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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 289 records · Page 16
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NASA NTRS1975

Dunite 72417 - A chemical study and interpretation

The rock selected for the study is one of the rare ultrabasic rocks, which seems to have survived early lunar differentiation. The Rb-Sr internal isochron for this dunite gave an age of about 4.55 AE. The dunite was sampled at Apollo 17, Station 2 from a single 10x20-cm clast incorporated into a KREEP-rich blue-gray breccia 72435, Boulder 3. Nine dunite samples were analyzed with the aid of instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis procedures. Data for 27 elements are shown in a table. Attention is given to trapped liquid (magma), a garnet hypothesis, models for the dunite genesis, and magma compositions from which 15415 and 72417 crystallized.

Laul, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A geochemical and petrographic study of 1-2-mm fines from Apollo 17

Samples of fines less than 1-mm and 155 1-2 mm particles from several Apollo 17 sites were analyzed for Na, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Hf, Ta, Th, and REE. Products of comminution and construction are present in the 1-2 mm particles, and the compositions of the rock fragments clearly indicate the general chemical characteristics of their parent rock types. The likely sources of materials for the glassy particles are considered. Glasses are enriched over their parent soils in Fe, Sc, Mn, and Cr, and are relatively enriched in light REE, so that some chemical fractionation accompanies glass-forming processes. Elements were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis.

Blanchard, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A chemical study of the impact glasses and basalts from Lonar Crater, India

Twenty-nine elements were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis in two impact glasses and four basalts from Lonar Crater, India, and the glasses and the underlying core basalt samples are found to be very similar in major, minor, and trace element abundances. This finding seems to indicate that impact-induced chemical fractionation during formation of the glasses from basalt is minimal for many of the principal rock and mineral-forming elements. Since most volatile trace elements were not determined in this study, differences in the volatile trace element contents of the glasses and basalts can not be excluded.

Stroube, W. B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) study of atmospheric particles

The results of analyses by ESCA (Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis) on several Nuclepore filters which were exposed during air pollution studies are presented along with correlative measurements by Neutron Activation Analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Samples were exposed during air pollution studies at Norfolk, Virginia and the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC). It was demonstrated that with the ESCA technique it was possible to identify the chemical (bonding) state of elements contained in the atmospheric particulate matter collected on Nuclepore filters. Sulfur, nitrogen, mercury, chlorine, alkali, and alkaline earth metal species were identified in the Norfolk samples. ESCA binding energy data for aluminum indicated that three chemically different types of aluminum are present in the launch and background samples from NASA-KSC.

Dillard, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Silicon Materials Task of the Low Cost Solar Array Project, Phase 3. Effect of Impurities and Processing on Silicon Solar Cells

The effects of impurities, various thermochemical processes, and any impurity process interactions on the performance of terrestrial silicon solar cells are defined. Determinations of the segregation coefficients of tungsten, tantalum, and cobalt for the Czochralski pulling of silicon single crystals are reported. Sensitive neutron activation analysis was used to determine the metal impurity content of the silicon while atomic absorption was used to measure the metal content of the residual liquid from which the doped crystals were grown. Gettering of Ti doped silicon wafers improved cell performance by one to two percent for the highest temperatures and longest times. The HCl is more effective than POCl3 treatments for deactivating Ti but POCl3 and HCl produced essentially identical results for Mo or Fe.

Hopkins, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Volatile elements in chondrites - Metamorphism or nebular fractionation

Three of the most highly metamorphosed meteorites of their respective classes, Shaw (LL7), Karoonda (C5), and Coolidge (C4), were analyzed by radiochemical neutron activation analysis for Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Ni, Os, Pd, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, U, and Zn. Comparison with data by Lipschutz and coworkers (1977) on artificially heated primitive meteorites shows that the natural metamorphism of meteorites cannot have taken place in a system open to volatiles. Shaw, metamorphosed at 1300 C for more than 1 million yr, is less depleted in In, Bi, Ag, Te, Zn, and Tl than Krymka heated at 1000 C for 1 week. Karoonda, metamorphosed at 600 C for many millennia, is less depleted in Bi and Tl than Allende heated at 600 C for 1 week. Data on primordial noble gases also show that the volatile-element patterns of ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites were established by nebular condensation and changed little, if at all, during metamorphism. For enstatite chondrites, the evidence is still incomplete but seems to favor a nebular origin of the volatile pattern.

