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Clayton, R. N.

Publications and source records attributed to Clayton, R. N..

At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Oxygen isotopic compositions of chondrules in Allende and ordinary chondrites

The ferromagnesian chondrules in Allende follow a trend in the oxygen three-isotope plot that diverges significantly from the 16-O mixing line defined by light and dark inclusions and the matrix of the meteorite. The trend probably results from isotopic exchange with an external gaseous reservoir during the process of chondrule formation sometime after the establishment of the isotopic compositions of the inclusions and matrix. The Allende chondrules approach, but do not reach, the isotopic compositions of chondrules in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, implying exchange with a similar ambient gas, but isotopically different solid precursors for the two types of meteorite.

Clayton, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Isotopic variations in primitive meteorites

Oxygen isotopic variations in carbonaceous chondrites and ordinary chondrites can each be interpreted as mixtures of two isotopically different reservoirs, one consisting of solids, enriched in O-16, the other of a gas, depleted in O-16 relative to terrestrial abundances. The data indicate a common source of the solids for each of the two classes of meteorites, but a different gas reservoir for each. These conditions might obtain in gaseous protoplanets. It is noted that radiogenic Mg-26 is variable in abundance among some classes of Allende inclusions, implying either nebular heterogeneity with respect to Al-26/Al-27 ratios or time differences of crystal formation. The presence of excess Ag-107 from decay of extinct Pd-107 corroborates the evidence from Mg-26 for a time interval of at most a few million years between the last nucleosynthetic event and the accretion of substantial bodies in the solar system.

Clayton, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Cristobalite-pyroxene in an L6 chondrite - Implications for metamorphism

CRISPY is a cristobalite-pyroxene assemblage in the L6 chondrite ALHA 76003. It was formed by reaction of a very siliceous inclusion with the surrounding olivine-rich rock. Oxygen isotopes show that the inclusion was derived from a source with non-chondritic isotopic composition. The isotopes also show that the oxygen of the pyroxene reaction product was derived by simple mixing of oxygen from the inclusion and its immediately adjacent surroundings, with exchange with the bulk meteorite limited to a distance of about a millimeter. The persistence of cristobalite in close proximity to olivine, and the lack of isotopic equilibration, show that the metamorphic processes that form petrographic grade 6 chondrites involve transport of major elements over distances only on the order of millimeters.

Olsen, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Nitrogen isotopes in the Allende meteorite

Nitrogen in the Allende meteorite consists of at least two components, partially resolvable in a stepwise heating experiment. L-nitrogen, released below 1000 C, has a low delta N-15 (-60 to -90 per mil), and is associated with neon-A and CCF-xenon and may reside in a carbonaceous carrier. H-nitrogen, released above 1000 C, is associated with normal xenon, and may reside in silicate minerals. It is very difficult to account for the entire range of N-15/N-14 ratios in solar system materials by mass-dependent chemical and physical processes alone. In particular, an N-14 enriched component of nuclear origin appears necessary to account for the L-nitrogen in Allende.

Thiemens, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Ancient solar wind in lunar microbreccias

Possible components of the ancient solar wind, particularly the N-15/N-14 ratio, are investigated on the basis of lunar microbreccia studies. Nitrogen contents and isotope ratios were determined for Apollo 11 and 15 microbreccia samples by means of vacuum pyrolysis techniques. The Apollo 11 soil breccias, which had been closed to the addition of recent solar wind due to their compaction, are found to contain the lowest N-15/N-14 ratios yet reported for the solar wind, extending the range of variation of the ratio to between a delta N-15 of -190% in the past to +120% at present. Nitrogen isotope analysis of the Apollo 15 drill core, which had undergone two episodes of solar wind exposure, also support the secular variation in the N-15 content of the solar wind, which is attributed to spallation reactions in the sun. The formation of the breccias at the Apollo 11 and 15 sites is discussed on the basis of the observed nitrogen systematics, and differences between N-15 and Ne-21 cosmic ray exposure ages implied are attributed to the diffusive loss of neon from lunar soils.

Thiemens, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Lunar nitrogen - Evidence for secular change in the solar wind

The lunar soil is an efficient trap for nitrogen in the solar wind. The concentration of nitrogen in lunar soils implies a flux of solar wind at least three times greater than that which is observed today. The implication is that the present-day flux is anomalously low. Soil samples from drill cores, and soil breccias excavated from buried levels of the regolith provide samples of ancient solar wind. From these samples it is apparent that the N-15/N-14 ratio in the solar wind has undergone a monotonic secular increase over the last 2.5 billion years, at a rate of about 15% per billion years. Nuclear reactions in the sun appear to be the most likely cause of the variation.

