Geochemistry of lunar meteorite Northwest Africa 11962 and its potential source region/crater in the Procellarum KREEP terraneOPEN ACCESS 

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Andreas Bechtold, Toni Schulz, Wencke Wegner, Dieter Mader, Christian Patterer, Christian Koeberl

MAPS
Version of Record online: 21 July 2022

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“Lunar meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 11962 is a regolith breccia with a diverse range of mineral and lithic clasts. For the present study, major and trace element contents and selected isotopic compositions were determined on a homogenized bulk powder of NWA 11962 by instrumental neutron activation analysis, thermal ionization mass spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The chemical composition of the sample points toward an origin of the meteorite from within the Procellarum KREEP terrane (PKT). Samarium-Nd and Rb-Sr isotopic compositions and concentrations show a similarity to those of Apollo 15 soils and KREEP basalt. Highly siderophile element (HSE) abundances and ratios, as well as the Re/Os isotopic system, are often used as tracers of different impactor types. The 187Os/188Os and 187Re/188Os isotopic ratios are within the range of ordinary chondrites, yet some of the siderophile element and highly siderophile element ratios are comparable to those of iron meteorites. Using Fe, Th, and Ti abundances of lunar surface regolith, measured by the Lunar Prospector gamma-ray spectrometer, we attempt to constrain potential lunar source regions for NWA 11962. By matching these possible source regions with coordinates of recently (<1 Ma) formed lunar impact craters (so-called lunar cold spots), we localized a potential source crater of NWA 11962 at the western rim of the PKT close to Sinus Medii.”

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