affects design of rovers (or rover tools) and site layout. Uncertainty in solar flare timing is a design constraint that points to the need for quickly accessible or constructible safe havens.

Morrison, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Partition coefficients for calcic plagioclase - Implications for Archean anorthosites

In most Archean cratons, cumulates of equant plagioclase megacrysts form anorthositic complexes, including those at Bad Vermilion Lake (Ontario). In this paper, partition coefficients (Ds) of REEs between natural high-Ca plagioclase megacrysts and their basaltic matrices were determined, using a multiple aliquot techique, and megacrystic plagioclases occurring in anorthosites were analyzed for the same components which, in conjunction with their Ds, were applied to calculations of melts in equilibrium with anorthosites. The REE's Ds were found to agree well with experimentally determined values and to predict equilibrium melts for Archean anorthosites that agree well with coeval basaltic flows and dikes. The Ds also appear to be valid for both the tholeiitic and alkali basalts over a wide range of mg numbers and REE concentrations. It is suggested that the moderately Fe-rich tholeiites that are hosts to plagioclase megacrysts in greenstone belts form the parental melts for megacrysts which make up the Bad Vermilion Lake Archean anorthositic complex.

Phinney, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The tectonic setting of Archean anorthosites

Archean anorthosites, anorthositic gabbros, and related rocks form intrusive complexes in every Archean craton. These complexes are characterized by the presence of equidimensional plagioclase megacrysts of typically uniform and calcic (An80-90) composition. Many, if not all, such complexes developed in greenstone belt terrains and appear to be genetically linked to contemporary volcanics. The petrogenesis of Archean anorthosites appears to argue for development in oceanic settings and implies intensive magmatic activity.

Morrison, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The Petrogenetic significance of Plagioclase megacrysts in Archean rocks

The petrogenetic significance of plagioclase megacryst-bearing Archean rocks was considered. It was suggested that these developed in mid-to upper-crustal magma chambers that were repeatedly replenished. Crystallization of megacrysts from a primitive liquid that evolves to an Fe-rich tholeiite (with LREE enrichment) is nearly isothermal and is an equilibrium process. Cumulates probably form near the margins of the chambers and liquids with megacrysts are periodically extracted and can appear as volcanics. Some flows and intrusives are found in arc-like settings in greenstone belts. Megacrystic dikes represent large volumes of melt and dike swarms such as the Metachawan swarm of Ontario suggest multiple sources of similar compositions. A complex series of melt ponding and migration are probable and involve large amounts of liquid.

Morrison, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Tectonic implications of Archean anorthosite occurrences

The occurrences of megacrystic anorthosite and basalt in a variety of geologic settings were reviewed and it was found that these rock types occur in a variety of tectonic settings. Anorthosites and megacrystic basalts are petrogenetically related and are found in oceanic volcanic crust, cratons, and shelf environments. Although megacrystic basalts are most common in Archean terranes, similar occurrences are observed in rocks of early Proterozoic age, and even in young terranes such as the Galapagos hotspot. Based on inferences from experimental petrology, all of the occurrences are apparently associated with similar parental melts that are relatively Fe-rich tholeiites. The megacrystic rocks exhibit a two- (or more)-stage development of plagioclase, with the megacrysts having relatively uniform composition produced under nearly isothermal and isochemical conditions over substantial periods of time. The anorthosites appear to have intruded various crustal levels from very deep to very shallow. The petrogenetic indicators, however, suggest that conditions of formation of the Precambrian examples were different from Phanerozoic occurrences.

Phinney, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Archaean megacrystic plagioclase units and the tectonic setting of greenstones

Large (up to 20 cm), equidimensional, commonly euhedral, plagioclase megacrysts of highly calcic composition (An sub 80-90) occur commonly in all Archean cratons in one or more of three distinct associations: (1) as cumulate crystal segregations of anorthosite or as megacrysts in basaltic dikes, sills, and flows in greenstone belts that vary in metamorphic grade from greenschist to granulite. Throughout 100's of thousands of square kilometers of northwestern Ontario and Manitoba the plagioclase megacrysts occur in pillowed and massive flows, sills, dikes, large inclusions in dikes, and intrusive anorthositic complexes with areas of up to a few 100 sq km and spanning a period of at least 100 m.y. in the 2.7 to 2.8 b.y. time frame; (2) as basaltic dike swarms in stable cratonic areas forming parallel to subparallel patterns over hundreds of thousands of square kilometers intruding both granitic gneisses and supracrustal belts including greenstones. These swams include the Ameralik-Saglek system at 3.1 to 3.4 b.y., the Matachewan system at 2.5 to 2.6 b.y., and the Beartooth-Bighorn system at 2.2 to 2.3 b.y.; and, (3) as anorthositic complexes associated with marbles and quartzites (Sittampundi, India and Messina, South Africa) in granulite grade terrains. Initial attempts to correlate tectonic settings of similar modern crystbearing units with their Archean counterparts were only partially successful.

