Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “DEGASSING”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4

The Zn, S, and Cl Isotope Compositions of Mare Basalts: Implications for the Effects of Eruption Style and Pressure on Volatile Element Stable Isotope Fractionation on the Moon

We compare the stable isotope compositions of Zn, S, and Cl for Apollo mare basalts to better constrain the sources and timescales of lunar volatile loss. Mare basalts have broadly elevated yet limited ranges in δ(66)Zn, δ(34)S, and δ(37)Cl_(SBC+WSC) values of 1.27 ± 0.71, 0.55 ± 0.18, and 4.1 ± 4.0‰, respectively, compared to the silicate Earth at 0.15, –1.28, and 0‰, respectively. We find that the Zn, S, and Cl isotope compositions are similar between the low- and high-Ti mare basalts, providing evidence of a geochemical signature in the mare basalt source region that is inherited from lunar formation and magma ocean crystallization. The uniformity of these compositions implies mixing following mantle overturn, as well as minimal changes associated with subsequent mare magmatism. Degassing of mare magmas and lavas did not contribute to the large variations in Zn, S, and Cl isotope compositions found in some lunar materials (i.e., 15‰ in δ(66)Zn, 60‰ in δ(34)S, and 30‰ in δ(37)Cl). This reflects magma sources that experienced minimal volatile loss due to high confining pressures that generally exceeded their equilibrium saturation pressures. Alternatively, these data indicate effective isotopic fractionation factors were near unity. Our observations of S isotope compositions in mare basalts contrast to those for picritic glasses (Saal and Hauri 2021), which vary widely in S isotope compositions from –14.0 to 1.3‰, explained by extensive degassing of picritic magmas under high-P/P_(Sat) values (>0.9) during pyroclastic eruptions. The difference in the isotope compositions of picritic glass beads and mare basalts may result from differences in effusive (mare) and explosive (picritic) eruption styles, wherein the high-gas contents necessary for magma fragmentation would result in large effective isotopic fractionation factors during degassing of picritic magmas. Additionally, in highly vesiculated basalts, the δ(34)S and δ(37)Cl values of apatite grains are higher and more variable than the corresponding bulk-rock values. The large isotopic range in the vesiculated samples is explained by late-stage low-pressure “vacuum” degassing (P/P-(Sat) ~ 0) of mare lavas wherein vesicle formation and apatite crystallization took place post-eruption. Bulk-rock mare basalts were seemingly unaffected by vacuum degassing. Degassing of mare lavas only became important in the final stages of crystallization recorded in apatite—potentially facilitated by cracks/fractures in the crystallizing flow. We conclude that samples with wide-ranging volatile element isotope compositions are likely explained by localized processes, which do not represent the bulk Moon.

Halogens↗

Designing a Propylene-Glycol Coolant Servicer System for Gateway’s Internal Active Thermal Control System

A human spacecraft ATCS—especially one using single-phase coolant loops exposed to cabin atmospheric conditions—requires periodic degassing and refilling to support long-duration missions of 15 to 30 years. During initial fill operations, system maintenance, gas permeation, and quick-disconnect mating or de-mating, small amounts of gas can gradually enter the coolant system over time. This can lead to degraded heat transfer performance, pump cavitation, and potentially pump vapor lock if a significant gas volume accumulates over time. Additionally, system leaks and routine fluid sampling can gradually reduce accumulator volumes to unacceptable levels, requiring periodic refills. In more severe cases, catastrophic changes in fluid composition may necessitate emergency draining, refilling, and degassing to ensure continued system functionality. These risks were identified and mitigated on the ISS ITCS through the development of a dual-membrane degasser ORU and a Fluid Servicer System ORU for coolant refilling. These systems were developed for the fully water-based ISS ITCS Coolant[1]. The Gateway space station, the first permanent human habitat in lunar orbit, uses a propylene-glycol/water coolant mixture, which has significantly different fluid properties compared to pure water. Because microgravity degassing technologies are sensitive to fluid surface tension and viscosity, existing ISS hardware is not suitable for servicing a propylene-glycol-based TCS. Unlike the ISS, the Gateway will operate in a higher-radiation environment and must meet stricter mass constraints due to its location outside of low earth orbit. This Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) flight hardware project aims to develop a lightweight, radiation-resistant Coolant Servicer System (CSS) capable of degassing and refilling Gateway’s propylene-glycol water-based IATCS.

