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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

New observations on the quartz monzodiorite-granite suite

Five new fragments of quartz monzodiorite (QMD) were identified in particles from soil 15403, which was collected from the boulder sampled as rock 15405, an impact-melt breccia containing clasts of KREEP basalt, QMD, granite, and a more primitive alkali norite. Petrographic and geochemical studies of the fragments show considerable variation in modal proportions and bulk composition. This heterogeneity is due to unrepresentative sampling in small fragments of coarse-grained rocks. Variations in the proportions of accessory minerals have marked effects on incompatible-trace-element concentrations and ratios. Semiquantitative calculations support the derivation of QMD from 60-percent fractional crystallization of a KREEP basalt magma as suggested by Hess (1989). Apollo 15 KREEP basalt cannot be the actual parent magma because the evolved rocks predate volcanic KREEP basalts. It is suggested that ancient KREEP basalt magmas have crystallized as plutons, with alkali norite clasts offering the only direct evidence of this precursor.

Marvin, U. B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Alkali-granitoids as fragments within the ordinary chondrite Adzhi-Bogdo: Evidence for highly fractionated, alkali-granitic liquids on asteroids

Adzhi-Bogdo is an ordinary chondrite regolith breccia (LL3-6) that fell October 30, 1949 in Gobi Altay, Mongolia. The rock consists of submm- to cm-sized fragments embedded in a fine-grained elastic matrix. The breccia contains various types of clasts, some of which must be of foreign heritage. Based on chemical compositions of olivine some components have to be classified as L-type. Components of the breccia include chondrules, impact melts (some are K-rich, similar to those found in other LL-chondrites, highly recrystalized rock fragments ('granulites'), pyroxene-rich fragments with achondritic textures, and alkali-granitoidal fragments that mainly consist of K-feldspar and quartz or tridymite. Probably, this is the first report on granitoids from asteroids. It can be ruled out that these fragments represent huge rock assemblages of the parent body like granites do on Earth. Therefore, to avoid misunderstandings, these rocks will be designated as granitoids. In one thin section four granitoids were observed. The main phases within these clasts are K-feldspar and SiO2-phases. Minor phases include albite, Cl-apatite, whitlockite, ilmenite, zircon, Ca-poor pyroxene, and an unidentified Na,Ti-bearing silicate. Based on chemical composition and on optical properties quartz appears to be the SiO2-phase in two fragments, whereas tridymite seems to occur in the other two. The calculated formula of the unknown Na,Ti-rich silicate is very close to (Na,Ca)2.7(Fe,Mg)6(Ti)1.3(Si)7(O)24. Quartz and K-feldspar can reach sizes of up to 700 microns. Thus, the fragments can be described as coarse-grained (by chondritic standards). This is especially the case considering that quartz and K-feldspar are very rare minerals in ordinary chondrites. Representative analyses of minerals from some granitoidal clasts are given. Based on the mineral compositions and the modal abundances the bulk compositions were calculated. Besides these granitoidal rocks, pyroxene-rich fragments occur that show exsolution textures that are similar to those found in eucrites.

Bischoff, A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

K-Ca and Rb-Sr Dating of Lunar Granite 14321 Revisited

K-Ca and Rb-Sr age determinations were made for a bulk feldspar-rich portion of an Apollo rock fragment of the pristine lunar granite clast (14321,1062), an acid-leached split of the sample, and the leachate. K-Ca and Rb-Sr data were also obtained for a whole rock sample of Apollo ferroan anorthosite (FAN, 15415). The recent detection [1] of widespread intermediate composition plagioclase indicates that the generation of a diversity of evolved lunar magmas maybe more common and therefore more important to our understanding of crust formation than previously believed. Our new data strengthen the K-Ca and Rb-Sr internal isochrons of the well-studied Apollo sample 14321 [2], which along with a renewed effort to study evolved lunar magmas will provide an improved understanding of the petrogenetic history of evolved rocks on the Moon.

Simon, Justin I.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Twinned magnetite in granitic samples from the Siljan impact structure, Sweden

Impact cratering is a ubiquitous process throughout the solar system and has played a key role for the geologic evolution of Earth and other planets [1]. Magnetic anomalies are common characteristics of impact craters [2], so understanding how magnetite (Fe23+Fe2+O42-), an important magnetic carrier in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial rocks, is affected by shock waves, especially structurally and magnetically, is crucial. Magnetic minerals have been studied to gain insight into the geologic evolution of Mars, with specific focus including understanding the Martian crustal structure and the oxidization state of Martian rocks (e.g., [3,4,5]). Shock waves permanently alter the intrinsic magnetic properties of rocks (e.g., [6]), as do twinning in natural environments with less extreme P/T conditions [7]. In fact, pressure conditions induced by impacts have been suggested to explain demagnetization signatures observed around Martian impact basins [8]. It is still poorly understood what effects shock has on the crystallographic structure of magnetite and thus it’s intrinsic magnetic properties, and , how that affects the bulk magnetic properties of rocks (e.g., [9]). Limited experimental studies have investigated the effects of shock compression on magnetite, especially with the aim of describing crystallographic deformation (e.g., [9] and references therein). In this work we report preliminary results of an investigation of microstructures in magnetite, an “unconventional” mineral in shock studies, in granitic samples from the ca. 380 Ma ~52 km-in-diameter Siljan impact structure, located in south-central Sweden.