Phinney, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Petrogenesis of calcic plagioclase megacrysts in Archean rocks

Anorthositic complexes with large equidimensional plagioclase grains of highly calcic composition occur in nearly all Archean cratons. Similar plagioclase occur as megacrysts in many Archean sills, dikes, and volcanic flows. In the Canadian Shield these units occur throughout the Archean portions of the entire shield and are particularly common as dikes over an area of a few 100,000 sq km in Ontario and Manitoba during a period of at least 100 m.y. in many different rock types and metamorphic grades. The plagioclase generally occurs in three modes: as inclusions in mafic intrusions at various stages of fractionation, as crystal segregations in anorthosite complexes, or as megacrysts in fractionated sills, dikes, and flows. Most occurrences suggest that the plagioclase was formed elsewhere before being transported to its present location. The evidence seems to be quite clear that occurrences of these types of calcic plagioclase require: (1) ponding of a relatively undifferentiated Archean tholeiitic melt at some depth; (2) isothermal crystallization of large, equidimensional homogeneous plagioclase crystals; (3) separation of the plagioclase crystals from any other crystalline phases; (4) further fractionation of melt; (5)transport of various combinations of individual plagioclase crystals and clusters of crystals by variously fractionated melts; and (6) emplacement as various types of igneous intrusions or flows.

Phinney, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotope systematics of an Archean anorthosite and related rocks from the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield

Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotopic data for the Bad Vermilion Lake anorthosite in the Rainy Lake area of the Superior Province of northwesten Ontario show that direct ages of Archean anorthosites can be obtained with these isotopic systems despite the effects of low-grade metamorphism. There is sufficient spread in Sm/Nd between plagioclase megacrysts and coexisting mafic groundmass to allow the determination of reasonably precise internal Sm-Nd isochrons. Initial isotopic ratios of Nd and Sr add to the growing body of data indicating the Superior Province is underlain by depleted mantle.

Ashwal, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Age of the Mulcahy Lake intrusion, northwest Ontario, and implications for the evolution of greenstone-granite terrains

An investigation of zircon data from the Mulcahy Lake gabbro, a 63 sq km layered mafic intrusion in the Wabigoon subprovince of Ontario, which show that the gabbro crystallized at 2733.2 +1.0, -0.9 Ma, is considered. It is shown that the gabbro intrudes tholeiites of the Crow Lake-Savant Lake greenstone belt. Whole rock samples and mineral separates from the Mulcahy Lake intrusion are dated by Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and Ar-30-Ar-40 techniques. Disturbances in the system are revealed by the Rb-Sr data and an initial Sr ratio of 0.7007 for an age of 2733 Ma is indicated by samples with low Rb/Sr ratios. The age determined for the Sm-Nd data is 2744 + or 55 Ma with an epsilon Nd value of +2.6 + or - 1.2 which indicates a source region depleted in a light rare earth element. Primary hornblende is analyzed for Ar-40/Ar-39 and an age of 2703 + or - 20 is obtained. Some implications for the development of greenstone-granite belts are discussed.

Morrison, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The chemistry of micrometeoroids (A0187-1)

The prime objective of this experiment is to obtain chemical analyses of a statistically significant number of micrometeoroids. These data will then be compared with the chemical composition of meteorites. Secondary objectives of the experiment relate to density, shape, mass frequency, and absolute flux of micrometeorids as deduced from detailed crater geometrics (depth) diameter, and plane shape, and number of total events observed.

Hoerz, F.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Origin of Archean anorthosites - Evidence from the Bad Vermilion Lake anorthosite complex, Ontario

Studies of the petrology and geochemistry of the anorthosite complex at Bad Vermillion Lake, Canada, based on 400 samples collected in summer, 1979, are presented. Petrographic, microprobe, X-ray-fluorescence, and instrumental-neutron-activation analyses were performed. Major and trace-element abundances of the anorthositic rocks and surrounding mafic and felsic rocks are reported in tables, chondrite-normalized rare-earth-element patterns are shown, and the anorthositic, intrusive, and metavolcanic formations are characterized in detail. The anothrositic plagioclases are found to have a coarse porphyritic texture and calcic composition (80 normative mol percent An) similar to those of other Archean anorthosite complexes. Chemical similarities indicate that the gabbro and mafic to felsic metavolcanic formations associated with the anorthosite complex may be comagmatic with it, while the absence of ultramafic material and the bulk composition of the comagmatic basalt (about 20 wt percent Al2O3) suggest that much of the original comagmatic material has been separated.

