Fe-K XANES and HR-TEM analyses of Apollo lunar grain space weathered surfaces

Authors: Leon Hicks (University of Leicester) , John Bridges (University of Leicester) , Takaaki Noguchi (Kyushu University) , Jack Piercy (University of Leicester)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Conference Paper
Conference: 14th Europlanet Science Congress 2020
Peer Reviewed: No

State: Published (Approved)
Published: September 2020

Abstract: Space weathering due to the bombardment of electrons and solar wind upon the exposed lunar surface shows as an apparent spectral darkening and reddening in ground-based and lunar-orbital observations. Space weathered rims have been observed on soil surface samples, returned by the Apollo landings, featuring amorphized material and nanophase Fe metal (npFe⁰) particles formed due to the implantation of solar wind H⁺ ions reducing the host grain mineral oxides to form metal. Oxidation of these Fe particles has also been shown, and a suggested correlation between oxidation and lunar soil maturity.In this study, we investigate Fe-redox changes in the space weathered rims of Apollo 17 lunar surface soil samples, using TEM and X-ray nanoprobe Fe-K XANES.

Subject Areas: Earth Science

Diamond Offline Facilities: Electron Physical Sciences Imaging Centre (ePSIC)
Instruments: E02-JEM ARM 300CF , I14-Hard X-ray Nanoprobe

Added On: 15/12/2020 10:12

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