Propylene Glycol Water↗

Designing a Propylene-Glycol Coolant Servicer System for Gateway’s Internal Active Thermal Control System

A human spacecraft ATCS—especially one using single-phase coolant loops exposed to cabin atmospheric conditions—requires periodic degassing and refilling to support long-duration missions of 15 to 30 years. During initial fill operations, system maintenance, gas permeation, and quick-disconnect mating or de-mating, small amounts of gas can gradually enter the coolant system over time. This can lead to degraded heat transfer performance, pump cavitation, and potentially pump vapor lock if a significant gas volume accumulates over time. Additionally, system leaks and routine fluid sampling can gradually reduce accumulator volumes to unacceptable levels, requiring periodic refills. In more severe cases, catastrophic changes in fluid composition may necessitate emergency draining, refilling, and degassing to ensure continued system functionality. These risks were identified and mitigated on the ISS ITCS through the development of a dual-membrane degasser ORU and a Fluid Servicer System ORU for coolant refilling. These systems were developed for the fully water-based ISS ITCS Coolant[1]. The Gateway space station, the first permanent human habitat in lunar orbit, uses a propylene-glycol/water coolant mixture, which has significantly different fluid properties compared to pure water. Because microgravity degassing technologies are sensitive to fluid surface tension and viscosity, existing ISS hardware is not suitable for servicing a propylene-glycol-based TCS. Unlike the ISS, the Gateway will operate in a higher-radiation environment and must meet stricter mass constraints due to its location outside of low earth orbit. This Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) flight hardware project aims to develop a lightweight, radiation-resistant Coolant Servicer System (CSS) capable of degassing and refilling Gateway’s propylene-glycol water-based IATCS.

Propylene Glycol Water↗

Performance Enhancement of the Transcritical CO2 Cycle with a Near-Isothermal Liquid Piston Compression by an Ejector

This study investigates the use of an ejector in a transcritical CO2 cycle employing a near-isothermal liquid piston compressor, with the objective of mitigating refrigerant degassing in mineral oil. While the liquid piston compressor demonstrated high isothermal efficiency (˜90%), overall cycle performance was limited by CO2 degassing during chamber pressure fluctuations. A thermodynamic model was developed to compare baseline and ejector-assisted cycles, incorporating solubility correlations, entrainment ratio characteristics, and a degassing correction factor. Results indicate that the ejector increased suction pressure and reduced CO2–oil solubility variation, which improved refrigerant intake and reduced degassing losses. Despite these benefits, the ejector-assisted cycle showed a lower coefficient of performance (COP) than the baseline. Possible contributing factors include the limited marginal benefit of pressure reduction in a highly efficient isothermal compressor, reduced effectiveness of the separator due to the use of a suction-line heat exchanger in both cycles, and uncertainties in the solubility data under transient conditions. These findings suggest that degassing mitigation is essential for realizing the potential of liquid piston compression, but ejector integration alone is unlikely to enhance COP. Future work should focus on ejector optimization, improved oil–refrigerant management, introducing less-soluble working liquids, and experimental validation under realistic operating conditions.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Ar-40/Ar-39 dating of collisional events in chondrite parent bodies

Ar-40/Ar-39 age dating of a number of shocked ordinary chondrites is interpreted in terms of collisional degassing events of meteorite parent bodies, probably in the asteroid belt. Examples of L, H, and at least one LL chondrite show episodic degassing. Degassing ages suggest several distinct events ranging from about 0.03 aeon to 0.7 aeon and probably higher. All specimens of either the H or L chondrites are not consistent with a single age event. A direct correlation exists between the degree of shock heating and the fraction of argon lost during degassing. However, no chondrite yet analyzed shows complete degassing of its high-temperature phase. Consequently, whole rock K-Ar ages are not accurate monitors of the time of the shock event.

Bogard, D. D.↗

Early evolution of the crust-mantle system

Nd isotopic data indicate that most Archean igneous rocks including compositions ranging from komatiite to tonalite are derived from undepleted or depleted upper mantle sources. If sampling is representative, only a few require enriched sources. A major unresolved question is the fate of the material removed from the upper mantle leaving early depleted sources as residue. One possibility is that widespread depletion of the early mantle resulted from a period of early degassing and magmatism. Rare gas isotopic data, in particular 129Xe/130Xe ratios, seem to demand that the upper mantle was extensively degassed at or before 4.4 b.y. and this led to rapid growth of the atmosphere and oceans. The lower mantle, however, was not significantly degassed during this event. It is likely that such widespread degassing and magmatism of the upper mantle transferred significant quantities of incompatible elements into the uppermost mantle or crust. Once formed, such an enriched fraction should resist recycling into the mantle and collect at or near the Earth's surface. One possibility is that it collects chiefly in a zone of partial melting, analogous to the present low-velocity zone at the base of the lithosphere.

