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C-O volatiles in Apollo 15 and Apollo 17 picritic glassesA15 and A17 primitive picritic glasses have been examined by FTIR for the presence of dissolved C-O species to determine the role of C-O gasses on driving lunar fire-fountains. A15 green and yellow glasses were extensively studied and found to be free of dissolved C species down to FTIR detection limits (10-100 ppm; species and sample specific). Preliminary data on A17 orange glasses are similarly devoid of FTIR detectable C-O species. Re-analyses of the C-O driving mechanism theory for mare volcanism demonstrates the need to determine the fO2 of the lunar interior; the factor that most critically determined the role of C gasses in the fire-fountaining events. Oxygen fugacities equivalent to IW-0.5 and above imply dissolved CO3(=) in the primitive glasses at levels above FTIR detection. The f02's below IW-0.5 imply concentrations of CO3(=) below FTIR detection. Recent data suggesting lunar mantle fO2's of IW-2 or less, strongly mitigate against finding FTIR measurable dissolved CO3(=) consistent with the findings of this study.
Document ID
19940016254
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Rutherford, Malcolm J.
(Brown Univ. Providence, RI, United States)
Fogel, Robert A.
(American Museum of Natural History New York, NY., United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Inst., Twenty-Fourth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Part 3: N-Z
Subject Category
Inorganic And Physical Chemistry
Accession Number
94N20727
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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