Iron-titanium-chromite, a possible new carrier of remanent magnetization in lunar rocks.

Magnetic measurements of synthetic titanchromites reveal a characteristic transition at low temperature, making it possible to identify the presence of titanchromites in lunar rocks 12063, 14321 (dark clasts), and 14310. It is shown that titanchromites with a high chromium content could be the carriers of intermediate stability natural remanent magnetization observed in lunar rocks. Such natural remanent magnetization is acquired by transition thermoremanent magnetization at low temperature and cannot be duplicated by laboratory thermoremanent magnetization imparted above room temperature. The latter process will not yield the correct lunar paleointensity.