Pinpointing the Source of a Lunar Meteorite: Implications for the Evolution of the Moon
Abstract
The lunar meteorite Sayh al Uhaymir 169 consists of an impact melt breccia extremely enriched with potassium, rare earth elements, and phosphorus [thorium, 32.7 parts per million (ppm); uranium, 8.6 ppm; potassium oxide, 0.54 weight percent], and adherent regolith. The isotope systematics of the meteorite record four lunar impact events at 3909 +/- 13 million years ago (Ma), ~2800 Ma, ~200 Ma, and <0.34 Ma, and collision with Earth sometime after 9.7 +/- 1.3 thousand years ago. With these data, we can link the impact-melt breccia to Imbrium and pinpoint the source region of the meteorite to the Lalande impact crater.
- Publication:
-
Science
- Pub Date:
- July 2004
- DOI:
- 10.1126/science.1099397
- Bibcode:
- 2004Sci...305..657G
- Keywords:
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- GEOCHEM PHYS