Condie, K. C.↗

Effect of thermal exposure, forming, and welding on high-temperature, dispersion-strengthened aluminum alloy: Al-8Fe-1V-2Si

The feasibility of applying conventional hot forming and welding methods to high temperature aluminum alloy, Al-8Fe-1V-2Si (FVS812), for structural applications and the effect of thermal exposure on mechanical properties were determined. FVS812 (AA8009) sheet exhibited good hot forming and resistance welding characteristics. It was brake formed to 90 deg bends (0.5T bend radius) at temperatures greater than or equal to 390 C (730 F), indicating the feasibility of fabricating basic shapes, such as angles and zees. Hot forming of simple contoured-flanged parts was demonstrated. Resistance spot welds with good static and fatigue strength at room and elevated temperatures were readily produced. Extended vacuum degassing during billet fabrication reduced porosity in fusion and resistance welds. However, electron beam welding was not possible because of extreme degassing during welding, and gas-tungsten-arc welds were not acceptable because of severely degraded mechanical properties. The FVS812 alloy exhibited excellent high temperature strength stability after thermal exposures up to 315 C (600 F) for 1000 h. Extended billet degassing appeared to generally improve tensile ductility, fatigue strength, and notch toughness. But the effects of billet degassing and thermal exposure on properties need to be further clarified. The manufacture of zee-stiffened, riveted, and resistance-spot-welded compression panels was demonstrated.

Kennedy, J. R.↗

Chemical transport during formation and alteration of Martian impact and volcanic deposits

Much of the surface of Mars, including volcanic and cratered terrains, probably experienced alteration and degassing processes. These processes may have depleted or enriched many important elements in surface materials, including bedrock, dust, and soils. The composition of the martian soil may represent the best estimate, for some elements, of the average composition of the martian crust, similar to the composition of loess created by glacial action on the Earth. The martian soil may represent the only convenient, globally or regionally averaged sample of the martian crust. In order to understand the composition of the source material for the soil, however, we need to understand the contributions of volcanic vs. impact sources for this material and the chemical fractionations involved in its production. The processes to be addressed include degassing of volcanic deposits, as observed in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes at Katmai, Alaska, and degassing of meltbearing impact ejecta as inferred for suevite ejecta sheets at the Ries Crater, and alteration or palagonitization of volcanic deposits, as documented for volcanos in British Columbia and many other volcanic terrains, and impact crater deposits. The process of palagonitization has been the subject of several studies with reference to Mars, and palagonite is a good analogue for the spectroscopic properties of the martian dust. The role of impact in cratering has not been as well studied, although other researchers have established that both degassing and alteration are common features of impact crater deposits. Other relevant sources of experimental data include the extensive literature on the corrosion of nuclear waste glass and leaching of shocked materials.

Newsom, H. E.↗

Regional tectonic analysis of Venus as part of the Pioneer Venus guest investigator project

Over the past year, much of the tectonic analysis of Venus we have done has centered on global properties of the planet, in order to understand fundamental aspects of the dynamics of the mantle and lithosphere of Venus. We have developed convection models of the Earth and Venus. These models assume whole mantle internally-heated convection. The viscosity is temperature, volatile-content, and stress dependent. An initial temperature and volatile content is assumed, and the thermal evolution is tracked for 4.6 billion years. During this time, heating occurs by decay of radiogenic elements in the mantle, and degassing and regassing of volatiles takes place at the surface. For a model assuming plate tectonics as the primary heat loss mechanism, representing the Earth through most of it's history and perhaps Venus' earlier history, degassing of the mantle was found to occur rapidly (approximately 200 My) over a large range of parameters. Even for parameters chosen to represent extreme cases of an initially cool planet, low radiogenic heating, and large initial volatile complement, the mantle water content was degassed to an equilibrium value in about 2 By. These values may be applicable to the early Venus, if a large, Moon-forming impact on Earth resulted in efficient heating and loss of water, leaving Venus with a comparably greater volatile budget and less vigorous early convection. It may therefore be impossible to retain large amounts of water in the interior of Venus until the planet cools down enough for the 'cold-trap' effect to take place. This effect traps crust forming melts within the mantle due to a cusp in the solidus, causing these melts to refreeze at depth into a dense eclogite phase, which will inhibit ascent of this material to the surface. This effect, however, requires a hydrous mantle, so early loss of water might prevent it from taking place. Since without plate tectonics there is no mechanism for regassing volatiles into the mantle, as occurs on Earth at subduction zones, this means the interior of Venus would at present be almost completely dry. We have also calculated argon degassing, and mantle flow velocities. viscosities, and cooling rates in these models, and these values can provide constraints on present day mantle dynamics.

