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At least 379 records · Page 21

An impact-induced terrestrial atmosphere and iron-water reactions during accretion of the Earth

Shock wave data and theoretical calculations were used to derive models of an impact-generated terrestrial atmosphere during accretion of the Earth. The models showed that impacts of infalling planetesimals not only provided the entire budget of terrestrial water but also led to a continuous depletion of near-surface layers of water-bearing minerals of their structural water. This resulted in a final atmospheric water reservoir comparable to the present day total water budget of the Earth. The interaction of metallic iron with free water at the surface of the accreting Earth is considered. We carried out model calcualtions simulating these processes during accretion. It is assumed that these processes are the prime source of the terrestrial FeO component of silicates and oxides. It is demonstrated that the iron-water reaction would result in the absence of atmospheric/hydrospheric water, if homogeneous accretion is assumed. In order to obtain the necessary amount of terrestrial water, slightly heterogeneous accretion with initially 36 wt% iron planetesimals, as compared with a homogeneous value of 34 wt% is required.

Lange, M. A.↗

Achondrite ALHA77005 - Alteration of chromite and olivine

The olivine crystals of the 77005 achondrite are brown except for colorless shock lamellae, mottled patches, and grains adjacent to pools of impact melt. Sporadic dark alteration patches in brown olivine and Cr-rich spinel gave the following average electron-microprobe analyses: (olivine) P2O5 0.9, SiO2 57.9, TiO2 0, Al2O3 0.7, Cr2O3 0.4, V2O3 0, Fe2O3 (assumed oxidation state) 17.0, MgO 1.6, CaO 0.2, Na2O 0, K2O 1.8, SO3 (assumed oxidation state) 9.2, Cl 0.1, sum 89.8 wt pct; (spinel) P2O5 3.5, SiO2 2.1, TiO2 2.2, Al2O3 2.1, Cr2O3 13.4, V2O3 0.8, Fe2O3 40.7, MgO 0.9, CaO 0.1, Na2O 0, K2O 2.0, SO3 11.1, Cl 0.1, sum 79.0 wt pct. Ion-microprobe analyses revealed H in both. Rare orange patches in brown olivine from another area gave SiO2 33-35, FeO 30-28, MgO 28-32, sum 93 wt pct. Thermal metamorphism under dry oxidizing conditions is discussed as a possible alternative to shock-induced oxidation for generation of the brown olivine (McSween and Stoeffler, 1980). Because alteration patches transgress shock lamellae, and because sulfatic alteration occurs in fusion crusts of Antarctic meteorites (Gibson et al., 1983), alteration of the 77005 achondrite at the Antarctic surface is preferred to a complex series of processes needed for preterrestrial alteration.

Smith, J. V.↗

Water loss on Venus - The role of carbon monoxide

The four-to-fivefold difference in water abundance between the earth and Venus may reflect either initial differences in the bulk volatile content of the two planets, or massive water loss mechanisms on Venus. These two possibilities were investigated by performing thermodynamic calculations on the heterogeneous system C-O-H-N-S, varying C/H upward from its 0.033 terrestrial value. While atmospheric H2O decreases as bulk C/H increases, the latter would have to rise to an improbably high value in order to account for the low water abundance on Venus through initial deficiency alone. Calculations suggest that if the outgassed C/H on Venus was higher than on earth by even a factor of 5, it would have been sufficient for CO to become competitive with FeO as a sink for oxygen. Together with the lower initial water abundance value that follows from a higher C/H ratio, water loss due to CO may have been a major factor.

Richardson, S. M.↗

Metal and associated phases in Krymka and Chainpur - Nebular formational processes

The opaque minerals of unequilibrated ordinary chondrites preserve numerous chemical and textural properties acquired during processes that occurred in the primitive solar nebula. Attention is presently given to the highly unequilibrated LL3 chondrites Krymka and Chainpur, together with the unequilibrated ordinary chondrite Bishunpur. Most metal-poor chondrules in these chondrites appear to have formed from precursors that had required significant amounts of FeO as a result of reaction with the nebular gas down to low temperatures. Low Ni concentrations in chondrule kamacite may largely be due to dilution by Fe which was reduced from the silicates during chondrule formation.

Rambaldi, E. R.↗

Origin of howardites, diogenites and eucrites - A mass balance constraint

Two petrogenetic models for the noncumulate-basaltic parts of howardite meteorites are discussed. A mass balance constraint is developed which indicates that more than half of the basaltic components in howardites formed as residual liquids from fractional crystallization of melts that had earlier produced diogentelike pyroxene cumulate components. Other model constriants involving scandium trends, clustering near olivine-pyroxene-plagioclase peritectic, and MgO/(MgO + FeO) ratios are discussed.