Ashwal, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Properties of microcraters and cosmic dust of less than 1000 A dimensions

Microcraters from about 100-200 A to larger than 1000 A true diameter have been measured by SEM at magnifications of 100,000x on lunar samples 76015,24,9003 and 76015,28,9004. The cumulative size frequency distribution has a slope of approximately -2.5 for craters larger than or equal to 1000 A, approximately -1.3 between 1000 A and 400 A diameters, and approaches zero at the smallest diameters. Distributions from lunar soil grains exposed during ancient epochs have the same form. Ninety-six of ninety-seven craters observed are equidimensional, indicating equidimensional dust particles with masses as low as 10 to the -20th grams. No lower limit on cosmic dust grain sizes was established. The flux and the crater production rate derived are consistent with 12054 measurements.

Morrison, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Lunar surface processes - Report of the 12054 consortium

A variety of lunar surface phenomena were studied using a well-characterized glass-coated ilmenite basalt, 12054, which had a simple surface residence history. Surface processes related to the following effects were studied: microcraters, solar flare and cosmic ray tracks, cosmogenic Al-26, solar wind sputtering, accreta or accretionary material, solar wind implanted noble gases, and loose dust accumulation.

Hartung, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Distribution and flux of micrometeoroids

The mass distribution, flux, and distribution in space of the micrometeoroid complex at 1 AU are estimated on the basis of data from Apollo 17 rocks and recent calibrations of solar-flare track-production rates. It is found that the size frequency distribution of microcraters on lunar rocks suggests a bimodal mass distribution of micrometeoroids, but the precise form of the curve requires further definition, particularly insofar as the degree of depletion of particles producing craters 10 to 100 microns in diameter is concerned. Variations in slope with crater-diameter or particle-mass increments are shown to indicate that different processes affect one or more particle populations. Fluxes corresponding to varied lunar surface orientation and residence time are calculated, but no striking difference is observed between the flux of submicron-diameter particles with orbits in the plane of the ecliptic and fluxes of particles with orbits normal to the plane in the solar apex direction.

Morrison, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The record of solar and galactic radiations in the ancient lunar regolith and their implications for the early history of the sun and moon

The paper reviews research into the nature and history of the lunar environment, as recorded in rocks and core samples, performed by studying effects produced by the energetic nuclear particles constituting the solar wind, solar flares, and galactic cosmic rays. Results obtained with lunar rocks are discussed which suggest a remarkable constancy of the lunar environment at least over the last several million years. Analyses of lunar core samples are examined which indicate an apparent secular change in the N-15/N-14 ratio with time in solar-wind-related nitrogen, possibly due to greatly enhanced solar flare activity in the past. Lunar and meteoritic breccias are proposed as obvious candidates for extending the radiation record much further back in time, perhaps even close to the beginning of the solar system.

Grozaz, G.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The micrometeoroid complex and evolution of the lunar regolith

Monte Carlo-based computer calculations, as well as analytical approaches utilizing probabilistic arguments, were applied to gain insight into the principal regolith impact processes and their resulting kinetics. Craters 10 to 1500 m in diameter are largely responsible for the overall growth of the regolith. As a consequence the regolith has to be envisioned as a complex sequence of discrete ejecta blankets. Such blankets constitute first-order discontinuities in the evolving debris layer. The micrometeoroid complex then operates intensely on these fresh ejecta blankets and accomplishes only in an uppermost layer of approximately 1-mm thickness. The absolute flux of micrometeoroids based on lunar rock analyses averaged over the past few 10 to the 6th power years is approximately an order of magnitude lower than presentday satellite fluxes; however, there is indication that the flux increased in the past 10 to the 4th power years to become compatible with the satellite data. Furthermore, there is detailed evidence that the micrometeoroid complex existed throughout geologic time.

Horz, F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

12054 and 76215 - New measurements of interplanetary dust and solar flare fluxes

The mass distribution and flux of micrometeoroids, variations in solar activity, solar-wind erosion and solar-flare track production are discussed on the basis of lunar sample analyses. A bimodal size frequency distribution of micrometeorites is found; the ratio of the density of craters larger than 0.1 micron to the density of those larger than 500 microns is 50 to 100 million. Solar cosmic-ray track ages determined for the lunar samples through use of the model of Blanford et al. (1975) indicate no variation in solar activity over a period of 2 million years. Solar wind erosion is set at no more than 0.03 A per year.

Morrison, D. A.↗