Takahashi, H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Major and trace element chemistry of Luna 24 samples from Mare Crisium

Atomic absorption spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis were employed to analyze six Luna 24 soils for major and trace elements. The analysis revealed well-mixed soils, though size fractions of each of the soils showed quite dissimilar compositions. Thus the regolith apparently has not been extensively reworked. Noritic breccia admixed preferentially to the finest size fractions and differential comminution of one or more other soil components accounted for the observed elemental distributions as a function of grain size. The ferrobasalt composition and one or more components with higher MgO contents have been identified in the samples.

Blanchard, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Genesis of the cumulate eucrites Serra de Mage and Moore County - A geochemical study

An instrumental neutron activation analysis of element abundances in whole rock and plagioclase separates of the Serra de Mage chondrite has been conducted; plagioclase data and plagioclase mineral/liquid partition coefficients are employed to determine the REE abundances in the derivative equilibrium magmas from which Serra de Mage and Moore County chondrite plagioclases crystallized. No simple genetic relationship between the two chondrites appears likely through the route of fractional crystallization. A difference in degrees of partial melting of a similar source material (different from the source proposed for noncumulate eucrites) could be invoked to relate the two chondrites.

Ma, M.-S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Mesosiderites and howardites - Igneous formation and possible genetic relationships

Neutron activation data are presented for major, minor, and trace elements in whole rock howardites and silicates from mesosiderites. Compositions of howardites and mesosiderites are similar and intermediate between those of eucrites and diogenites. It is indicated that mesosiderites have a higher normative silica component than howardites. It appears that this results partly from a higher content of a highly evolved igneous component and partly from in situ reduction of FeO to Fe followed by magnetic separation of metal prior to analysis. It is shown that light rare earth elements are enriched in some mesosiderites.

Mittlefehldt, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Meteoritic material in lunar highland samples from the Apollo 11 and 12 sites

Radiochemical neutron activation analyses for Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Ni, Os, Pd, Rb, Re, Sb, Te, Tl, U and Zn were carried out on 11 samples from the Apollo 11 and 12 sites (two samples of rock 12013, one granitic and one KREEPy; 4 KREEP fragments from 2-4 mm soil 12033,2; 4 anorthositic fragments from 1-3 mm soil 10085,104; 1 sample of 'Luny' rock-felsite-KREEP breccia 12013 10085,31 LR-1). Most Apollo 12 samples were found to have an Imbrium meteoritic component; others, typified by the Luny breccia, apparently contain a new meteoritic component of low Re content. Components of higher Ir/Au ratio (3L, 5L and 7) were found in Apollo 11 anorthositic samples; the fact that their enrichment in meteoritic siderophiles parallels that of Fe, Mg, REE and other KREEP elements is consistent with progressive contamination of an anorthositic crust. The Luny rock was tentatively classified Group 2, supporting the assignment of this group to Serenitatis.

Janssens, M.-J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Chemistry of orange/black soils from core 74001/2

Double core 74001/2 soils were studied. Bulk soils and the 90-150 micrometer and less than 20 micrometer size fractions of 13 soils from the core for both major and trace elements by instrumental neutron activation analysis were analyzed. The orange and black glassy soils in the core 74001/2 are homogeneous in composition and due to their unusual compositional characteristics probably have derived from a single source with the same composition. The top of the core has been reworked to a depth of about 5 cm. The reworked layer is marked by compositional differences in the first 3 cm which reflect the addition (at least 10%) of materials including mare basalt and a CaO-rich component. The maturity profile (I sub s/FeO) clearly indicates reworking depth of about 5 cm. It is likely that at least some of the ferro-magnetically active component (including agglutinitic glass) has been 'inherited' with the added material.

Blanchard, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Chemistry and petrology of size fractions of Apollo 17 deep drill core 70009-70006

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to examine 34 major, minor and trace elements in 48 bulk soils and size fractions (90-1000 microns, 20-90 microns and less than 20 microns) of the Apollo 17 deep drill core sections 70009-70006 (upper 130 cm). Modal data were also obtained for the less than 20 micron size fraction. Preliminary results indicate that (1) the chemistry of the greater than 90 micron and 20-90 micron coarse fractions is identical but quite different from the less than 20 micron fine fraction; (2) the upper 50 cm of the drill core is highly enriched in mare material; (3) the dominant source of highland material is KREEPy instead of anorthositic; and (4) indigenous volatiles such as Zn are quite high in all size fractions.