Williams, David R.↗

Ar-39-Ar-40 ages of four ureilites

Ureilites Novo Urei, Havero, and Kenna show strong evidence of one or more Ar-40 degassing events in the time period of 3.3-4.1 Ga ago. These ages may be compared to current interpretations of ureilite chronology. These include the suggestion of metasomatic activity on the parent body 3.7 Ga ago that reset some Sm-Nd ages and the suggestion that ureilites have experienced terrestrial contamination of several trace elements (including Pb and LREE), which makes suspect ages younger than approximately 4.5 Ga. Because the K-Ar chronometer can be sensitive to metamorphic events, we made Ar-39-Ar-40 determinations on bulk samples (0.12-0.14 g each) of four ureilites. The Ar-39-Ar-40 age spectra and K/Ca ratios as a function of cumulative Ar release from stepwise temperature extractions for the four ureilites analyzed are shown. Because Ar-39-Ar-40 ages shown by low and high temperature extractions may be suspect, we examined the intermediate temperature extractions. Although interpretation of these spectra is obviously uncertain, we believe that the most recent times of Ar degassing can be roughly inferred. These times are approximately 3.3 Ga for Havero, 3.3-3.7 Ga for Novo Urei, and approximately 4.1 Ga for Kenna, for which Ar degassing may not have been complete. The indication of Ar-39-Ar-40 degassing ages of 3.3-4.1 Ga for three ureilites that also contain an enhanced LREE component and (excepting Havero) produce a 3.74 Ga Sm-Nd age, suggests that both chronometers may have responded to the same parent body event. On the other hand, it is also possible that the Ar data reflect one or more separate events that did not strongly affect the Sm-Nd system, a situation that commonly occurs in eucrites. Thus the existence of reset Ar ages does not require similarly reset Sm-Nd ages.

Bogard, D. D.↗

Shock-induced devolatization of calcium sulfate and implications for K-T extinctions

Calcium sulfate devolatization during the impact at Chicxulub, Mexico and dispersal in the stratosphere of the resultant sulfuric acid aerosol have been suggested as a possible mechanism for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctions. In this paper, we investigated two shock-induced devolatization reactions of calcium sulfate up to 42 GPa in the laboratory: CaSO4 + SiO2 yields CaSiO3 + SO3(degassed) and CaSO4 yields CaO + SO2(degassed) + 1/2 O2(degassed). We found both to proceed to a much less extent than calculated by equilibrium thermodynamic calculations. Reaction products are found to be 10(exp -2) times those calculated for equilibrium. Consequently our estimate of the amount of sulfur oxides degassed into the atmosphere from shock devolatization of CaS04 in the Chicxulub lithographic section (6x10(exp 15)-2x10(exp 16)g in sulfur mass) is lower by a factor of 70 to 400 than previous estimates; the related environmental stress arising from the resultant global cooling of approximately 4 K and fallout of acid rain does not appear to suffice to explain the widespread K-T extinctions.

Chen, Guangqing↗

Enhanced Surface Spray Cooling with Embedded and Compound Extended Surface Structures

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of enhanced surface structures on heat flux using spray cooling. The surface enhancements consisted of embedded structures (dimples, pores, and tunnels) and compound extended surface enhancements (straight fins, cubic pin fins and dimples) machined on and within the top surface of copper heater blocks. Each copper block had a projected cross-sectional area of 2.0 sq cm. Measurements were also obtained on a heater block with a flat surface for baseline comparison purposes. A 2x2 nozzle array was used with PF-5060 as the working fluid. Thermal performance data was obtained under nominally degassed (chamber pressure of 41.4 kPa) and gassy conditions (chamber with N2 gas at 101 kPa) with a bulk fluid temperature of 20.5 C. Results for both the nominally degassed and gassy cases show that the highest critical heat flux (CHF) was attained using straight fins and porous tunnels. For the nominally degassed case, both had a CHF of approx.: 142 W/sq cm while for the gassy case their CHF values increased to 175 W/sq cm. This gave an enhancement relative to the nominally degassed flat surface case of approx. 77% and 119% respectively.