Clayton, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Solar and cosmogenic nitrogen in the Apollo 17 deep drill core

It is established that the greatest distinction in origin of the soils in the Apollo 17 drill core is between the surface layer, down to 25 cm, and the remainder. The surface layer was not derived by the reworking of underlying material, but was deposited from elsewhere. The soils in the core below 25 cm have had similar surface histories, with first exposure to the solar wind 1.0-1.5 million years ago and accumulation of solar wind continuously over hundreds of millions of years thereafter. The soil with the least, and most ancient, surface exposure is 25-60 cm deep, while that with the greatest and most recent exposure, other than the present surface layer, lies at a depth of 110-170 cm. A major stratigraphic sequence disturbance has therefore deposited the soils in their present positions.

Thiemens, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Small solar thermal electric power plants with early commercial potential

Cost-effective small solar thermal electric power plants (1- to 10-MW nominal size) offer an attractive way of helping the world meet its future energy needs. The paper describes the characteristics of a conceptual near-term plant (about 1 MW) and a potential 1990 commercial version. The basic system concept is one in which steam is generated using two-axis tracking, parabolic dish, and point-focusing collectors. The steam is transported through low-loss piping to a central steam turbine generator unit where it is converted to electricity. The plants have no energy storage and their output power level varies with the solar insolation level. This system concept, which is firmly based on state-of-the-art technology, is projected to offer one of the fastest paths for U.S. commercialization of solar thermal electric power plants through moderate technology advances and mass production.

Jones, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Nitrogen isotope fractionations in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and in the Miller-Urey reaction

Nitrogen isotope fractionations have been measured in Fischer-Tropsch and Miller-Urey reactions in order to determine whether these processes can account for the large N-15/N-14 ratios found in organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites. Polymeric material formed in the Fischer-Tropsch reaction was enriched in N-15 by only 3 per mil relative to the starting material (NH3). The N-15 enrichment in polymers from the Miller-Urey reaction was 10-12 per mil. Both of these fractionations are small compared to the 80-90 per mil differences observed between enstatite chondrites and carbonaceous chondrites. These large differences are apparently due to temporal or spatial variations in the isotopic composition of nitrogen in the solar nebula, rather than to fractionation during the production of organic compounds.

King, C.-C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Nitrogen abundances and isotopic compositions in stony meteorites

Nitrogen contents range from a few parts per million in ordinary chondrites and achondrites to several hundred parts per million in enstatite chondrites and carbonaceous chondrites. Four major isotopic groups are recognized: (1) C1 and C2 carbonaceous chondrites, (2) enstatite chondrites, (3) C3 chondrites, and (4) ordinary chondrites. The major variations are primary, representing isotopic abundances established at the time of condensation and accretion. Secondary processes, such as spallation reactions, solar wind implantation and metamorphic loss may cause small but observable isotopic variations in particular cases. The large isotopic difference between enstatite chondrites and carbonaceous chondrites cannot be accounted for by equilibrium condensation from a homogeneous nebular gas, and requires either unusually large kinetic effects, or a temporal or spatial variation of isotopic composition of the nebula. Nitrogen isotopic heterogeneity in the nebula due to nuclear processes has not been firmly established, but may be required to account for the large variations found within the Allende and Leoville meteorites. The unique carbonaceous chondrite, Renazzo, also requires a special source. It is not yet possible, from the meteoritic data, to establish the mode of accretion of nitrogen onto the primitive earth.

Kung, C.-C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Meteorites and their parent bodies: Evidence from oxygen isotopes

Isotopic abundance variations among meteorites are used to establish genetic associations between meteorite classes. Oxygen isotope distributions between group II E irons with H-group ordinary chondrites and enstatic meteorites indicate that the parent bodies were formed out of pre-solar material that was not fully mixed at the time condensation occurred within the solar nebula.

Clayton, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Isotopic fractionation of silicon in Allende inclusions

The variations of Si-30/Si-28 and Si-29/Si-28 in Allende inclusions are large, and are due predominantly to mass-dependent fractionation effects. Gas-soild or gas-liquid condensation processes at high temperatures have sufficiently large fractionation factors to account for the heavy-isotope enrichments in coarse-grained inclusions. Heavy isotope depletions are found in some Allende samples, and apparently result from a late-stage condensation. Thus, the silicon isotopic compositions may be useful for determining the sequence of events in forming the Allende meteorite. The peculiar Allende inclusion, Cl, has a very large mass-fractionated enrichment of Si-30/Si-28, and in addition, perhaps a small nuclear enrichment of Si-29. Olivine from the unusual pallasite, Eagle Station, has normal silicon isotope abundances even though it has a large O-16 excess.

