Studies of the Solar System and Probable Lunar Abundances of Elements of Geochemical and Metallurgical Significance Status Report
Lunar abundances of elements of geochemical and metallurgical significance
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Lunar abundances of elements of geochemical and metallurgical significance
Nondispersive X-ray spectrometer for remote geochemical analysis of lunar or planetary surfaces
Organic geochemical criteria for differentiating molecules originating from biological and nonbiological processes, noting isoprenoid hydrocarbons genesis problems
Nondispersive X-ray emission technique uses lightweight, and rugged X-ray fluorescence units. The X-ray pulse-height spectra is excited by radioactive isotope sources. The technique is applicable for quantitative and qualitative analyses on complex chemical systems, and satisfies the goals for a lunar geochemical exploration device.
Organic geochemical investigations of lunar rock samples based on analysis methods for carbonaceous meteorites and early Precambrian sedimentary rocks
Low energy activation analysis for geochemical exploration
Mobile geochemical laboratory for in situ radiation measurement and elemental analyses in lunar exploration
Book on geochemical exploration of moon and planets covering orbital, compositional and surface studies, Apollo missions, Lunar Receiving Laboratories and data processing
Although only part of the information from the X-ray fluorescence geochemical experiment has been analyzed, it is clear that the experiment was highly successful. Significant compositional differences among and possibly within the maria and highlands have been detected. When viewed in the light of analyzed lunar rocks and soil samples, and the data from other lunar orbital experiments (in particular, the Apollo 15 gamma-ray spectroscopy experiment), the results indicate the existence of a differential lunar highland crust, probably feldspathic. This crust appears to be related to the plagioclase-rich materials previously found in the samples from Apollo 11, Apollo 12, Apollo 14, Apollo 15, and Luna 16.
The use of neutron activation for analysis of geochemical samples is discussed and reports on research in this area listed.
Discussion of laboratory simulations that are important to organic geochemistry in that they provide direct evidence relating to geochemical cycles involving carbon. Reviewed processes and experiments include reactions occurring in the geosphere, particularly, short-term diagenesis of biolipids and organochlorine pesticides in estuarine muds, as well as maturation of organic matter in ancient sediments.
The Dunes anomaly is a water-dominated geothermal system in the alluvium of the Salton Trough, lacking any surface expression. It was discovered by shallow-temperature gradient measurements. A 612-meter-deep test well encountered several temperature-gradient reversals, with a maximum of 105 C at 114 meters. The program involves surface geophysics, including electrical, gravity, and seismic methods, down-hole geophysics and petrophysics of core samples, isotopic and chemical studies of water samples, and petrological and geochemical studies of the cores and cuttings. The aim is (1) to determine the source and temperature history of the brines, (2) to understand the interaction between the brines and rocks, and (3) to determine the areal extent, nature, origin, and history of the geothermal system. These studies are designed to provide better definition of exploration targets for hidden geothermal anomalies and to contribute to improved techniques of exploration and resource assessment.
The loss of biological, organic geochemical, and morphological science information that may occur should a Mars surface sample be sterilized prior to return to earth is examined. Results of experimental studies are summarized.
The orbital Al/Si X-ray fluorescence data from Apollo 15 and 16 reveal a concentration of unusually low Al/Si intensity ratios associated with a 220-km long ray along the northeast-southwest trending wrinkle ridge, Dorsa Geike, of the Mare Fecunditatis. The paper describes in detail the analysis of the Al/Si X-ray fluorescence data by which this geochemical anomaly was discovered. Correlation with other remote sensing data also indicates that the ridge area is different from the rest of the mare. It is possible that the material associated with the low Al/Si intensity ratio is of different composition than the adjacent mare regolith. Downslope transport along the ridge and arch could expose basalts which contrast chemically with surrounding regolith. The anomaly could also be due to extrusion of a volcanic rock of different composition at the fracture system represented by the wrinkle ridge.
Remote geochemical measurements with gamma-ray spectrometers and X-ray fluorescence spectrometers are discussed. These instruments have proved themselves in lunar orbit, and seem best suited to determining the elemental content of asteroid surfaces.
The current status of geochemical, mineralogical, petrological interpretation of refined Viking Lander data is reviewed, and inferences that can be drawn from data on the composition of Martian surface materials are presented. The materials are dominantly fine silicate particles admixed with, or including, iron oxide particles. Both major element and trace element abundances in all samples are indicative of mafic source rocks (rather than more highly differentiated salic materials). The surface fines are nearly identical in composition at the two widely separated Lander sites, except for some lithologic diversity at the 100-m scale. This implies that some agency (presumably aeolian processes) has thoroughly homogenized them on a planetary scale. The most plausible model for the mineralogical constitution of the fine-grained surface materials at the two Lander sites is a fine-grained mixture dominated by iron-rich smectites, or their degradation products, with ferric oxides, probably including maghemite and carbonates (such as calcite), but not such less stable phases as magnesite or siderite.
Data obtained at the Goddard Flight Center were collected for the purpose of completing analyses started at Goddard in order to maximize the scientific yield of the geochemistry program which was terminated in 1977. The major analytical task undertaken was to complete Gd analyses on a large number of samples already analyzed by mass spectrometry for other rare earth element abundances at Goddard. Gd values are important for pinning down the central part of the geochemically significant rare earth abundance pattern and are especially useful in the high precision definition of the utilitarian Eu anomaly. Isotope-dilution Gd abundances were obtained for 39 samples. The data are for 27 partition-coefficient samples, six Apollo 15 and 16 breccia samples, four terrestrial impactities, and associated rock standards.
A geochemical mathematical modeling study designed to investigate the well plugging problems encountered at the Auburn University experimental field tests is summarized. The results, primarily of qualitative interest, include: (1) loss of injectivity was probably due to a combination of native particulate plugging and clay swelling and dispersion; (2) fluid-fluid incompatibilities, hydrothermal reactions, and oxidation reactions were of insignificant magnitude or too slow to have contributed markedly to the plugging; and (3) the potential for and contributions from temperature-induced dissolved gas solubility reductions, capillary boundary layer viscosity increases, and microstructural deformation cannot be deconvolved from the available data.