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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 271 records · Page 15
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NASA NTRS1976

Volatile compounds released during lunar lava fountaining

A modified radiochemical neutron activation analysis was used to determine 24 elements in three sieve separates and in HCl leach, HF etch, and residue fractions of the 500-62 micron separate of orange glass fines 74220. Six elements - In, Cd, Zn, Ga, Ge, and Au - were strongly concentrated in the leach, indicating that they were present as a surface deposit, probably a sublimate resulting from condensation of lava-fountain volatiles which expelled the orange glass onto the lunar surface.

Wasson, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Chemical constraints for mare basalt genesis

Sequential instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to study 10 Apollo-15 rake basalts for 23 bulk, minor and trace elements and 13 basaltic fragments from the Apollo-15 deep drill core 15003 Station 8 for eight major, minor and trace elements. Attention is given here to La-MgO-TiO2 correlations, La/Sm-La and Sm/Eu-La correlations, the La/Sm-Sc correlation, and basalt genesis models.

Ma, M.-S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Composition of the projectiles that bombarded the lunar highlands

Twenty highland samples from Apollo 14, 15, and 17 and the eucrites Juvinas and Morre County were analyzed by radiochemical neutron activation for Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Ni, Os, Pd, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, U, and Zn. The meteoritic components of 82 highland rocks were recalculated with the new corrections for the indigenous contribution and were classified by discriminant and cluster analysis as well as ternary diagrams, using Ir, Re, Au and Ni as diagnostic elements. To characterize these groups more fully, average abundances of meteoritic volatiles (Sb, Ge, Ag, Se, Te, and Bi) were calculated from regressions against Ir.

Gros, J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Pontlyfni - A differentiated meteorite related to the group IAB irons

The abundances of 23 major and trace elements in the Pontlyfni meteorite have been measured by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The compositions of the metal and silicate fractions suggest a genetic relationship between Pontlyfni and the group IAB irons.

Davis, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Genesis of the Angra dos Reis and other achondritic meteorites

Major, minor, and trace element abundances were determined in seven Angra dos Reis samples, which included whole rocks, fassaite (clinopyroxene), olivine, and whitlockite separates, via sequential instrumental neutron activation analysis. The rare earth element abundance patterns and the trace element abundance patterns of this achondritic meteorite are discussed. A two-stage crystal-liquid fractionation model with source material containing olivine, orthopyroxene, and clinopyroxine is presented for the genesis of Angra dos Reis. Multilinear regression analysis was used to estimate possible composition and properties of the parent magmas. Angra dos Reis was compared with other achondrites, cumulate eucrites and nakhlites in particular. It is thought that the unique Angra dos Reis could not be related to those achondrites by crystal-liquid fractionation of the same parent body.

Ma, M.-S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

'Mysterite' - A late condensate from the solar nebula

An attempt is made to clarify the nature of 'mysterite', a material that had been postulated to explain the overabundance of Tl, Bi, and Ag in certain chondrites. Four dark clasts and a vein sample from the H6 chondrite Supuhee were analyzed by radiochemical neutron activation analysis for Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Ni, Os, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, and Zn. One of the clasts is enriched in all volatile elements, while the other four samples are enriched only in the siderophile volatiles Ag, Bi, and Tl. The enrichments range up to 100 times typical H6 chondrite abundances. The proportions of Ag, Bi, and Tl suggest the presence of at least two, Tl-rich and Tl-poor, varieties of mysterite. The former seems to dominate in Supuhee and Krymka, and the latter in Mezo-Madaras. Apparently mysterite is a late condensate from the solar nebula that collected volatiles left behind by earlier generations of chondrites. It was incorporated in Supuhee and perhaps in other chondrites (mainly of low petrologic types) during brecciation events.

Higuchi, H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Test of a model for trace element partition during closed-system solidification of a silicate liquid

Trace-element concentrations in separated minerals and rock fragments from a coarsely crushed and sieved sample of medium-grained lunar basalt are determined by high-precision instrumental neutron activation analysis for three main purposes. These are: (1) to test a previously proposed model for describing trace-element behavior during solidification of a silicate liquid under conditions of a closed system; (2) to compare trace-element concentrations among different size fractions of a comminuted basalt; and (3) to investigate small-scale heterogeneity within a single medium-grained basalt. It is found that an excellent mass balance for the whole rock is attained in terms of the trace-element concentrations of the component minerals and mesostasis, that the mixing model describing this mass balance yields a superior modal analysis for the whole rock, and that different size fractions of the coarsely crushed basalt vary in mineral composition. The closed-system model is shown to account properly for the average behavior of the trace elements during solidification of the basalt, and values of distribution coefficients are obtained for incompatible elements in that rock.