Warren, P. H.↗

Sulfide and sulfate saturation in hydrous silicate melts

A series of hydrothermal experiments was performed over a wide range of pressures, temperatures, oxygen fugacities, and melt FeO content, in order to examine the effects of physical changes on sulfur solubility in fractionated hydrous silicate melts. On the basis of the experimental results, it is concluded that upper crustal oxidation-reduction reactions and crystal fractionation processes may exert considerable influence on the amount of sulfur contained in magmas erupted at the surface. The application of the experimental results to investigations of volatile transport and volcanic degassing processes on the earth, Venus, and Mars is discussed

Carroll, M. R.↗

Petrology and chemistry of Apollo 12 regolith breccias

Petrographic, mineral chemical, and bulk chemical data are reported for the three large Apollo 12 regolith breccias of the regolith breccia suite and for eight breccias handpicked from Apollo 12 coarse fines. Two samples formed from non-KREEPy anorthositic regolith not presently found at the sampling site. Eight of the samples can be considered mixtures of local basalt and KREEP components, with minor anorthositic components. Mare:KREEP ratios indicated by chemical mixing models range from 86:7 to essentially endmember KREEP. One sample is unlike the others (FeO 23.7; MgO 21.7) and may be a new lithology or alternatively a nonrepresentative sample. Of the 11 samples studied, five appear to be of local origin, three are most likely exotic to the site, and results for three others are inconclusive. The anorthositic breccias formed from Apollo 16-like regolith and may have been transported over several hundred kilometers from the non-KREEPy highlands to the east. Alternatively, they may be of local origin, formed from the material beneath the Apollo 12 basalt flows.

Simon, S. B.↗

Early evolution of the earth - Accretion, atmosphere formation, and thermal history

The thermal and atmospheric evolution of the earth growing planetesimal impacts are studied. The generation of an H2O protoatmosphere is examined, and the surface temperatures are estimated. The evolution of an impact-induced H2O atmosphere is analyzed. Consideration is given to the formation time of a 'magma ocean'and internal water budgets. The thermal history of an accreting earth is reviewed. The wet convection and greenhouse effects are discussed, and the role of Fe oxidation on the evolution of an impact-induced H2O atmopshere is described. The relationship between differentiation processes and core segregation, the H2O and FeO content of the mantle, and the origin of the hydrosphere is also examined.

Abe, Yutaka↗

Barred olivine chondrules in ordinary chondrites

The characteristics of 125 barred olivine chondrules identified in polished thin sections of 26 H-L-LL3-6 chondrites were studied, using an electron microprobe for determining mineral abundances and a broad-beam electron microprobe for determining bulk compositions. Compared with all chondrule types in the H-L-LL3 ordinary chondrites, the barred olivine chondrules were found to be enriched in FeO, Al2O3, Na2O, and K2O and depleted in SiO2 and MgO; they were also found to be enriched in the feldspathic component. It is concluded that the precursor components of barred olivine chondrules consisted of a mixture of an olivine-rich component, a refractory-rich component containing Al2O3, TiO2, and CaO, and a volatile-rich alkalic component. This unusual combination implies high temperatures of melting for the refractory component and low temperatures for the volatile component, supporting the hypothesis of Grossman and Wasson (1983) that the alkalies condensed on the alumina already available.

Weisberg, Michael K.↗

A vaporization model for iron/silicate fractionation in the Mercury protoplanet

A study has been carried out on the vaporization of a totally molten silicate magma of chondritic composition heated into the range 2500-3500 K. The motivation for this was to determine the changes in the composition of the mantle that would occur in the Mercury protoplanet should that body have been subjected to the high-temperature phase in the evolution of the primitive solar nebula, but the results are of more general interest. An empirical model based on ideal mixing of complex components was used to describe the nonideal magma. It is found that vaporization of about 70-80 percent of the original amount of silicate from a chondritic planet is required to produce an iron-rich body with a mean uncompressed density equal to that deduced for Mercury. At this point the silicate is depleted in the alkalis, FeO, and SiO2, and enriched in CaO, MgO, Al2O3, and TiO2 relative to chondritic material.

Fegley, Bruce, Jr.↗

Origin and evolution of the ureilite parent magmas - Multi-stage igneous activity on a large parent body

The minor-element/major-element trends among the ureilites were investigated using electron microprobe data on olivine and pigeonite cores in eight low-shock ureilites. The results show well-defined correlations between Fe/X (where X is one of the minor elements Mn, Cr, Ca, Al, Ti, P, or Ni) and Fe/Mg ratios. For the lithophile minor elements, these trends are linear, with positive slope, and pass through or near the origin, indicating various degrees of FeO reduction of the parent magmas. The trends shown by P and Ni are consistent with this interpretation and require, in addition, equilibrium crystallization of 20-27 mole pct metal. A model is proposed for generation and crystallization of ureilite parent magmas, which predicts that the ureilite parent body had a differentiated crust, did not have a core, and was at least 235 km in radius.