shock metamorphism↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Status and Operations at the Granite Island, Michigan (GIM) BSRN Station

In June 2018, a new surface radiation site was established on Granite Island, Michigan (GIM), located in Lake Superior. GIM is a 0.1 square km (2.5 acre) rock island. GIM moved from candidate to active and became a fully-fledged member of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) in July 2020 (BSRN Label: GIM). The installation is solar powered, and autonomous instrument functions are accessed remotely from Hampton, Virginia, USA. The original motivation to establishing surface radiation measurements at GIM was to combine high quality downwelling shortwave and longwave measurements with existing evaporation measurements that could lead to improved understanding of the Earth’s energy budget. Other scientific benefits are the addition of a new "water" site to the BSRN network (Water sites are rare in the BSRN network) and a surface validation site for satellite measurements such as the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES). In this poster, we present the status of GIM. GIM is equipped with standard downwelling flux at visible and infrared wavelengths as required by the BSRN network. Basic meteorological parameters are being monitored, as well as other data collections for aerosol and total column water vapor, PAR, and lake skin temperature. Lastly, the capabilities to clean shortwave optics remotely will be discussed and a current list of instruments and pictures will be displayed.

Bryan Fabbri↗
DOE OSTI2023

Temperature Uncertainty Modeling with Proxy Structural Data as Geostatistical Constraints for Well Siting: An Example Applied to Granite Springs Valley, NV, USA

Utilizing existing temperature and structural information around Granite Springs Valley, Nevada, we build 3D stochastic temperature models with the aim of evaluating the 3D uncertainty of temperature and choosing between candidate exploration well locations . The data used to support the modeling are measured temperatures and structural proxies from 3D geologic modeling, the latter considered "secondary" data. Two stochastic geostatistical techniques are explored for incorporating the structural proxies: cosimulation and local varying mean. With both the cosimulation and local varying mean methods, many equally likely temperature models (i.e., realizations) are produced, from which temperature probability profiles are calculated at candidate well locations. To aid in choosing between the candidate locations, two quantities summarize the temperature probabilities: Vprior and entropy. Vprior quantifies the likelihood for economic temperatures at each candidate location, whereas entropy identifies where new information has the most potential to reduce uncertainty. In general, the cosimulation realizations have smoother spatial structure, and extrapolate high temperatures at candidate locations that are located along the direction of the longest spatial correlation, which are down dip from existing temperature logs. The smooth realizations result in tight temperature probability profiles that are easier to interpret, but they have unrealistic temperature reversals in some locations because the cosimulation technique does not enforce a conductive geothermal gradient as a baseline (i.e., linearly increasing temperature with depth). The local varying mean results produce realizations with more realistic geothermal gradients, with temperatures increasing downward since a depth-temperature relationship is included. However, because they have much noisier spatial nature compared to cosimulation, it is harder to interpret the temperature probability profiles. The different local varying mean results allow the geologist to determine which proxy (e.g., dilation versus distance to fault termination) should be used given the specific geothermal system. In general, Vprior from local varying mean results identify locations that are close to high values for the structural proxies: areas with highe r probabilities for higher temperatures. The entropy results identify where uncertainty is greatest and therefore new drilling information could be most useful. Though these techniques provide useful information, even when applied to areas of sparse data, our comp arison of these two techniques demonstrates the need for new geothermal geostatistics techniques that combine the advantages of these two methods and that are tailored to the spatial uncertainty issues inherent in geothermal exploration.

3D temperature modeling↗
DOE OSTI2021

Reproduction of melting behavior for vitrified hillforts based on amphibolite, granite, and basalt lithologies

Abstract European Bronze and Iron Age vitrified hillforts have been known since the 1700s, but archaeological interpretations regarding their function and use are still debated. We carried out a series of experiments to constrain conditions that led to the vitrification of the inner wall rocks in the hillfort at Broborg, Sweden. Potential source rocks were collected locally and heat treated in the laboratory, varying maximum temperature, cooling rate, and starting particle size. Crystalline and amorphous phases were quantified using X-ray diffraction both in situ, during heating and cooling, and ex situ, after heating and quenching. Textures, phases, and glass compositions obtained were compared with those for rock samples from the vitrified part of the wall, as well as with equilibrium crystallization calculations. ‘Dark glass’ and its associated minerals formed from amphibolite or dolerite rocks melted at 1000–1200 °C under reducing atmosphere then slow cooled. ‘Clear glass’ formed from non-equilibrium partial melting of feldspar in granitoid rocks. This study aids archaeological forensic investigation of vitrified hillforts and interpretation of source rock material by mapping mineralogical changes and glass production under various heating conditions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1971

A large granite stage and measuring microscope.

A stage and measuring microscope servocontrolled by a computer have been constructed. The travel of the stage is 0.5 x 0.5 m and the travel of the microscope objective is 7.5 cm. The measuring accuracy is 1 micron in the x-y plane and 5 microns along the z axis. The mechanical and optical construction of the stage and microscope, as well as the way in which the control electronics are organized, permit great flexibility of operation. Possible applications include the scanning and measuring of astronomical plates, the laying out of patterns of semiconductor devices of very large sizes, and the measurement of precision grids.

Alston-Garnjost, M.↗