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A new 1.3 aeon‐young achondrite
Author(s) -
Bogard D. D.,
Husain Liaquat
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl004i002p00069
Subject(s) - achondrite , meteorite , parent body , geology , astrobiology , geochemistry , physics , chondrite
The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age of Governador Valadares, a newly identified Nakhlite‐achondrite, has been determined to be 1.32 ±.04 × 10 9 yrs. The K‐Ar age and cosmic ray exposure age of Governador Valadares is essentially identical to analogous ages for the two other known Nakhlite‐achondrites and to Rb‐Sr ages determined for Nakhla. These data suggest that all three known meteorites of this class were derived from the same parent body by a common event, and confirm that Governador Valadares is a member of this class. The most probable heat source for producing such meteorites may be collisional melting of a portion of the parent body. Nakhlites may represent a rare phenomenon and may not be at all representative of the surface of their parent body.