Abstract
Argon from neutron-irradiated mineral separates and whole rock samples of a metamorphosed breccia (65015) from Apollo 16 has been analysed with a large number of gas extraction steps in order to obtain a high resolution in the apparent ages and to identify the gas released from different sources. The results on plagioclase show a 40Ar–39Ar plateau age of 3.98 × 109 yr, which we attribute to the time of metamorphism, and an age of ∼ 4.5 × 109 yr in the high temperature fraction. Correlation of the release pattern with 37Ar instead of 39Ar permits the association of the ∼4.5 × 109 yr age with relict plagioclasts which were demonstrated in previous petrographic and Rb-Sr studies as being unequilibrated. This result suggests that it is possible to identify lithic components which represent the early lunar crust.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to the full article PDF.
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albee, A. L., Gancarz, A. J., Chodos, A. A., in Proc. fourth lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. cosmochim, Acta, Suppl. 4 (in the press).
Papanastassiou, D. A., Wasserburg, G. J., Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 17, 52 (1972).
Tera, F., Papanastassiou, D. A., Wasserburg, G. J., Earth planet. Sci. Lett., (in the press).
Tera, F., Papanastassiou, D. A., Wasserburg, G. J., in Lunar Science IV (edit. by Chamberlain, J. W., and Watkins, C.), 723–725, (Lunar Science Institute, Houston, 1973).
Podosek, F. A., Huneke, J. C., Gancarz, A. J., and Wasserburg, G. J., Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, 37, 887 (1973).
Huneke, J. C., Jessberger, E. K., Podosek, F. A., and Wasserburg, G. J., Proc. fourth lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 4 (in the press).
Merrihue, C. M., and Turner, G., J. geophys. Res., 71, 2852 (1966).
Turner, G., Huneke, J. C., Podosek, F. A., and Wasserburg, G. J., in Proc. third lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 3, 2, pp. 1589–1612 (MIT Press, 1972).
Huneke, J. C., Podosek, F. A., Burnett, D. S., and Wasserburg, G. J., Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, 36, 269 (1972).
Husain, L., and Schaeffer, O. A., in Lunar Science IV (edit. by Chamberlain, J. W., and Watkins, C.), pp. 406–408 (Lunar Science Institute, Houston, 1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jessberger, E., Huneke, J. & Wasserburg, G. Evidence for a ∼ 4.5 aeon age of plagioclase clasts in a lunar highland breccia . Nature 248, 199–202 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/248199a0
Received:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/248199a0
