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The meteoritic contribution to the regoliths of Mars, Deimos, and PhobosThe mass influx of meteoritic material at Earth exhibits two distinct peaks: one centered at 10-5 grams, corresponding to the continuous, planet-wide flux of micrometeorites, and a second corresponding to the rare impacts of objects larger than 1014 grams. Using the measured flux of meteoritic material at Earth and estimates of the Mars/Earth flux ration, it was calculated that the micrometeorites add between 2,700 and 59,000 tons of meteoritic material to the surface of Mars annually. This corresponds to the accretion of between 1.8 and 40 cm of meteoritic material per billion years. On the Moon this meteoritic component constitutes 1 to 2 percent of the mare soils. Depending on the indigenous regolith production rate on Mars, the meteoritic material on Mars may be present in sufficient concentration to serve as a resource for the volatile and siderophile elements common in chondritic meteorites but rare in basaltic crustal material. Since a significant fraction of the micrometeorites less than 1200 mm in diameter survive atmospheric entry on Mars without melting, they carry into the regolith the solar wind ions, including H, He, and noble gases, implanted during their space exposure.
Document ID
19910016756
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Flynn, G. J.
(State Univ. of New York Plattsburgh, NY, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Arizona Univ., Resources of Near-Earth Space: Abstracts
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
91N26070
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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