Petrography of Meteor Crater core 4, Meteor Crater, Arizona
Petrography of Meteor Crator, Arizona
METEORITIC CRATER↗
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Composition and grain-size characteristics of fines from the Apollo 12 double-core tube
Petrography, mineral composition and grain size distribution of Apollo 12 lunar fines
Bird, M. L.↗
Initial Petrographic Analysis of Apollo 17 73002 Continuous Core Thin Sections Using QEMSCAN Mapping Techniques
In 1972, the Apollo 17 mission landed in the Taurus-Littrow Valley located in the southeastern edge of Mare Serenitatis [1].During EVA 2at Station 3,a double drive tube was used to collect a sealed core sample (73001/2)of the upper~70cm of the lunar regolith[2-4].The core was taken from the surface of the light mantle deposit, found at the base of the South Massif [3]. For nearly 50 years, the sealed core samples have remained unopened. This study is part of the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) initiative to analyze the continuous thin sections from the Apollo 17 drive tubes opened in 2019[5-7].
QEMSCAN↗
Utah FORGE: Well 78B-32 Core Sample Petrographic Analysis Data
This dataset contains an overview of the petrographic, X-ray Diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses of core samples from Utah FORGE Well 78B-32 and related data as described in the .zip folder's Description below.
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
Apollo 17 drive tube 76001 - Modal petrology
Twelve polished thin sections from Apollo 17 drive tube 76001 have been studied by optical petrography. The entire core is found to be mature showing little variation in depth, which is consistent with a depositional model involving slow downslope movement of the regolith by mass wasting. However, within the core some major differences are preserved between two stratigraphic units. Unit A (20-31 cm depth) is enriched in gabbroic anorthosite relative to unit B (0-20 cm depth), while unit B is enriched in KREEPY noritic breccias relative to unit A. This observation is interpreted in terms of a stratigraphy for North Massif involving a noritic breccia unit overlying a unit enriched in gabbroic anorthosite. Pronounced differences between the highland/mare ratios in drive tube 76001 and the Apollo 17 drill core separated by only 3.5 km demonstrate the relative inefficiency of lateral transport as a regolith mixing mechanism on the moon.
Papike, J. J.↗
Utah FORGE: Well 16B(78)-32 Core Photographs
This dataset includes images of core samples collected from Utah FORGE well 16B(78)-32. The images are stitched photographs showing the circumferential view of the cores exterior in two dimensions and the individual photos of the core taken at multiple angles used to construct the stitched photos.
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
Petrography of shock features in the 1953 Manson 2-A drill core
Drilling of Nx core in late 1953 into an anomalous zone of disturbed rocks northwest of Manson, Iowa disclosed presence of extensive breccias including crystalline rocks brought to the surface from depths of 4 km or more. Hole 2-A penetrated breccias dominated by leucocratic igneous and metamorphic lithologies, later interpreted to be part of a general ringed peak complex within a 35 km wide impact structure produced about 65 Ma ago. Proof of this origin was given in 1966 by NMS through recognition of shock metamorphic features in 2-A materials during a cursory examination of samples provided by R.A. Hoppin, University of Iowa. A detailed study of this material now underway has revealed that most breccia clasts in 2-A show abundant and varied evidence of shock damage, including extensive planar deformation features (PDF) in quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, and a pyroxene and varying degrees of isotropization and incipient melting in feldspars.
Short, N. M.↗
Petrography and preliminary interpretations of the crystalline breccias from the Manson M-1 core
The M-1 core was drilled on the eastern edge of the central uplift within the Manson Impact Structure in Iowa. The lower 107.9 m of the core consists of crystalline breccias. Twelve intervals of thin sections from this core have been studied for preliminary discussion. The breccias are divided into three units by matrix size and abundance. Unit 1 is characterized by a high volume fraction of matrix, and a decreasing proportion of matrix with depth. This matrix is nearly isotropic and consists of grains less than 0.005 to less than 0.02 mm in length. The matrix between 112 and 146 meters depth consists of a crystalline intergrowth of felsic and opaque minerals with or without chlorite. This was the hottest section of the core after impact, and may have undergone high temperature metamorphic recrystallization. Unit 2 is transitional between units 1 and 3, and is delineated by a rapid increase in grain size to .01-.04 mm and a decrease in matrix abundance to 10 percent. Unit 3 has a coarse, often porous matrix, whose abundance changes from about 10 percent at the top to about 2 percent at the base. Grain sizes range from 0.01-0.1 mm over this interval and coarsen with depth. Changes in the character of the matrix as well as the changes in clast lithology and abundance outlined below suggest that unit 3 is in-situ brecciated basement with injected melt and shale fragments; unit 1 is a crater veneer deposit consisting of transported basement materials and unit 2 is a mixed zone between units 1 and 3.
