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Very low‐Ti mare basalts
Author(s) -
Taylor G. Jeffrey,
Keil Klaus,
Warner Richard D.
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/gl004i006p00207
Subject(s) - basalt , geology , lunar mare , fractional crystallization (geology) , partial melting , geochemistry , apollo , mineralogy , ilmenite , crystallization , chemistry , zoology , organic chemistry , biology
Bulk compositions, petrology, and mineralogy of lithic fragments discovered in polished sections of Apollo 17 drill core samples 70007, 70008, and 70009 and Luna 24 soil 24077, 43 are described. The fragments have unambiguous affinities to mare basalts, but are exceptionally low in TiO 2 (<1.0 wt.% TiO 2 ). Apollo 17 rake sample 78526 is a green glassy rock of similar composition. Together the samples represent a distinct variety of mare basalts. Bulk compositional relationships suggest that they are related to Apollo 15 green glass, but the data do not permit us to discern the precise nature of the relationship. Both fractional crystallization and partial melting models can explain the observed compositional trends.