Mg-spinel lithology: A new rock type on the lunar farside
Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets
By: C.M. Pieters, S. Besse, J. Boardman, B. Buratti, L. Cheek, R. N. Clark, J. #NAME? Combe, D. Dhingra, J.N. Goswami, R.O. Green, J.W. Head, P. Isaacson, R. Klima, G. Kramer, S. Lundeen, E. Malaret, T. McCord, J. Mustard, J. Nettles, N. Petro, C. Runyon, M. Staid, J. Sunshine, L.A. Taylor, K. Thaisen, S. Tompkins, and J. Whitten
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Open Access Version: Publisher Index Page
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
High-resolution compositional data from Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M 3) for the Moscoviense region on the lunar farside reveal three unusual, but distinctive, rock types along the inner basin ring. These are designated "OOS" since they are dominated by high concentrations of orthopyroxene, olivine, and Mg-rich spinel, respectively. The OOS occur as small areas, each a few kilometers in size, that are widely separated within the highly feldspathic setting of the basin rim. Although the abundance of plagioclase is not well constrained within the OOS, the mafic mineral content is exceptionally high, and two of the rock types could approach pyroxenite and harzburgite in composition. The third is a new rock type identified on the Moon that is dominated by Mg-rich spinel with no other mafic minerals detectable (<5% pyroxene, olivine). All OOS surfaces are old and undisturbed since basin formation. They are effectively invisible in image data and are only recognized by their distinctive composition identified spectroscopically. The origin of these unusual lithologies appears to be linked to one or more magmatic intrusions into the lower crust, perhaps near the crust-mantle interface. Processes such as fractional crystallization and gravity settling within such intrusions may provide a mechanism for concentrating the mafic components within zones several kilometers in dimension. The OOS are embedded within highly anorthositic material from the lunar crust; they may thus be near contemporaneous with crustal products from the cooling magma ocean. Copyright ?? 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.
Suggested Citation
Pieters, C., Besse, S., Boardman, J., Buratti, B., Cheek, L., Clark, R.N., Combe, J.#., Dhingra, D., Goswami, J., Green, R., Head, J., Isaacson, P., Klima, R., Kramer, G., Lundeen, S., Malaret, E., McCord, T., Mustard, J., Nettles, J., Petro, N., Runyon, C., Staid, M., Sunshine, J., Taylor, L., Thaisen, K., Tompkins, S., Whitten, J., 2011, Mg-spinel lithology: A new rock type on the lunar farside: Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets, v. 116, no. 4, Article E00G08; 14 p., https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JE003727.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Mg-spinel lithology: A new rock type on the lunar farside |
| Series title | Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets |
| DOI | 10.1029/2010JE003727 |
| Volume | 116 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication Date | April 22, 2011 |
| Year Published | 2011 |
| Language | English |
| Contributing office(s) | Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center |
| Description | Article E00G08; 14 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets |