Composition and origin of lithic fragments and glasses in apollo 11 samples

Abstract

Approximately 100 glasses and 52 lithic fragments from Apollo 11 lunar fines and microbreccias were analyzed with the electron microprobe. Ranges in bulk composition of lithic fragments are considerably outside the precision (<±1%) and accuracy (±2–5%) of the broad electron beam technique. Results of this study may be summarized as follows: i) A large variety of rock types different from the hand specimens (basalt) were found among the lithic fragments, namely anorthosites, troctolitic and noritic anorthosites, troctolites, and norites (different from Apollo 12 norites). ii) In analogy to the hand specimens, the basaltic lithic fragments may be subdivided into low-K and high-K groups, both of which extend considerably in composition beyond the hand specimens. iii) Glasses were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 are the compositional analogs of the anorthositic-troctolitic lithic fragments and were apparently formed in single-stage impact events directly from parent anorthosites and troctolites. iv) Group 2 glasses are identical in composition to Apollo 12 KREEP glass and noritic lithic fragments, but have no counterparts in our Apollo 11 lithic fragment suite. Occurrence of KREEP in Apollo 11,12, and 14 samples is indicative of its relatively high abundance and suggests that the lunar crust is less depleted in elements that are common in KREEP (e.g. K, rare earths, P) than was originally thought on the basis of Apollo 11 basalt studies. v) Group 3 glasses are the compositional analogs of the basaltic lithic fragments, but low-K and high-K glasses cannot be distinguished because of loss of K (and Na, P) by volatilization in the vitrification process. vi) Group 4 glasses have no compositional analogs among the lithic fragments and were probably derived from as yet unknown Fe-rich, moderately Ti-rich, Mg-poor basalts. vii) Group 5 (low Ti-high Mg peridotite equivalent) and 6 (ilmenite peridotite equivalent) glasses have no counterparts among the Apollo 11 lithic fragments, but rock equivalents to group 5 glasses were found in Apollo 12 samples. Group 6 glasses are abundant, have narrow compositional ranges, and are thought to be the products of impact melting of an as yet unrecognized ultramafic rock type. iix) The great variety of igneous rocks (e.g. anorthosites, troctolites, norites, basalts, peridotites) suggests that large scale melting or partial melting to considerable depth must have occurred on the moon.