Haskin, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Total body calcium analysis using the Ca-12(n, alpha) Ar-37 reaction

A low dose neutron activation technique was developed to measure total body calcium in vivo. The effort had included development of irradiation and processing facilities and conduction of human studies to determine the accuracy and precision of measurement attainable with the systems.

Lewellen, T. K.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Georgia Institute of Technology research on the Gas Core Actinide Transmutation Reactor (GCATR)

The program reviewed is a study of the feasibility, design, and optimization of the GCATR. The program is designed to take advantage of initial results and to continue work carried out on the Gas Core Breeder Reactor. The program complements NASA's program of developing UF6 fueled cavity reactors for power, nuclear pumped lasers, and other advanced technology applications. The program comprises: (1) General Studies--Parametric survey calculations performed to examine the effects of reactor spectrum and flux level on the actinide transmutation for GCATR conditions. The sensitivity of the results to neutron cross sections are to be assessed. Specifically, the parametric calculations of the actinide transmutation are to include the mass, isotope composition, fission and capture rates, reactivity effects, and neutron activity of recycled actinides. (2) GCATR Design Studies--This task is a major thrust of the proposed research program. Several subtasks are considered: optimization criteria studies of the blanket and fuel reprocessing, the actinide insertion and recirculation system, and the system integration. A brief review of the background of the GCATR and ongoing research is presented.

Clement, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Silicon solar cells from transition metal doped Czochralski and web crystals

The influence of metallic impurities on solar cell characteristics has been examined to establish the cost sensitive purity versus performance trade-offs. Solar cells were fabricated on 2 to 4 ohm-cm p-type substrates obtained by Czochralski and dendritic web growth processes. Controlled amounts of metallic impurities were introduced into the melt during growth and included Fe, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Ti, V, Zr, Mg, Zn, and Al. Impurity concentrations in the crystals were determined using emission and mass spectrographic techniques and in some cases by neutron activation analysis. The solar cells were characterized by means of a computer program to curve-fit measured voltage-current data. The principal effect of the added impurities is a degradation of lifetime and diffusion length.

Davis, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Trace elements in the Allende meteorite. III - Coarse-grained inclusions revisited

Radiochemical neutron activation analytic determinations of several elements in coarse-grained inclusions of the Allende meteorite are reported. The condensation and fractionation behavior of these and other elements are described. Evidence was found for a post-accretion thermal event which redistributed some trace elements. The solar system ratio of Zr/Hf is computed on the basis of the minimum variation in the inclusion, and the percentage of high-temperature condensates in the earth and moon are calculated on the basis of the mean U content of the inclusions. The mean value of the enrichment factors of 21 refractory elements relative to C1 chondrites is provided, and the elements that did or did not condense in a solid solution of melilite are listed.

Grossman, L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A 'chondritic' eucrite parent body - Inference from trace elements

Thirty-three elements were analyzed by radiochemical and instrumented neutron activation in four eucrites - Juvinas (brecciated), Ibitira (vesicular, unbrecciated) and Moore County and Serra de Mage (both cumulate, unbrecciated). Nebular and planetary effects are distinguished in the C1-normalized abundance patterns arranged in the order of volatility. Lithophile, chalcophile, and siderophile patterns are discussed; the stepped lithophile pattern reveals the dominance of nebular processes while the siderophile pattern retains little sign of nebular processes and instead reflects planetary metal-silicate partition. Volatiles were apparently accreted as a fractionated C3-like component, and consistent but subtle C1-normalized abundance differences between eucrites result from crystal/liquid differentiation.

Morgan, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Further studies of trace elements in C3 chondrites

Five carbonaceous chondrites (Renazzo C2V, Allende C3V, Ornans C3O, Warrenton C3O, and Orgueil C1) were analyzed by radiochemical neutron activation analysis for 20 elements. Elements condensing between approximately 700 and 420 K are systematically more depleted than those condensing between 1000 and 900 K, and the depletion correlates inversely with matrix content and directly with degree of metamorphism. A model of gas-dust fractionation during condensation, by settling of dust to the median plane of the nebula, is proposed. Gas/dust ratios relative to the cosmic ratio ranged from 0.7 at 1000 K to 0.5 at 700 K for C3O chondrites that accreted first and from 1.3 to 0.6 for the last. No further gas/dust fractionation was indicated below 700 K

Takahashi, H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Meteoritic material at five large impact craters