Laul, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Lonar crater glasses and high-magnesium australites - Trace element volatilization and meteoritic contamination

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis was used to detect six siderophile elements (Ni, Re, Os, Pd, Ir and Au) and three volatile elements (Zn, Se and Cd) in two basalts, a pumice and three impact glasses from Lonar crater, India, and in six high-magnesium australites. Significant depletions in Re and Se with respect to the parent basalts were found in the Lonar glasses. These depletions, apparently correlated with the degree of shock, are probably due to volatilization under the oxidizing conditions characteristic of earth. One of the australites is substantially enriched in siderophiles relative to the level of these elements in the other five tektites. The element patterns in the australites resemble those of the carbonaceous or cometary component of an Apollo 16 soil.

Morgan, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The petrogenesis of L-6 chondrites - Insights from the chemistry of minerals

Measurements of the major, minor and trace element abundances of the major minerals of the L-6 chondrites Alfianello, Colby (WI) and Leedey are used to investigate the formation mechanisms of L-6 chondrites. Electron microprobe analysis was performed on individual grains of each mineral, and separated minerals were analyzed by instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis. The compositions of the three meteorites are observed to be generally uniform, however different abundances and distributions of rare earth elements and Co and Ni indicate that the meteorites have different petrogenetic histories. Alkali element distributions are found to be incompatible with internal equilibration of a closed system.

Curtis, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1980

On the chemical composition of L-chondrites

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis of Ag, As, Au, Bi, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Rb, Sb, Te, Tl, and Zn and major element data in 14 L4-6 and 3 LL5 chondrites indicates that the L group is unusually variable and may represent at least 2 subgroups differing in formation history. Chemical trends in the S/Fe rich subgroup support textural evidence indicating late loss of a shock formed Fe-Ni-S melt; the S/Fe poor subgroup seemingly reflects nebular fractionation only. Highly mobile In and Zn apparently reflect shock induced loss from L chondrites. However, contrasting chemical trends in several L chondrite sample sets indicate that these meteorites constitute a more irregular sampling of, or more heterogeneous parent material than do carbonaceous or enstatite chondrites. Data for 15 chondrites suggest higher formation temperatures and/or degrees of shock than for LL5 chondrites.

Neal, C. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Petrographic and chemical characterization of igneous lithic clasts from mesosiderites and howardites and comparison with eucrites and diogenites

Petrographic, electron microprobe, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) studies of igneous lithic clasts separated from mesosiderites and howardites and INAA investigation of whole rock eucrites and diogenites are presented. The trace element abundances in basaltic lithic clasts indicate more complex differentiation episodes than in eucrites which include sequential melting and expulsion of liquid from the source region and remelting of cumulate materials. Pyroxenites from mesosiderites show slight enrichments in Sc and Mn than diogenites suggesting that these pyroxenites are not fragments of diogenites. It is concluded that the heat source characteristics are spatially and temporally variable, suggesting that heating of the differentiated meteorite parent bodies may have partly come from outside the parent body.

Mittlefehldt, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The petrology and chemistry of basaltic fragments from the Apollo 11 soil - I

A study of basaltic fragments from the Apollo 11 bulk sample using instrumental neutron activation analysis, the petrographic microscope, and the electron microprobe is presented. The fragments include Group A, B2, and B3 basalts, of which two of the Group A samples are vitrophyres with bulk compositions similar to the crystalline high-K rocks which crystallized under different physical conditions and represent a second high-K cooling unit. The B2 samples relate to each other through ilmenite fractionation, and the B3 samples relate through olivine fractionation; it is concluded that the B2 samples have an anomalously high La/K ratio and may have generated in the same source region as the Group D basalts.

Beaty, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

74001 drive tube - Siderophile elements match II B iron meteorite pattern

Eight siderophile elements, seven volatile elements, and U were determined in three samples from 74001 by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. The siderophile pattern closely corresponds to the addition of approximately 0.1% of II B iron meteorites, and the enrichment of nonsiderophile volatile elements seems to be derived from lunar sources with variation generally following Se content. In addition, in 74001 (predominantly black glass), moderately volatile elements (Ag, Zn) are more abundant than In, Cd, and particularly Bi, while in 74220 (mainly orange glass), Ag, Zn, In, and Cd are almost equally abundant, but Bi is as low as in 74001.

Morgan, J. W.↗