Goodrich, Cyrena Anne↗

Chondrules and matrix in the Ornans CO3 meteorite - Possible precursor components

Bulk compositions of 17 chondrules and one sample of matrix from CO3 Ornans were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Chondrule precursor components deduced from chondrule compositions are characterized by: (1) common and slightly volatile siderophiles, Cr and chalcophiles, (2) refractory lithophiles and Na, (3) Mn, Si and modal pyroxene, and (4) FeO and olivine. Component 4 may be closely related to matrix material. Precursor components have now been inferred for OC, EH, CV, CM and CO chondrules. An MN- and Si-rich component occurs exclusively among carbonaceous chondrite chondrules. Although there are significant intergroup differences, common to chondrules in all chondrite groups are refractory-lithophile-rich, common-siderophile-rich, and (with the exception of EH) common-lithophile-rich components. This indicates that the siderophile/lithophile and refractory lithophile/common lithophile fractionations recorded in chondrite whole-rocks were established prior to chondrule formation at all nebular locations.

Rubin, Alan E.↗

The basis for the spectral behaviour of silicates in the thermal infrared and applications to remote sensing

Variations in the thermal infrared (TIR) spectral response of silicate rocks is related to changes in the structures and divalent cation contents of the minerals which form the rocks. These considerations lead to a chemical parameter, SCFM, which reflects mineral structures, rock types, and their spectra. The parameter is the ratio of silica to the abundance of depolymerizing cations, defined as SCFM = SiO2/SiO2 + CaO + MgO + FeO. Parameter SCFM is therefore proposed for use in TIR remote sensing of igneous rocks. It is also demonstrated that two or three broad bands are sufficient for distinguishing among major rock types and the system noise has little effect on the quality of the results. These factors can be traded off against improved spatial resolution in instrument design.

Walter, L. S.↗

On identifying parent plutonic rocks from lunar breccia and soil fragments

Breccia fragments expected from a well-studied boulder of Stillwater anorthosite have been modeled to test the ability to identify parental rock types from examination of breccia and soil fragments. Depending on their size, the boulder fragments give distributions that suggest mixtures of rock types, including monominerallic anorthosite with subordinant amounts of more gabbroic anorthosite, anorthosite, and gabbro for small fragments. The distribution of FeO in samples of lunar ferroan anorthosite (FAN) indicates that FAN has a heterogeneous distribution of mafic minerals like the boulder.

Haskin, Larry A.↗

The origin of pristine KREEP - Effects of mixing between UrKREEP and the magmas parental to the Mg-rich cumulates

The fact that pristine KREEP basalts generally have bulk-rock molar MgO/(MgO+FeO) ratios lower than average for the lunar crust despite their extraordinarily high incompatible element contents is discussed. Pristine KREEP basalts also have primitive Ni contents compared to mare basalts with comparable REE contents. It is suggested that these facts can be explained through mixing between ancient KREEP precursor materials and primitive Mg-rich melts. Finite-difference models of this mixing, followed by anorthosite assimilation and fractional crystallization provide satisfactory fits to the composition of these basalts. It is suggested that this is a further confirmation of the magmasphere hypothesis.

Warren, Paul H.↗

A three-component model for the bulk composition of the moon

A three-component model for the moon's bulk composition was developed on the basis of the results of Delano (1986) on lunar pristine glasses. This suite of models is based on the following two assumptions: (1) that the early moon differentiated into two primary reservoirs, a FeO-rich magma ocean and an olivine-rich residuum of about Fo(90); and (2) that this magma ocean then differentiated into an olivine-dominated cumulate, about equal to or greater than Fo(80), and a primitive liquid composition. Because serious uncertainties remain concerning the moon's complex differentiation history, this three-component model does not yield a single unique composition for the bulk silicate moon; instead, it yields a range of restricted compositions that are permitted within the conceptual framework of the model.

Jones, John H.↗

Metasomatic products of the lunar magma ocean - The role of KREEP dissemination

The 'urKREEP' hypothesis of Warren and Wasson (1979) is extended by defining KREEP in terms of specific (i.e., constrained) lunar components. It is shown that, the presilicate liquid immiscibility (pre-SLI) composition can be obtained by recombining experimental data on KREEP basalt components, or by calculating from liquid-liquid Kd's. Both calculated urKREEP compositions were lower in MgO and Al2O3 and higher in FeO and P2O5 than reported low- and high-K KREEP compositions. The calculated REE abundances were higher and the REE profiles were slightly more LREE-enriched than the previously reported KREEP compositions.

Neal, Clive R.↗

Unusual olivine and pyroxene composition in interplanetary dust and unequilibrated ordinary chondrites

The presence, in both a number of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and in meteorite matrices, of olivine and orthopyroxene grains, low in FeO but containing up to 5 wt pct MnO, is reported. The majority of olivines and pyroxenes in meteorites contain less than 0.5 wt pct MnO. The presence of these low-iron, manganese-enriched (LIME) olivines and pyroxenes in IDPs and meteorites may indicate a link between the origin and history of IDPs and the matrix material of primitive meteorites. The origin of the LIME silicates could be explained by condensation from a gas of solar composition. Forsterite is the first major silicate phase to condense from a solar nebula gas, and Mn, which is not stable as a metal under solar nebula conditions, would condense at about 1100 K as Mn2SiO4 in solid solution with forsterite.

Klock, W.↗