Silk, Erie A.↗

Noble gas insights into early impact delivery and volcanic outgassing to Earth's atmosphere: A limited role for the continental crust

Earth's atmosphere, crust and mantle have evolved together through continuous geochemical exchange throughout Earth's history. Constraints on the transport of volatile elements and compounds between these reservoirs are crucial for understanding how Earth could have stayed habitable for extended periods of time. In this work, we present a new forward model of He, Ne and Ar in the mantle, crust and atmosphere. We explore concentrations of noble gases at the end of accretion, bulk silicate Earth K/U ratios, crustal growth scenarios, and upper mantle processing rates throughout Earth's history. We search for parameter combinations that simultaneously satisfy observational constraints on present-day mantle 4 He/ 3 He and 40 Ar/ 36 Ar (sensitive to mantle outgassing and continental crust growth, which depletes the mantle of U, Th and K), atmospheric 20 Ne/ 22 Ne (which tracks the mix of outgassed vs. delivered Ne in the atmosphere), and atmospheric 40 Ar/ 36 Ar in the past and today (sensitive to volatile delivery, mantle outgassing and crustal growth). Leveraging this intertwined set of noble gas abundances and isotopic compositions yields new constraints on initial noble gas abundances in the mantle and on the proportions of atmospheric volatiles originating from delivery by impact degassing, mantle outgassing, and degassing of the continental crust. We find that atmospheric Ar isotopic evolution is primarily sensitive to the mantle processing rate history; the atmospheric Ar isotopic record should therefore not be used to reconstruct continental crust growth, but instead provides valuable insights into mantle processing rates. Our model predicts a measurably low 20 Ne/ 22 Ne ratio of ~9.7 in Archean atmospheric samples. Most of atmospheric primordial 36 Ar was directly delivered by chondritic bodies and not transferred to the atmosphere during an intense early episode of mantle outgassing. Nitrogen delivered by impact degassing could account for the present-day atmospheric nitrogen inventory.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

A review of noble gas geochemistry in relation to early Earth history

One of the most fundamental noble gas constraints on early Earth history is derived from isotopic differences in (129)Xe/(130)Xe between various terrestrial materials. The short half life (17 m.y.) of extinct (129I, parent of (129)Xe, means that these differences must have been produced within the first 100 m.y. after terrestrial accretion. The identification of large anomalies in (129)Xe/(130)Xe in mid ocean ridge basalts (MORB), with respect to atmospheric xenon, suggests that the atmosphere and upper mantle have remained separate since that time. This alone is a very strong argument for early catastrophic degassing, which would be consistent with an early fractionation resulting in core formation. However, noble gas isotopic systematics of oceanic basalts show that the mantle cannot necessarily be regarded as a homogeneous system, since there are significant variations in (3)He/(4)He, (40)Ar/(36)Ar, and (129)Xe/(130)Xe. Therefore, the early degassing cannot be considered to have acted on the whole mantle. The specific mechanisms of degassing, in particular the thickness and growth of the early crust, is an important variable in understanding present day noble gas inventories. Another constraint can be obtained from rocks that are thought to be derived from near the lithosphere asthenosphere boundary: ultramafic xenoliths.

Kurz, M. D.↗

Thermal evolution of the earth - Effects of volatile exchange between atmosphere and interior

The thermal history of the earth is investigated using a parameterized model of mantle convection, that includes the effects of volatile exchange between the mantle and the surface reservoir and the softening of the mantle by the dissolved volatiles. The mantle degassing rate is taken to be directly proportional to the rate of seafloor spreading which depends on the mantle heat flow. It is shown that the dependence of the mantle viscosity on the volatile content has important effects on the thermal evolution of planetary interiors and the evolution of planetary atmospheres. Degassing is compensated by an increase in temperature, while regassing is compensated by a decrease in temperature. Reasonable degassing scenarios can account for an early rapid formation of the earth's atmosphere inferred from noble gas abundances.

Mcgovern, Patrick J.↗

Are Plinian type eruptions possible on Venus?

