Magnetic studies on Apollo 15 and 16 lunar samplesThe magnetic properties of lunar samples are almost exclusively due to rather pure metallic iron. The mare basalt contains about 0.06 wt.% Fe, the soils 0.5-0.6 wt.%, and the breccias 0.3-1.0 wt.%. Most of the additional iron in the soils and breccias is believed to be the result of reduction processes operating on the lunar surface. Whereas the total metallic iron content of the soils from all landing sites is rather constant, the Fe(0)/Fe(++) ratio and the average iron grain size increase with the age of the landing site, reflecting increasing maturity. The crystalline rocks studied from Apollo 16 have highly variable, but generally, very high metallic Fe content (up to 1.7 wt.% Fe). It is suggested that these rocks are either breccias or igneous samples which have been severely thermally metamorphosed in a highly reducing environment.
Document ID
19740040267
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Pearce, G. W. (Lunar Science Institute, Houston, Tex.; Toronto, University Toronto, Canada)
Gose, W. A. (Lunar Science Institute Houston, Tex., United States)
Strangway, D. W. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, Tex., United States)