Formation of the Crystalline Lunar Spherules
Abstract
Apollo 14 breccias contain abundant crystalline spherules that appear to be the result of impact melting and crystallization during free flight. Their bulk compositions are quite different from the local regolith in which they were found and are clearly exotic to the site. The Imbrium impact is a likely source for these objects, since long flight times are required for crystallization to be complete before reimpacting the surface.
- Publication:
-
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
- Pub Date:
- March 1997
- Bibcode:
- 1997LPI....28.1405S
- Keywords:
-
- Lunar Composition;
- Spherules;
- Crystal Structure;
- Breccia;
- Apollo 14 Flight;
- Hypervelocity Impact;
- Lunar Surface;
- Free Flight;
- Olivine;
- Feldspars;
- Pyroxenes;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration;
- GLASS: IMPACT;
- SPHERULES: LUNAR: CRYSTALLINE;
- SUPERCOOLING