Clayton, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Ion microprobe, electron microprobe and cathodoluminescence data for Allende inclusions with emphasis on plagioclase chemistry

Three Type B inclusions from the Allende meteorite have been analyzed. A grain-to-grain characterization of mineral chemistry and isotopic content was made possible by the use of a range of techniques, including luminescence and scanning electron microscopy and electron and ion microprobe analysis. Cathodoluminescence was used in fine-grained, optically opaque regions to distinguish between sub-micrometer phases, such as garnet and Si-rich material, subsequently identified by electron probe and scanning electron microscope analyses. Four types of luminescence patterns, due to twinning, primary sector zoning, alteration of boundaries and fractures, and shock effects, were identified in Allende plagioclase. Luminescence color exhibited a strong correlation with Mg content and provided a guide for an electron probe quantitative map of Mg and Na distributions. Ion microprobe studies of individual grains revealed large excesses of Mg-26.

Hutcheon, I. D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Nitrogen isotope systematics of two Apollo 12 soils

Soils 12023 and 12037 were analyzed for nitrogen by step-wise heating. Helium contents, Ar-40/Ar-36 ratios and spallation N-15 ages were determined in addition to nitrogen contents and isotopic compositions. The results for 12023 show it to be a typical lunar soil similar to many Apollo 16 and 17 soils in its nitrogen content and delta N-15 value, with a complex history. Soil 12037 appears to have had a simple, two-stage surface exposure history; one exposure occurring recently for about 10-20 m.y. and the other between about 3 to 4 b.y. ago. The delta N-15 value of nitrogen implanted in the earlier exposure was -125%. This nitrogen may reside in the minor components of 12037 such as the KREEP. If it should reside in the basaltic component of 12037, however, then the variation in the delta N-15 of implanted nitrogen with time probably has been more complex than previously considered.

Becker, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Distribution of the pre-solar component in Allende and other carbonaceous chondrites

Detailed analyses of separated phases of several Allende Ca-Al-rich inclusions are reported which reveal a consistent pattern of large O-16 enrichments in spinel, pyroxene, and sometimes olivine, and small O-16 enrichments in melilite, feldspathoids, and grossular. The heterogeneous distribution of the O-16 excesses, together with their enhancement in minerals believed to be early solar nebular condensates, suggests the existence of pre-solar carriers of the isotopic anomaly, probably grains or molecules with oxygen which was nearly pure O-16. Pre-solar grains of corundum or spinel, and pre-solar molecules of SiO are considered possibilities. Excess O-16, relative to terrestrial abundances, has been found in all samples of C2, C3 (the Allende is this kind), and C4 carbonaceous chondrites which have been analyzed. No direct correlation has yet been observed between the oxygen anomalies and isotope anomalies in neon, magnesium, or xenon.

Clayton, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Heterogeneities in the solar nebula

Oxygen isotopic compositions of the high-temperature phases in carbonaceous chondrites define a mixing line with an 0-16-rich component and show little superimposed chemical isotope fractionation. Within a single inclusion in Allende, variations of delta 0-18 and delta 0-17 of 39 thousands are found. The ordinary chondrites are slightly displaced from the terrestrial fractionation trend, implying that at least 0.2 percent of the oxygen in terrestrial rocks was derived from the 0-16-rich component.

Clayton, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Nitrogen isotopes in lunar soils as a measure of cosmic-ray exposure and regolith history

Previous studies have shown that the bulk of the nitrogen in soils has been implanted by the solar wind, that the N-15/N-14 ratio of the implanted nitrogen has apparently increased with time, and that both soils and rocks contain a nitrogen component greatly enriched in N-15, relative to natural abundance ratios, due to cosmic-ray spallation. An investigation was, therefore, conducted to test the feasibility of using spallation-produced N-15 for determining cosmic-ray exposure ages. Samples from several depths in the Apollo 15 deep drill core were analyzed. The data obtained have also been evaluated with regard to possible models for the prior history of the material now in the Apollo 15 core. In addition, analyses have been performed of several other soil samples considered for various reasons to be of particular interest, such as orange soil 74220 and its companion 74240, Apollo 16 drill core sample 60002, and the apparently peculiar fillet soil 67461. Wherever possible, analyses were carried out by step-wise heating rather than by total pyrolysis. On the basis of the results of the investigation it is concluded that nitrogen isotope ratio determinations provide a usable method for determining cosmic-ray exposures for soils.

Becker, R. H.↗