The North EasternGeological Society is delighted to award Miss Jemma Davidson the N.E.G.S. PRIZE for her fourth year research project. Well done Jemma!
This is what Jemma had to say:
Firstly, I'd like to say how delighted I was to receive the NEGS
award for my research project. I'm really honoured! Secondly, Prof
Foulger requested that I forward some information about myself and
the project. My research project was entitled "Petrological and
geochemical constraints on the genesis of high-Ti and low-Ti basalts
from the Moon". I thoroughly enjoyed the
research and, as a result, I'm going to the Planetary and Space
Science Research Institute (PSSRI) at the Open University this year
to conduct PhD research on interstellar grains in meteorites. I can't
wait! And to fill time until then I'll be studying micrometeorites at
the PSSRI as part of an internship this summer.
(I think she deserves a holiday first! (webmaster))
Below is the abstract from her 4th Year Research Project
Petrological and Geochemical Constraints on the Genesis of High-Ti and Low-Ti Basalts from the Moon
Jemma Davidson
Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University
March 2006
ABSTRACT
New mineral chemistry data is presented for an individual, high-Ti
Lunar mare basalt (70035,17b) from the Apollo 17 mission.
Trace-element and REE data is also presented for two suites of
high-Ti and low-Ti mare basalts, from the Apollo 17 and 15 missions
respectively. There has been significant scientific debate as to the
origin of differences between samples from these missions. Data has
been collected in order to develop an improved model for the
petrogenesis of high-Ti lunar basalts (particularly 70035) and to
further our understanding of the petrogenetic and geochemical
differences between them and the low-Ti lunar basalts.
This study utilises an ELAN 6000 ICP-MS (for trace element studies) and an SX-50 EMPA (for major element analyses of mineral phases, metals and glass) which has produced, for a limited number of samples, one of the best data sets currently available.
Detailed study of the chemistry of individual phases within 70035 has revealed its highly fractionated nature. The basalts studied within the high-Ti suite (with the exception of 70215) are from the same source region and represent progressive fractionation of the parental liquid in a closed system. Similarly, basalts within the low-Ti suite are from the same source. They represent later fractionation from a more depleted source than the high-Ti basalts.
The scope of this project is limited somewhat as no ‘full picture’ of mare basalt petrogenesis can be obtained; the results provide a small piece of what is essentially a large, incomplete puzzle. However, evidence has been found that supports the Giant Impact Hypothesis and the Magma Ocean Hypothesis.
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