The paper analyzes the meteoritic material at five multikilometer craters: Clearwater (Lac a l'Eau Claire) East and West (22 and 32 km), Manicouagan (70 km) and Mistastin (28 km), all in Canada; and Lake Bosumtwi (10.5 km), Ghana, which is associated with Ivory Coast tektites. Radiochemical neutron activation analysis is applied to 16 crater samples for the siderophile trace elements Ir, Os, Pd, Ni, Ge, and Re, which are depleted to varying degrees in the earth's crust but are abundant in all meteorites except achondrites. It is found that only two samples, both from Clearwater, exhibit a strong meteoritic signal. The remaining ones fall within or slightly above the range for terrestrial rocks, and therefore at best contain only small meteoritic components. Clearwater East is the first terrestrial impact crater to be associated with a stony meteorite (a C1 or C2 chondrite).

Palme, H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Tungsten in iron meteorites

Tungsten concentrations have been determined by instrumental neutron activation in 104 iron meteorites, and range from 0.07 to 5 microg/g. In individual groups, concentrations vary by factors of between 1.5 and 8, but there are negative W-Ni correlations in 8 groups: IAB, IC, IIAB, IID, IIE, IIIAB, IIICD, and IIIF. The lowest W concentrations are found in groups IAB and IIICD, which also have the smallest slopes on a W-Ni plot. Eighteen anomalous irons have W concentrations between 5 microg/g (Butler) and 0.11 microg/g (Rafrueti). The distribution of W in irons shows similarities to that of other refractory sideophilic elements (except Mo), but is closest to the distribution of Ru and Pt. Assuming that chemical trends in group IIIAB were produced by fractional crystallization, a value of 1.6 can be deduced for the distribution coefficient of W between solid and liquid metal, as compared with 0.89 for Mo. Experimental evidence in support of these values is tenuous.

Scott, E. R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Trace element geochemistry and the early lunar differentiation

The results are considered of experiments in which thermal neutron activation analysis was used to measure the halogens, U, Te, Ru, Os, and Hg in lunar samples. A calorimetric method was used for P2O5. Three Apollo 17 basalts, one Apollo 11 basalt, and one Apollo 15 basalt were used for the Ru-Os study. Os and Ru were measured in seven samples of breccia 14305 in a series of experiments to check an apparent anomaly in the isotopic composition of the Hg which it contains. A lunar model for Ru-Os partition is discussed. It is suggested that Ru and Os were partitioned and fractionated in the original differentiation of the lunar surface ocean. Fractionation among near-surface materials was less than a factor of 2 according to the lithic breccia data. Fractionations among basaltic sources were very large, exceeding 100, and primarily due to Ru. A clue to Ru and Os distributions at the depths from which mare basalts were derived may be provided by the relative ages of the basalts. These are interpreted as being related to partial melting in response to temperature increases at depth with time.

Jovanovic, S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Chemical characterization of lunar core 60010

Twenty-eight major, minor, and trace-element abundances have been determined in nine fines fractions of core 60010 by instrumental thermal and 14 MeV neutron activation analysis. With the exception of the elements Fe, Co, and Ni, core section 60010 exhibits a much more uniform composition than the lower section (60009) of the double drive tube collected at the Apollo 16 LM site. The siderophilic meteorite indicator elements Fe, Co, and Ni are significantly enriched in subsample 40, which is located 3.0-4.5 cm below the lunar surface, and are highly variable throughout the 60010 core section. Microscopic examination of subsample 40 revealed the presence of numerous metallic fragments including an approximately 1-mm metal fragment exhibiting only Fe, Co, Ni, and Ir gamma-ray peaks and having a composition typical of a coarse octahedrite. Composition profiles of 60010 exhibit small variations in lithophilic element abundances which can be related to most of the seven stratigraphic units of Duke and Nagle (1976). Although the basal portion of 60010 has been described as texturally similar to the upper unit of 60009, the present chemical studies show a marked compositional difference at this interface.

Ali, M. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Chemical fractionation in the solar system

The cosmochemical and geochemical history of planetary material is reflected in relative and absolute abundances of two groups of trace elements; siderophiles and volatiles. Many of these elements can be determined at the required levels only by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. The abundance patterns of elements in chondritic meteorites result from condensation processes in the solar nebula. The composition of planetisimals which bombarded the moon is characterized from trace elements in lunar breccias, and is also related to nebula processes. Trace elements in anorthosites and basalts from earth and moon suggest that the moon is refractory-rich and volatile-poor relative to the earth.

Morgan, J. W.↗