Calculations of dynamics of eruption plumes in the Venusian atmosphere reveal the following results: (1) conditions for a convective eruption column are very limited on Venus with required magma temperatures higher than 1100 K; otherwise pyroclastic flows form; (2) once a convective eruption column is established, it may extend as high as about the tropopause (approximately 60 km); and (3) critical eruption velocities for a convective eruption column as a function of temperature and gas content of magma may provide a useful tool for estimating interior condition of Venus, including its volatile inventory. Volcanism is a major process to transport volatile from mantle of a planet to its surface (degassing) as well as heat and mass, all of which affect planetary evolution. For example, after completion of planetary accretion, volcanism is the dominant continuous degassing process for all the terrestrial planets. Explosive volcanism is a very important process for mantle degassing due to its high magma gas content. Consequently, eruption styles and the controlling physical processes need to be understood. Recent satellite and terrestrial ground-based observations suggest existence of explosive volcanism on Venus even though explosive volcanism is very difficult to occur on Venus due to its high atmospheric pressure. The purpose is to investigate dynamics of explosive eruption on Venus and the relation between eruption conditions such as gas content and temperature of magma and eruption velocity, and eruption styles such as Plinian type and pyroclastic flow type.

Sugita, Seiji↗

The ratios of carbon and non-radiogenic helium and argon isotopes in the mantle and crustal rocks

The studies of the relations of carbon and primary isotopes of noble gases were carried out on the natural gases and on the mantle rocks from the mantle M-type sources, which represent the degassed mantle reservoir (MORB's). These works has the aim of estimation of the values of the C/3He ratios in the deep mantle fluids to determine the flux of the mantle CO2 on the basis of known flux of primary mantle 3He. It was found, that in the natural gases the values of the C/3He ratios fall into the range from 1 times E plus 6 to 1 times E plus 15, and in the fluids of MORB's are constant near 2 times E plus 9. We have studied the mantle rocks from the relatively undergassed mantle P minus type sources: continental; Baikal Rift (Siberia), Mongolia, Catalonia (Spain), Pannonia Depression (central Europe) and ocean; Spietzbergen isl., Hawaii isl., Canarian isl. It ws found, that in mantle xenolites and the host alkaline basalts from the continental rifts and ocean islands, the values of the C/3He ratios fall into the range from E plus 11 to E plus 15 (and this result needed to be explained; the higher carbon to helium ratios is relatively undergassed mantle reservoir compared with the degassed one, requires whether hilly compatibility of helium compared with carbon, whether additional flux of 3He to the degassed mantle reservoir). From the other hand it was found that in the mantle rocks from the sources of P minus and M minus types, continental carbonatites, the values of the C/36Ar ratios are constant in the range from E plus 9 to E plus 10, the close values have the MORB's also.

Lokhov, K.↗

Mineralogy and Ar-39 - Ar-40 of an old pristine basalt: Thermal history of the HED parent body

Previous investigations of mineral chemistry and Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd ages indicated that clast,84 from eucrite Yamato 75011 had preserved the pristine nature of its initial crystallization during an early stage of the HED parent body. Microscale mineralogy and Ar-39-Ar-40 ages of this clast, however, revealed local disturbance of microtextures and partially reset ages. This evidence suggests that, in addition to initial crystallization and rapid cooling, the Y75011,84 clast experienced shock deformation, reheating of short duration at higher temperature, and brecciation. These characteristics suggest two or more impact events. Fe-rich olivine filling fractures in pyroxene may have been introduced during the accompanying shock fracturing. The inferred Ar-39-Ar-40 degassing ages for Y75011 matrix and clast, 84 are 3.94 +/- 0.04 Ga and 3.98 +/- 0.03 Ga, respectively. The suggested degassing age for a clast from Y790020, believed to be paired with Y75011, is approximately 4.03 Ga, but could be younger. We consider it likely that all three samples experienced a common degassing event 3.95 +/- 0.05 Ga ago, but we cannot rule out two or more events spaced over a approximately 0.1 Ga interval. Higher temperature extractions of the two clast samples show significantly older apparent ages up to approximately 4.5 Ga and suggest that the time/temperature regime of this event was not sufficient to degas Ar totally. Most likely, the K-Ar ages were reset by thermal metamorphism associated with one or more impact events associated with shock fracturing, formation of Fe-rich olivine veins, and/or meteorite brecciation. The pyroxene annealing that commonly occurs in many eucrites is likely to be a much earlier process than the impact-produced textural changes and reset K-Ar ages observed in these meteorites. The existence of mineralogical and chronological evidence for metamorphism in an otherwise pristine eucrite suggests that the HED parent body experienced an extensive degree of early cratering.

Takeda, Hiroshi↗