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The nature of the meteoritic components of Apollo 16 soil, as inferred from correlations of iron, cobalt, iridium, and gold with nickelThe Apollo 16 soil concentrations of Ni, Fe, Co, Ir, and Au were studied to determine the correlations with Ni. The correlations obtained indicate that the variation in the siderophile element concentrations in Apollo 16 soils result from the variation in the concentration of a Fe-Ni metal (with the mean composition of 5.6 pct Ni and 0.36 pct Co) that contributes about 0.4-0.5 pct to a typical soil from Apollo 16. It is shown that the siderophile elements of the 'ancient meteorite component' of Anders et al. (1973) and Hertogen et al. (1977) are located in the grains of Fe-Ni metal that in turn are contained in noritic impact melt breccias produced about 3.9 Ga ago. The ancient Fe-Ni is different from the metal of ordinary chondrites by having lower Ni/Co, Ir/Ni, and Ir/Au ratios. It is shown that Ni in the Apollo 16 soil is contributed approximately equally by the 'ancient meteorite component' and the 'micrometeorite component' (dominated by carbonaceous chondrites); however, most of the variation in Ni concentration results from the variation of the ancient Fe-Ni metal among samples of Apollo 16 soil.
Document ID
19870046790
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Korotev, Randy L.
(Washington University Saint Louis, MO, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
March 30, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 92
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
87A34064
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG9-56
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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