Characterizing the Effect of Shock on Isotopic Ages I: Ferroan Anorthosite Major Elements

CHARACTERIZING THE EFFECT OF SHOCK ON ISOTOPIC AGES II: Mg-SUITE TROCTOLITE MAJOR

Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotope systematics of the lunar Mg-suite: the age of the lunar crust and its relation to the time of Moon formation.

New Rb-Sr, (146,147)Sm-(142,143)Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic analyses of Mg-suite lunar crustal rocks 67667, 76335, 77215 and 78238, including an internal isochron for norite 77215, were undertaken to better define the time and duration of lunar crust formation and the history of the source materials of the Mg-suite. Isochron ages determined in this study for 77215 are: Rb-Sr=4450±270 Ma, (147)Sm-(143...

“massif’ Anorthosites in Alha81005: Possible Origin from a Diapir?

Introduction: Ferroan anorthosite is a dominant rock type in the lunar highland crust. Currently it is thought that the crust was formed by the crystallization and flotation of plagioclase from a global magma ocean [1,2]. This hypothesis of the lunar crust formation was made based on numerous analyses of Apollo and Luna lunar samples of ferroan anorthosites. Nevertheless these samples are now k...

Sinking the Lunar Magma Ocean: New Evidence from Meteorites and the Return of Serial Magmatism

Current understanding of lunar evolution is built on the Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO) hypothesis, which is based on the returned Apollo samples of ferroan anorthosites and the assumption that they are globally distributed. However, compositions of anorthositic clasts in lunar meteorites are inconsistent with a global LMO, and more consistent with crustal anorthosites forming from serial emplacement ...

Decoupling of Ree in Plagioclase and Orthopyroxene in the Lunar Ferroan Anorthosite

Introduction: According to the canonical lunar magma ocean (LMO) model, ferroan anorthosites (FANs) were part of the lunar anorthosite crust formed via plagioclase flotation and subsequent solidification in a globally distributed LMO [1-4]. The solidification time for a globally distributed LMO is model dependent and ranges from 10 4-10 8 yrs [3,5,6]. At a given time during lunar crust formatio...