Bell, M. S.↗
The Apollo 17 drill core - Modal petrology and glass chemistry /sections 70007, 70008, 70009/
On the basis of modal petrography the upper, mare basalt-rich portion of the Apollo 17 drill core (sections 70007, 70008, 70009) can be subdivided into three major stratigraphic units. The lower unit (a) falls within 70007, is relatively mature, and contains evidence of an increase in highland component and decrease of mare component within the lower approximately 8 cm. The middle unit (b) is coarse-grained and relatively immature; this unit has the highest concentration of mare basalt lithic and mineral fragments and mare orange/black glasses. The top unit (c) falls within 70009 and is relatively mature. Within these three sections of the drill core, there are compositional clusters of glass beads that correspond to high Ti subfloor basalt (orange/black glass), anorthositic gabbro (clear glass), and a new very low Ti (VLT) mare basalt (yellow/green glass).
Vaniman, D. T.↗
Lunar Science Conference, 7th, Houston, Tex., March 15-19, 1976, Proceedings. Volume 1 - Regolith studies. Volume 2 - Petrogenetic studies of mare and highland rocks. Volume 3 - The moon and other bodies
Attention is given to lunar core studies (multi-core, deep drill, and drive tube), surface soil studies (petrography and geochemistry, light and volatile element studies, and agglutinate related studies), and surfaces process studies. Also considered are mare basalts, with emphasis on mineralogy and petrology, chemical and isotopic studies, and constraints and models of basalt evolution, along with breccia and highland samples with attention given to geochronology, boulders and consortium studies and the formation of highland samples. Remote sensing and photogeology of the moon, crustal bombardment, physical properties of the moon, and comparative planetology are also discussed.
Merrill, R. B.↗
Parental magmas of Mare Fecunditatis - Evidence from pristine glasses
Results are presented on the petrography and electron microprobe analyses of 14 discrete glass beads from the Luna 16 core sample (21036,15) from Mare Fecunditatis regolith, that were previously characterized as representing pristine glasses. Compared to Apollo pristine glasses analyzed by Delano (1986), the Luna 16 pristine glasses have higher CaO and Al2O3 contents but lower MgO and Ni. On the basis of their contents of MgO, FeO, Al2O3, and CaO, these pristine glasses could be divided into two groups, A and B. It is suggested that at least two parental magmas are needed to explain the chemical variations among these glasses. The Group B glasses appear to represent primitive parental magma that evolved by olivine fractionation to the compositions of the Luna 16 aluminous mare basalts, whereas the Group A volcanic glasses may represent an unusual new basalt magma type that contains a high plagioclase component.
Jin, Y.↗
Characteristics of microcracks in samples from the drill hole Noerdlingen 1973 in the Ries crater, Germany
Samples from the Noerdlingen 1973 drill core contain abundant shock-induced microfractures which exhibit varying amounts of healing and sealing. Many of the microcracks resemble morphologically the open microcracks present in returned lunar samples. Data derived from petrography, scanning electron microscopy, and differential strain analysis indicate that fewer microcracks were formed at greater depths and crack sealing processes are more effective for cracks associated with planar elements. Although the microcracks in the Ries core are now sealed, they are valid analogues of the open shock-induced cracks of lunar rocks and demonstrate that open cracks do form in rocks at depth during a naturally-occurring shock event. The healing of the shock-induced cracks in the Ries core also precludes their use for laboratory measurements of physical properties intended to be used as analogue measurements of lunar samples in situ.
Padovani, E. R.↗
Utah FORGE: Well 16A(78)-32 Core Analysis Results
This dataset features petrographic, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy Analyses of core samples from well 16A(78)-32, which serves as the injection well for the Utah FORGE Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) project. In addition to an overview of the analysis, the following items have been included here: images of 21 entire thin sections in plane-polarized and cross-polarized light from 16 depths, scanning electron microscope back scatter electron photomosaic maps of 21 thin sections from 16 depths, bulk XRD data from 16 depths, clay-sized XRD patterns from 16 depths, an optical petrography report, and scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses of eight selected samples.
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Apollo 16 core 60013/14 as a product of path 1 and path 2 regolith evolution processes
We have made a petrographic study of 12 samples along the 62 cm profile of Apollo 16 core 60013/14 taken at Station 10 near the lunar module. The basic core description and maturity variations have been discussed earlier. This core is important because it enables a stratigraphic comparison with nearby cores 60001-7 and 60009/10. These cores form a triangle with sides 35-40 m. FMR data show a maturity-match between 60009/10 and 60013/14. Unfortunately, segments of the core 60001-7 are too disturbed for any cm scale comparison. We present new data on the grain size distribution and the modal petrography for six samples from six levels of 60013 using the same approach and rationale used for 60014. We have combined the new data with our previous data on 60014 to plot the variations of grain size distributions and grain type abundances, in the 500-1000 m and 90-150 micrometers size fractions, with depth. Agglutinate abundances match the I sub s/FeO profile and both show a significant break at a depth of about 45 cm, with lower maturity material below that point. Grain size distributions show that for all analyzed samples, the mean grain size is below 90 micrometers. The two lowest samples are somewhat more coarse-grained than the rest of the core. The break at about 45 cm is the most prominent feature of the core and was described during the initial dissection as a pronounced change in color from dark to light. It now seems clear that this break is primarily one of maturity rather than of bulk chemical composition.
