Engineering topics

Mellema, J. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Mellema, J. P..

4 records

NASA NTRS1976

Early lunar magnetism

A new method (Shaw, 1974) for investigating paleointensity (the ancient magnetic field) was applied to three subsamples of a single, 1-m homogeneous clast from a recrystallized boulder of lunar breccia. Several dating methods established 4 billion years as the age of boulder assembly. Results indicate that the strength of the ambient magnetic field at the Taurus-Littrow region of the moon was about 0.4 oersted at 4 billion years ago. Values as high as 1.2 oersted have been reported (Collison et al., 1973). The required fields are approximately 10,000 times greater than present interplanetary or solar flare fields. It is suggested that this large field could have arisen from a pre-main sequence T-Tauri sun.

Banerjee, S. K.↗

NASA NTRS1976

A solar origin for the large lunar magnetic field at 4.0 billion yr ago

A new method (Shaw, 1974) for paleointensity determination has been applied to three subsamples of one polymict breccia, 72215 (of age 4.0 billion yr) to yield an average paleointensity of 0.41 Oe at the Taurus-Littrow region of the moon around the time of breccia formation. Of the present models for lunar magnetism, only the Sonett and Runcorn (1974) model of a central iron core dynamo can explain the presence of such a large field in early lunar history. However, because of the similarity in size of this field and that for the early solar system deduced from carbonaceous chondrites, we draw attention to an apparently little-considered possibility: that the large magnetic field in early lunar history was external and solar in origin, and emanated from a pre-main sequence T-Tauri stage sun. Therefore, there should be no record of such a large magnetic field in lunar rocks younger than approximately 4.0 billion yr.

Banerjee, S. K.↗

NASA NTRS1974

A new method for the determination of paleointensity from the A.R.M. properties of rocks

The relation between the mechanisms of thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) considered by Nagata (1961) is utilized in the new method. It is shown experimentally that the ratio of room temperature TRM and ARM susceptibilities can be determined quantitatively from the intrinsic magnetic parameters of the rock. Questions of the theoretical background of the method are examined along with details regarding the experimental technique.-

Banerjee, S. K.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Lunar paleointensity from three Apollo 15 crystalline rocks using an A.R.M. method

An anhysteretic remanent magnetization method described by Banerjee and Mellema (1974) is used in the lunar paleointensity studies reported. The range of the difference in the paleointensity values obtained by the new method is not quite as great as the range of differences ordinarily found in values determined with the conventional method reported by Thellier and Thellier (1959). The results of the investigation show that the three Apollo 15 rocks studied acquired their natural remanent magnetization in a finite-sized magnetic field which was two or three orders of magnitude greater than the present ambient interplanetary field at the moon.

Banerjee, S. K.↗