Trace Elements in Vitrophyric Glass and Lithic Clasts from 78526, A VLT-Basaltic Impact Melt

Welten, K. C.; Lindstrom, D. J.; Martinez, R. R.
Referencia bibliográfica

Lunar and Planetary Science, volume 27, page 1415

Fecha de publicación:
3
1996
Número de autores
3
Número de autores del IAC
0
Número de citas
0
Número de citas referidas
0
Descripción
Since the discovery of very low-Ti (VLT) basalts as tiny clasts and glasses in Apollo 17 drill cores, VLT basalts have been recognized as an important lunar rock type. Lunar sample 78526 (8.77 g), our largest specimen of VLT basaltic composition, is an impact melt composed of vitrophyric green glass with minor lithic and mineral inclusions. Major and trace element abundances of bulk 78526 are intermediate between those of Apollo 17 VLT basalt fragments, but the lithic clasts are less well-defined because no trace element data are available. This work utilizes a micro-coring technique to extract microgram-sized samples from a thin-section of 78526, and micro-INAA techniques to obtain trace element abundances. The results show that the two major clasts are distinct from bulk 78526, but are similar to several VLT basalt clasts found in a highland breccia, 72235.