Lunar meteorite Northwest Africa 11962: A regolith breccia containing records of titanium‐rich lunar volcanism and the high alkali suite. (14th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bechtold, Andreas; Brandstätter, Franz; Pittarello, Lidia; Ferrière, Ludovic; Greenwood, Richard C.; Koeberl, Christian
• Is Part Of: Meteoritics & planetary science. Volume 56:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 971
• Page End: 991
• Publication Date: 2021-05-14
• Subjects: Meteorites -- Periodicals; Planetology -- Periodicals; 523.4
• DOI: 10.1111/maps.13659
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1086-9379

Abstract

Abstract: Northwest Africa (NWA) 11962 is a lunar regolith breccia composed of a wide range of different clasts. The lunar origin of this meteorite is confirmed by oxygen isotope analysis and the Fe/Mn ratio in pyroxene and olivine. In the present study, the clasts and the matrix of NWA 11962 are characterized by optical and electron microscopy along with electron microprobe analyses and micro‐Raman spectroscopy. The meteorite has a glassy impact melt matrix, which accounts for 35% of the surface area in the two thin sections examined, and which contains a very large variety of different lithic clasts, monomineralic clasts, and glass fragments. The presence of volcanic and impact‐related glass spherules led to the classification of this meteorite as a regolith breccia. Lithic clasts include numerous fragments of quartz monzogabbro and lunar felsite, which are quite rare lithologies in the lunar alkali suite. However, the most abundant components in the breccia are gabbroic clasts. The mineral chemistry of the pyroxenes in the gabbroic clasts and the chemistry of various types of glass fragments in the breccia indicate an origin of the regolith from an area with low‐Ti to high‐Ti mare basalt volcanism. In addition to the peculiar petrographic characteristics of NWA 11962, the possible pairing relationships with other lunar meteorites are discussed.