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The age of the carbonates in martian meteorite ALH84001The age of secondary carbonate mineralization in the martian meteorite ALH84001 was determined to be 3.90 +/- 0.04 billion years by rubidium-strontium (Rb-Sr) dating and 4.04 +/- 0.10 billion years by lead-lead (Pb-Pb) dating. The Rb-Sr and Pb-Pb isochrons are defined by leachates of a mixture of high-graded carbonate (visually estimated as approximately 5 percent), whitlockite (trace), and orthopyroxene (approximately 95 percent). The carbonate formation age is contemporaneous with a period in martian history when the surface is thought to have had flowing water, but also was undergoing heavy bombardment by meteorites. Therefore, this age does not distinguish between aqueous and impact origins for the carbonates.
Document ID
20040144678
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Borg, L. E.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston TX United States)
Connelly, J. N.
Nyquist, L. E.
Shih, C. Y.
Wiesmann, H.
Reese, Y.
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1999
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 286
Issue: 5437
ISSN: 0036-8075
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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