Basu, A.↗
Constraints on the Parental Melts of Enriched Shergottites from Image Analysis and High Pressure Experiments
Martian basalts can be classified in at least two geochemically different families: enriched and depleted shergottites. Enriched shergottites are characterized by higher incompatible element concentrations and initial Sr-87/Sr-86 and lower initial Nd-143/Nd-144 and Hf-176/Hf-177 than depleted shergottites [e.g. 1, 2]. It is now generally admitted that shergottites result from the melting of at least two distinct mantle reservoirs [e.g. 2, 3]. Some of the olivine-phyric shergottites (either depleted or enriched), the most magnesian Martian basalts, could represent primitive melts, which are of considerable interest to constrain mantle sources. Two depleted olivine-phyric shergottites, Yamato (Y) 980459 and Northwest Africa (NWA) 5789, are in equilibrium with their most magnesian olivine (Fig. 1) and their bulk rock compositions are inferred to represent primitive melts [4, 5]. Larkman Nunatak (LAR) 06319 [3, 6, 7] and NWA 1068 [8], the most magnesian enriched basalts, have bulk Mg# that are too high to be in equilibrium with their olivine megacryst cores. Parental melt compositions have been estimated by subtracting the most magnesian olivine from the bulk rock composition, assuming that olivine megacrysts have partially accumulated [3, 9]. However, because this technique does not account for the actual petrography of these meteorites, we used image analysis to study these rocks history, reconstruct their parent magma and understand the nature of olivine megacrysts.
Collinet, M.↗
Integrated experimental studies of pore structure and fluid uptake in the Bossier Shale in eastern Texas, USA
Within the Haynesville-Bossier Shale complex, the Bossier Shale has not been extensively studied by either industry and academia, despite it being an unconventional gas reservoir and a potential caprock for carbon storage in the underlaying Haynesville Shale. The lack of knowledge of the complex pore structures and fluid-rock interactions hinders the effective extraction of gas and the characterization of fluid reservoirs and sealing capacity. Integrated experimental studies of pore structure and fluid-rock interactions were conducted in seven Bossier Shale core samples collected in eastern Texas. Petrographic, geochemical, and petrophysical properties such as mineral composition, organic richness, thermal maturity, porosity, pore/pore throat diameter distribution, water-accessible pores, liquid water imbibition, and water vapor adsorption were characterized using complementary approaches of thin-section petrography, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, total organic matter, pyrolysis, mercury intrusion porosimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance, (Ultra-) small angle X-rays scattering as well as small angle neutron scattering with deuterated liquids and contrast variation. Further, the results show that the thermally mature Bossier Shales are composed of mixed argillaceous mudstone, mixed mudstone, and mixed carbonate mudstone. The shale contains both organic and inorganic pores, with porosities of 3.24-9.37 %, pore-to-throat ratios of 1.65 to 19.4, and water-accessible pores accounting for 28.7-72.6 % of total pores. Approaches of liquid water imbibition and water vapor adsorption, with and without direct contact of water with shale samples, indicate that liquid water first enters the nano-sized pores under high capillary pressures, and water vapor adsorption is mainly controlled by both clay minerals and pores with diameters less than 10 nm. These findings contribute to a better understanding of pore structures and water-shale interactions and their controlling factors in the Bossier Shale.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Composition of Apollo 17 core 76001
Core 76001 is a single drive tube containing a column of regolith taken at the base of the North Massif, station 6, Apollo 17. The core material is believed to have accumulated through slow downslope mass wasting from the massif. As a consequence, the core soil is mature throughout its length. Results of INAA for samples taken every half centimeter along the length of the core indicate that there is only minor systematic compositional variation with depth. Concentrations of elements primarily associated with mare basalt (Sc, Fe) and noritic impact melt breccia (Sm) decrease slightly with depth, particularly between 20 cm and the bottom of the core at 32 cm depth. This is consistent with petrographic studies that indicate a greater proportion of basalt and melt breccia in the top part of the core. However, Sm/Sc and La/Sm ratios are remarkably constant with depth, indicating no variation in the ratio of mare material to Sm-rich highlands material with depth. Other than these subtle changes, there is no compositional evidence for the two stratigraphic units (0-20 cm and 20-32 cm) defined on the basis of modal petrography, although all samples with anomalously high Ni concentrations (Fe-Ni metal nuggets) occur above 20 cm depth.
Korotev, Randy L.↗
Complex petrogenesis of the Nakhla (SNC) meteorite - Evidence from petrography and mineral chemistry
The Nakhla (SNC) meteorite, of putative Martian origin, consists of euhedra and subhedra of augite and olivine in a fine-grained basaltic mesostasis. This paper presents petrographic and mineral chemical data on the Nakhla meteorite, which were collected to help distinquish among the four existing hypotheses for the formation of olivine in this meteorite. It is concluded that none of these hypotheses can explain the origins of olivine and augite. A new hypothesis is proposed, which is consistent with the data presented. It suggests that the cores of augites and olivines are both xenocrysts from a partially equilibrated source rock.
Treiman, A. H.↗