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Procrustean science - Indigenous siderophiles in the lunar highlands, according to Delano and RingwoodAn attempt is made to show that Delano and Ringwood (1978) reached the conclusion that the siderophiles in the lunar highlands are mainly of indigenous rather than meteoric origin by stretching and chopping the evidence to fit a preconceived mold. In determining the abundance of siderophiles and volatiles in the lunar highlands, Delano and Ringwood rejected evidence supplied by pristine rocks uncontaminated by meteoric debris, on the basis that these rocks are impact melts. It is argued that there is no evidence that complete melting and slow freezing needed for settling of metal is ever attained in lunar impacts. Moreover, some of the meteorite-free rocks are clasts within, and hence older than the siderophile-rich breccias that Delano and Ringwood consider more pristine. If one uses the pristine highland rocks to determine an indigenous component, no problems with enrichment of Zn, Ge, As, Ag, Sb, and Au in the indigenous component relative to mare basalts are encountered, since the pristine rocks show no significant enrichment in these elements.
Document ID
19790053228
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Anders, E.
(Chicago, University Chicago, Ill., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: Moon and the Planets
Volume: 20
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
79A37241
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGL-14-001-167
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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