ESCA studies of the surface chemistry of lunar finesThe paper presents an ESCA analysis based on the use of a synthetic lunar-glass standard that allows determination of the surface composition of lunar samples with an accuracy that appears to be better than 10% of the amount present for all major elements except Ti. It is found that, on the average, grain surfaces in the lunar fines samples 10084 and 15301 are strongly enriched in Si, moderately enriched in Fe, moderately depleted in Al and Ca, and strongly depleted in Mg. This pattern could not be produced by the deposition of any expected meteoritic vapor. Neither could it be produced by simple inverse-mass-dependent element loss during sputtering. It is suggested that at least part of the pattern may be a simple consequence of agglutinate glass formation in the fines since there is some evidence that Si can become enriched on the surface of silicate melts. These results do not support the strong enrichments in Fe on grain surfaces reported from Auger studies.
Document ID
19770051853
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Housley, R. M. (Rockwell International Science Center Thousand Oaks, CA, United States)
Grant, R. W. (Rockwell International Science Center Thousand Oaks, Calif., United States)