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Possible lunar source areas of meteorite ALHA81005: Geochemical remote sensing information
Author(s) -
Pieters Carle M.,
Hawke B. Ray,
Gaffey Michael,
McFadden Lucy A.
Publication year - 1983
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/gl010i009p00813
Subject(s) - regolith , meteorite , geology , impact crater , breccia , astrobiology , geology of the moon , ejecta , geochemistry , thorium , remote sensing , basalt , materials science , astronomy , uranium , physics , supernova , metallurgy
Antartic meteorite ALHA81005 is a regolith breccia apparently sent to earth by an impact event in the lunar highlands. Laboratory studies of this sample provide information that is used to understand the source region on the moon using remote sensing data. The meteorites' low Thorium content is inconsistent with Thorium values measured for the central lunar nearside from orbit with Apollo γ‐ray spectrometers. Similarly, the mineral assemblages inferred from near infrared spectra of small impact craters on the lunar nearside do not exhibit the significant component of olivine and Fe‐bearing feldspar that is observed in the meteorite spectra. The existing remote sensing data suggest the most probable source region for ALHA81005 is the nearside limb or the lunar farside and that the composition of ALHA81005 represents a surface unit that has not previously been extensively sampled.